Compare verses 19-20 with Isa 53.7-9.

Let us test him with insult and torture: The word test here does not have quite the same meaning as the word in verse 17. This word implies a cruel pretense of testing, with the aim of getting the desired result. It is virtually the same as torture. The word is used in the Greek of Gen 12.17 (“afflicted” in Revised Standard Version), and a closely related word is used in Acts 22.24 (“scourging” in Revised Standard Version). The Good News Translation translation “So let’s put them to the test,” while not wrong, is unnecessary. The meaning comes over quite well in the rest of the line.

There is an awkward problem with the words insult and torture in this context, a problem Good News Translation handles quite well. These words express the thoughts of ungodly people, as they think about how they would like to treat righteous people. But the words insult and torture are words that a good person (such as the author) would use to describe this sinful behavior. They are not really the words an evildoer would choose, and so they sound out of place. Moreover, insult is a weak equivalent for a Greek noun that here means “reckless violence.” A possible rendering for this line is “Let’s torture them! Let’s beat them to a pulp!”

That we may find out how gentle he is: Good News Translation translates gentle as “calm and reasonable.” Another approach for this line might be “… how much self-control they have.”

And make trial of his forbearance: Good News Translation translates this well with “We’ll find out just how much they can stand.” The idea is that the ungodly propose to afflict the righteous to see just how much pressure they can take before their calm self-control breaks down and they realize that God isn’t going to protect them.

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.