Translations
It would have been far better for them never to have known the way of righteousness at all than, having come to know it, to turn their backs on the sacred commandment that was entrusted to them.
For it would have been better for them never to have come to know the way of righteousness, than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.