The conjunction Therefore may be left implied (so Contemporary English Version).

Says the Lord: Since the Lord has been identified as the speaker in 2Esdras 15.5 (see the comments there), it is not strictly necessary to do it again at this point. This clause or a similar one occurs again in verses 9, 20, 21, 24, 48, 52, and 56. In our second model below we omit this clause, but translators may wish to keep it since it emphasizes that the Lord is the speaker (so Good News Bible). Contemporary English Version keeps it by rendering verse 7 as “I, the Lord.”

I will be silent no longer concerning their ungodly deeds which they impiously commit: Be silent means “not acting.” This clause may be rendered “I must do something about [or, I will no longer ignore] the wickedness of these godless people [or, people who do not worship me].”

Neither will I tolerate their wicked practices: This clause is similar in the meaning to the previous one. It may be translated “I cannot tolerate their wickedness any longer.”

Behold, innocent and righteous blood cries out to me: This figurative expression means that innocent people who have been murdered are crying out for revenge or justice (compare Gen 4.10; Rev 6.9-10). For the word Behold, which highlights the following words, see 2 Esd 6.18. Innocent and righteous blood refers to the murder of the innocent people. The Latin text does not say what this blood cries out for, but some languages may need to make this explicit (so Good News Bible). A model of this clause that does this is “They have murdered innocent and righteous people, and their blood cries out to me for revenge.” Some languages may need to use a simile here for naturalness, for example, “They have murdered innocent and righteous people, and their blood is like a voice that cries out to me for revenge.”

And the souls of the righteous cry out continually is similar in meaning to the previous clause. The two clauses may be combined by saying “They have killed innocent good people, and the souls of these faithful people constantly cry out to me to avenge them.”

Here are our suggested models that combine verses 7-8:

• Therefore I, the Lord, must do something about the wickedness of these godless people. I can tolerate it no longer. Look, they have murdered innocent, righteous people, and their blood cries out to me. The souls of these righteous people cry out for vengeance.

• I must do something about the wickedness of these people who do not worship me. I cannot tolerate their evil any longer. They have murdered innocent and good people, and the souls of these people cry out to me to take revenge.

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.