Fire even in water retained its normal power, and water forgot its fire-quenching nature: Compare 16.17. Good News Translation states this very compactly by combining the two lines. An alternative model is “Water forgot how to put out fire [or, no longer put out fire], so that fire went on burning even in water [or, even when it was covered with water].”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Wisdom of Solomon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2004. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.