For when they were tried: The connector For is better rendered as the adversative “But” The idea that the Israelites could learn from experiencing something of their enemies’ fate is emphasized in 16.4. Tried refers to being tested, and For when they were tried may be translated “But when you let your people go thirsty.”

Disciplined in mercy means that God punished them for their own good, so that they could learn from the experience. So we may say “you mercifully did this for their own good” or “you were very kind and did this….”

They learned how the ungodly were tormented may be rendered “they learned how you tormented [or, tortured] those ungodly people” or “you showed them how you tormented….”

When judged in wrath: Judged refers to being punished—the result of judgment. There is a contrast in the two lines between God’s people being disciplined in mercy and their enemies being judged in wrath. In wrath may also be expressed as “when you were angry.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• You put them to the test as an act of mercy [or, kindness], but from it they learned about the tortures ungodly people suffered when you judged [or, punished] them in anger.

• You let your people go thirsty as an act of kindness. From it [or, this kindness] they learned how you had severely tortured those ungodly people when you punished them in anger [or, while you were angry].

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.