Afterward may be rendered “From that time on” (Good News Translation) or “Since then” (Contemporary English Version).

She appeared upon earth: The subject of the verb appeared is not expressed in Greek, and in the past it was often argued that God, incarnate in Jesus, was the subject (compare John 1.14). Today scholars are confident that the subject of this verb is the subject under discussion, which is Wisdom, and it is so rendered by most recent versions.

Lived among men: This can be interpreted two ways. Good News Translation, by translating “lived among us,” assumes that the reference is to Israel: God gave Wisdom to us Jews, and ever since she has been among us. However, if the reference is taken to be humanity in general, it is saying that God gave Wisdom to the Jews, and (only) since that time, Wisdom has been found on earth among people (in general). This second interpretation seems to make more sense in the context, and is followed by Contemporary English Version with “among human beings.” The author is voicing the sentiment found in such roughly contemporary Jewish thinkers as Philo, who said that all human wisdom really comes down from Moses. Two possible ways of expressing what the author is saying are:

• … [God] gave Wisdom to his servant Israel, the people he loved. After that time, she appeared in the world and became known [or, accessible/available] to other peoples.

• … [God] gave wisdom to his servant Israel, the people he loved. After that time, there were other people in the world who also became wise.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.