When a righteous man was sold, wisdom did not desert him: See Gen 37.25-36. Good News Translation helpfully indicates that Joseph was sold “into slavery.” In languages that do not have a passive, we may say something like “Once they sold a good man as a slave, but Wisdom….”

But delivered him from sin: It is possible to interpret this as referring to deliverance from the situation his brothers’ sin had put him in; the Latin version takes it this way. More likely, however, the author is thinking of the episode involving Potiphar’s wife in Gen 39.7-18. Good News Translation is thus correct in saying “She kept him safe from sin,” that is, Joseph resisted the temptation that Potiphar’s wife offered. Contemporary English Version is clearer with “Wisdom kept him from committing a terrible sin.”

She descended with him into the dungeon, and when he was in prison she did not leave him: The two lines are not exactly the same in meaning. The first line says that Wisdom went with Joseph when he was sent to prison; the second says that she never left him while he was there. For practical purposes, however, dungeon and prison are similar in meaning, and Good News Translation is not wrong by leaving in prison understood in verse 14a: “and never left him.”

Until she brought him the scepter of a kingdom: The scepter is a symbol of royal power; see the notes on 6.21. Good News Translation focuses on the power itself rather than the object: “until she had given him power over an empire.” Joseph, of course, never actually became a king or pharaoh; he was what would be called today a prime minister. “Empire” (Good News Translation) probably gives the idea of too extensive a territory; the sense for this line is more likely “until Wisdom had given him power over the whole land [or, country].”

And authority over his masters: Good News Translation expresses authority as “made him the ruler.” His masters could be rendered “the people who had once had absolute power over him [or, had persecuted/oppressed him].”

Those who accused him she showed to be false: This is a reference to the accusation made by Potiphar’s wife; this is what Good News Translation means by “a false accusation.” Another approach for this line is “She showed that those who had accused him were liars.”

And she gave him everlasting honor may be rendered “and brought him honor that will last forever” (Contemporary English Version).

An alternative model for verses 13-14 is:

• Once they [or, people] sold a good man as a slave, but Wisdom kept him from committing a terrible sin. She went down into the prison with him, and stayed with him until she had given him power over the whole land and the people who had once oppressed him. She showed that those who had accused him were liars, and she gave him eternal honor.

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.