Verses 10-16 present a problem. The narrator of the book is the mature Solomon, yet he speaks here of past events and present conditions as still future. He is taking us back to his youth, when these things were still ahead of him. He is telling us what he, as a young man, thought the rewards of wisdom would be. Good News Translation does well to introduce these verses with a helpful “I thought to myself” and then to place the rest of the material through verse 16 in quotation marks. New English Bible and Revised English Bible use no quotation marks, but do insert “I thought.” The Handbook urges translators to mark this material in a similar way. Otherwise the future tense will confuse many readers.

Because of her I shall have glory among the multitudes may be rendered “If I have Wisdom, I will be admired by all the people” or “… all the people [or, everyone] will honor [or, respect] me.” Multitudes refers to the people governed by King Solomon.

And honor in the presence of the elders, though I am young: Elders can often mean “leaders,” but here the contrast with young makes it advisable to use the literal meaning, “old people.” Good News Translation is a good model for translators: “The old men will respect me, even though I am young.”

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.