The fifth order, they rejoice that they have now escaped what is corruptible, and shall inherit what is to come: The righteous break away from a world in which everything perishes (is corruptible), and will inherit, come to possess, a better age to come.

And besides they see the straits and toil from which they have been delivered, and the spacious liberty which they are to receive and enjoy in immortality: The word straits means “difficulties,” particularly those that restrain a person’s liberty. Instead of toil, the Latin text has “fulness” (Revised Standard Version footnote). We prefer the reading in Revised Standard Version‘s text. From which they have been delivered may be rendered “from which God has freed them.” Spacious liberty may be translated “wide freedom.”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• Fifth [or, In the fifth stage], they are filled with joy that they have escaped from a world where everything is perishable. They see all the difficulties and labors that they have been freed from, and the wide freedom that they are about to receive and enjoy forever.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.