And so your insolence has come up before the Most High, and your pride to the Mighty One: These two clauses are parallel in meaning, so Good News Bible combines them, saying “God Most High knows how proud and arrogant you are.” Since God is speaking here, another possible model is “I, God Most High, know that you are proud and arrogant” (similarly Contemporary English Version). For the Mighty One, see the comments on 2 Esd 6.31-32.

And the Most High has looked upon his times may be rendered “I have looked back over the world I created” or even “I have looked at what has happened in the past.”

And behold, they are ended, and his ages are completed!: The word behold places focus on the message that follows (see 2 Esd 6.18). The clauses they are ended and his ages are completed are parallel in meaning, so they may be combined as follows: “the time has come for everything to end.”

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.