But he is not concerned that he is destined to die or that his life is brief: By reworking Good News Translation, we may say “His life will be short, and he will have to die, but he doesn’t give it much thought [or, doesn’t care too much].” Or by following the Revised Standard Version order, another possible rendering is “But he doesn’t care [or, isn’t concerned] that he will have to die, or that his life will be short.”

But he competes with workers in gold and silver, and imitates workers in copper: The metal being referred to as copper is more likely “bronze” (Good News Translation). Copper, a soft metal, was combined with tin to create bronze, a much harder metal. The irony in these lines is that the potter, who works in humble clay, is trying to outdo artists who work in precious metals. Anything such artists make will be of some value simply because of the material they use. The potter’s work is valuable only insofar as it serves a useful, and usually humble, purpose. But the potter here is not even making a useful pot, just a completely useless god. Translators might say “He is too busy trying to do the things that other artists do with their gold, silver, and bronze” or “He is too busy trying to make an idol out of clay that other artists would make with their gold….”

And he counts it his glory that he molds counterfeit gods: On molds see comment on verse 7. The word gods is not in Greek, but is supplied by the Revised Standard Version translators. Revised English Bible has an effective translation for this line: “and he thinks it does him credit to contrive fakes.” Trying to convey the irony, we might also render “and he is so proud of the fakes [or, fake/sham gods] that he produces.”

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.