Good News Translation
When people lived too far away to honor a ruler in his presence but were eager to pay honor to this absent king, they would imagine what he must look like, and would then make a likeness of him.

New Revised Standard Version
When people could not honor monarchs in their presence, since they lived at a distance, they imagined their appearance far away, and made a visible image of the king whom they honored, so that by their zeal they might flatter the absent one as though present.

Contemporary English Version
And when people lived far from their rulers, they tried to make idols that looked like their rulers, so that they could honor and flatter those rulers as if they were there with them.

New American Bible
People who lived so far away that they could not honor him in his presence copied the appearance of the distant king And made a public image of him they wished to honor, out of zeal to flatter the absent one as though present.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And those whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they brought their resemblance from afar, and made an express image of the king, whom they had a mind to honour: that by this their diligence, they might honour as present, him that was absent.

And those whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they brought their resemblance from afar, and made an express image of the king, whom they had a mind to honour: that by this their diligence, they might honour as present, him that was absent.

Wisdom 14:15
For a father being afflicted with bitter grief, made to himself the image of his son, who was quickly taken away: and him who then had died as a man, he began now to worship as a god, and appointed him rites and sacrifices among his servants.

Wisdom 14:16
Then, in process of time, wicked custom prevailing, this error was kept as a law, and statues were worshipped by the commandment of tyrants.

Wisdom 14:18
And to the worshipping of these, the singular diligence also of the artificer helped to set forward the ignorant.

Wisdom 14:19
For he being willing to please him that employed him, laboured with all his art to make the resemblance in the best manner.