“When the earth was flooded
Because of him,
Wisdom again saved it.
She steered the righteous man
By a paltry piece of wood.”
The flood seems to occur as in Genesis, chapters 6-8, because of Cain and his descendents. There is jump from Cain directly to the flood. It was wisdom (σοφία) and not God that saved the righteous men (τὸν δίκαιον) with a puny piece of wood (εὐτελοῦς ξύλου), what we call the ark.