Let none of us fail to share in our revelry: The noun translated revelry normally refers to “arrogance, impudence,” and probably does here too. Interpreters seem to be misled by the figures of verses 6-8, seeing this passage as simply a description of carefree indulgence in luxury. It is that, but it is more: it is an invitation to wickedness, which becomes clear in verse 10. Translators could say “Every one of us should just go out and do whatever we please.”

Those following Ziegler’s Greek text should notice that we are disregarding his emendation of Let none of us to “Let no meadow….” Some translations follow this, but we believe this is allowing the imagery of verses 7-8 to suggest a textual error where none exists.

Everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment: The writer is not thinking of rose petals in the grass, but of lives wrecked by this careless approach to life. This line may be rendered with the previous line as follows: “Every one of us should just go out and do whatever we please, no matter what harm we do or whom we hurt.”

Because this is our portion, and this our lot: The two parts of this line are saying the same thing. They may be combined, or the translator may look for two short effective ways of expressing the idea. “Life owes us that much!” (Good News Translation) is a good equivalent in idiomatic English. Many translators will find that this line is best expressed in an idiom. Other approaches are “We have every right!” “We deserve anything we can get!” and “That’s what life owes us.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Every one of us should just go out and do whatever pleases us no matter what harm we do or whom we hurt. We deserve everything we can get.

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.