The natures of animals and the tempers of wild beasts: Good News Translation begins a new sentence here; we will suggest an alternative at the end of this verse. Animals appears to include all types of animal creatures: birds, fish, reptiles, mammals, and other families. Wild beasts (which is one word in Greek) appears to refer to the mammals that are usually referred to by English speakers as “wild animals” (Good News Translation). Tempers is literally “raging,” and may refer to the dangers these animals present. Compare 1Kgs 4.33. A possible model for this line is “about the nature of living creatures, the dangers that wild animals present.”

The powers of spirits and the reasonings of men: As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, the word translated spirits also means “winds,” and can be translated that way (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New American Bible, New English Bible). One ancient Jewish writer (Josephus) says that Solomon had power over spirits, but the Koran says that Solomon could predict windstorms. The writer himself may have played on the ambiguity, or perhaps thought of winds and spirits as the same; compare Psa 104.4; Sir 39.28. Translators may freely choose either, but the Handbook prefers spirits. This may refer to mysterious forces at work in the universe, or perhaps to the mysterious workings of human nature. If we were forced to decide, we would choose the first understanding. The model offered below attempts to express a fuller range of meaning than either “spirits” or “winds” alone would provide.

The varieties of plants and the virtues of roots: The virtue of roots refers to the use of roots as a source of medicines.

After the introductory line in verse 17, it is possible to arrange the rest of the material through verse 20 as a list:

It is God who gave me my accurate knowledge of things:
what the world is made of and how it works,
how the calendar is determined [or, how they determine a calendar] by the movement of the sun and the stars,
when the seasons change,
when a new year arrives,
the nature of living creatures,
the dangers that wild animals present,
the mysterious forces behind the winds [or, that cause the winds to blow],
how the human mind works,
the different kinds of plants,
and how to make medicine from their roots.

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.