So it was we who strayed from the way of truth: Good News Translation tries to preserve the imagery of the “path,” and some translators will wish to do this. Another possible model is “We were the ones who turned away from the true way [or, path].” For those who cannot preserve the imagery, they may say, for example, “We were the ones who were wrong.”

And the light of righteousness did not shine on us, and the sun did not rise upon us: Compare Mal 4.2. Both light and sun here are metaphors, of course, which will be possible to preserve in many languages; but readers must not get the impression that the second clause is referring to an actual sunrise. Translators must be sure that it is clear that the two lines have the same meaning; they both are speaking metaphorically about people suddenly understanding what righteousness was about. In some languages it will be necessary to get rid of the metaphors and say something like “We never understood that the way of these good people was the right way to live [or, that these people were living truly good lives].” This is what the two lines are saying.

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.