And said to her: The generic verb said is better rendered “asked” (Good News Bible) to introduce the questions that follow.

Why are you weeping, and why are you grieved at heart?: With these two questions Ezra puts his own worries aside in an attempt to comfort the woman. For grieved at heart, see verse 38.

Contemporary English Version‘s model for verses 39-40 is:

• 39 I forgot my own troubles and turned 40 to ask the woman, “Why are you crying and so upset?”

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.