They cannot save a man from death: A man in this context refers to “anyone,” male or female. So Contemporary English Version translates “These idols cannot keep anyone from dying.”

Or rescue the weak from the strong: Good News Translation expresses the sense better with “and they never help a weak person against one who is strong.” Or we may reverse the order of the clause and translate “and they cannot stop a strong person from hurting a weak one.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• They cannot keep anyone from dying and cannot stop a strong person from hurting a weak one.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.