What has our arrogance profited us? And what good has our boasted wealth brought us?: The answer to these rhetorical questions is of course, “Nothing.” Good News Translation has an effective translation of this verse. Another approach, avoiding the question form, would be to say at the end of the verse: “and now, it has done us no good.”

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.

Verse 17 should begin a new paragraph. Verses 17-20 constitute a series of statements arranged in this manner:

(17) A is B and B is C
(18) and C is D and D is E
(19) and E is F;
(20) therefore A is F.

Some of the ancient Greek writers were fond of this arrangement. (Compare Rom 10.14-15). The series here is not a perfect example of this form because in verses 19 and 20 two different expressions are used for the F term. For this see the notes on verse 20.

The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction: Compare Psa 111.10; Pro 1.7; 9.10; Sir 1.14. The grammar is not clear here. The adjective sincere could just as easily go with beginning of wisdom. New English Bible translates well: “The true beginning of wisdom is the desire to learn.” (A more literal rendering of the Greek would be “The truest beginning….”) We recommend this over Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Translators could say “Wisdom really begins when you want to learn” or “You truly become wise [or, gain Wisdom] when you want to learn.”

And concern for instruction is love of her may be rendered “When you want to learn, you show your love for Wisdom.”

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.

Solomon has been describing Wisdom as if she were a spiritual being, which raises the question of just how she relates to God. Verses 25-26 answer that question. Here Wisdom herself is the subject, not the spirit within Wisdom (verse 22). While in verses 22b-23 the spirit of Wisdom was described by a chain of adjectives, in verses 24-26 she is described by a series of nouns (breath, emanation, “reflection,” “mirror,” “image”). This is a good place for a paragraph break.

For she is a breath of the power of God: If this begins a new paragraph, it is appropriate to delete the connector For and to name “Wisdom” as the subject, as Contemporary English Version does with “Wisdom is the breath….” The word translated breath describes a mist or vapor, such as steam, or a person’s breath when the weather is cold. Compare Sir 24.3, where, however, another noun is used. The Good News Translation translation, “a breath of God’s power,” may leave the mistaken impression that Wisdom is being described as a hint of God’s power, which is not the case. Perhaps translators may say “Wisdom is the power of God, breathed into this world” or “Wisdom is the power of God, covering the world like the air itself.”

And a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty: The word translated emanation refers to something, such as light or water, flowing from a source. Here light is surely intended. The philosophers would speak of light emanating from the sun, without making the sun less. So an emanation from God did not make God less. In the Old Testament Good News Translation usually translates glory as “the dazzling light of God’s presence”; see, for example, Exo 33.18, 22; 40.34. A possible way of handling this line is “She is a stream of purest light coming from the dazzling presence of God Almighty [or, God who is over all things].”

Therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her: Since Wisdom participates in the power and glory of God, nothing can contaminate her. The verb translated gains entrance has to do with entering by stealth—sneaking in. So Good News Translation has “Nothing that is defiled can ever steal its way into Wisdom.” The figure of “gaining entrance into” does not have to be retained, and should not be if it would be taken in a literal sense. To avoid it, translators might say “Nothing can ever find a way to contaminate [or, corrupt] her [purity].”

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.

For even if one is perfect among the sons of men: The connector for may be omitted. The problem here is that if someone were actually perfect, that person would by definition already be wise. We believe that New English Bible is correct in interpreting this line: “for let a man be ever so perfect in the eyes of his fellow-men,” which means “Even though people may think someone is perfect, he really isn’t.” Some of the Greek philosophers described the truly wise man as perfect, but our author will make the claim in the next line that such a person is nothing unless his wisdom comes from God. Before translating this line we must deal with a problem in the next line.

Yet without the wisdom that comes from thee he will be regarded as nothing: The problem here is that if we speak of people thinking of someone as perfect, how can we say he will be regarded as nothing? Yet it is quite clear what the author means. He means that a person who is perfect from a human point of view but who lacks divinely given wisdom is in reality far from perfect—he is nothing. We suggest translating the verse along this line:

• Even if people think that someone is absolutely [or, completely] perfect, he is really nothing unless he has the wisdom that only you can give.

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.

Because wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb: Compare Isa 35.6. Although the dumb here is plural (meaning “those who are unable to talk”), the author is perhaps referring to Moses; see Exo 4.10; 6.12, 30. But see the next line.

And made the tongues of babes speak clearly: Compare Psa 8.2. Once again the writer is relying on an ancient Jewish tradition about babies at their mothers’ breasts speaking to praise God at the time of the crossing of the Red Sea. (Texts are quoted by Winston and Vílchez.) This suggests that the babes of this line are the same as the dumb in the previous line. What we have here is simply a case of synonymous parallelism, that is, two lines that say the same thing in different terms. Some take clearly here to mean “eloquently.”

Bearing these points in mind, translators could then translate the verse as follows:

• Wisdom even caused babies who were too young to talk to speak clearly.

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.

But judging them little by little thou gavest them a chance to repent: Judging here does not refer to a judge deciding whether these people are guilty or not and passing sentence on them [announcing what their punishment will be], but to the effect of the judgment, the carrying out of the sentence, that is, the punishment itself. For this line translators could say “you still punished them little by little, giving them time to turn back to you” (Contemporary English Version). Compare Exo 23.30; Jdg 2.23.

Though thou wast not unaware that their origin was evil and their wickedness inborn: The Revised Standard Version footnote indicates that origin could be translated “nature” (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Contemporary English Version). This is true, but Good News Translation and others have probably given the right meaning with “evil stock.” This means that the ancestors of these people were as evil as they themselves were. It compares the people to a plant coming up from bad “stock” or “seed” (Winston). “Wicked since birth” (Good News Translation) is consistent with the Greek behind wickedness inborn, but it shifts the focus. The Greek says that evil is part of their very nature. “Wicked since birth” sounds like it refers to a succession of evil actions, not to an inherently evil character.

And that their way of thinking would never change: This could be translated “and that they would never repent” or “and that they would always be the same.”

The last three lines could be translated “You knew [very well] that they were completely evil, that all their ancestors had been wicked, and that they were never going to change [or, repent].” It is possible to place these lines at the beginning of the verse as follows:

• You knew that they were completely evil, that all their ancestors had been wicked, and that they were never going to change [or, repent]. Yet you still punished them little by little, giving them a chance to repent.

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.

Then he makes for it a niche that befits it: A niche is a small opening in a wall where a person might set something. This is probably the meaning, as we see from the next line, but the Greek word used here is not that precise. Translators could render this line well with “Then he finds [or, makes] a nice place on a wall to put it” or “He makes a special place on the wall where he can place it.”

And sets it in the wall, and fastens it there with iron: For iron there is no indication in the Greek whether we are talking about “iron nails” (Good News Translation), “an iron clamp” (New Jerusalem Bible), iron bands, or whatever, and it is not important. The ironic thing is that the “god” is made out of inferior wood with flawed workmanship, and the carver has to use the strength of iron to keep it standing. Iron is the last word in the Greek sentence that begins with verse 11; the author has probably built up carefully from the flimsy tree mentioned in that verse to the solid iron restraint imposed on the idol at the end of the sentence.

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.

For their worshipers either rave in exultation, or prophesy lies, or live unrighteously, or readily commit perjury: In this context the connector For may be rendered as “Yes,” so the verse could begin “Yes, the people who….” Rave in exultation refers to being so caught up in worship as to lose control of yourself and behave irrationally. An alternative model for this verse is:

• Those who worship them go into frenzies [or, act like crazy/mad people], they speak lies and call it prophecy [or, give false messages in the name of their god], they live wickedly, and they do not hesitate to break their word.

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.