Good News Translation restructures this verse with the first line of Greek and Revised Standard Version in final position. We recommend that translators consider following this. See the model below.

With misspent toil, he forms a futile god from the same clay: The Good News Translation addition “that he uses to make pots” is helpful for explaining what is meant by the same clay. Good News Translation is good, but the following may be a slight improvement: “This human being wastes his energy shaping a useless god from the same clay that he uses to make pots.”

This man who was made of earth a short time before and after a little while goes to the earth from which he was taken, when he is required to return the soul that was lent him: See Gen 2.7; 3.19; compare also verse 16. Good News Translation inserts the when clause into the preceding line: “and after a little while, when he must return the soul that was lent to him, he will go back to the same earth.” Although not necessary, it is effective. Return the soul that was lent him refers, of course, to death, but the author has used the figure deliberately. Translators should choose some similar figure of speech if this one is too difficult. For soul refer to 8.19. That was lent to him may be rendered “that God allowed him to have.”

We may translate the whole verse as follows:

• This potter is a human being who was himself made from earth a short time before. In a little while he must come to the end of the life he was allowed to have [or, that God allowed him to have], and must go back to the earth he came from. He wastes his energy shaping [or, forming] a useless god [or, idol] from the same clay that he uses to make pots.

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.