The verb saying introduces the actual quote of the Israelites. Some languages may prefer to omit this verb (so Good News Bible), or to render it “asked” since a question follows it. Compare this quote with Exo 14.11-12.

Why hast thou led us into this wilderness to kill us?: This is a rhetorical question that accuses God of bringing the Israelites into the wilderness to kill them. It may be rendered as two short questions as follows: “Why have you led us into this wilderness? Did you intend to kill us?” Some languages may prefer a strong statement here, for example, “You have led us into this wilderness to kill us.”

It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in this wilderness: For to serve the Egyptians, which Revised English Bible renders “to be slaves to the Egyptians,” see the comments on 2Esdras 1.7. Contemporary English Version renders this sentence as “We would rather have stayed on as slaves in Egypt than to die out here!”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• and said, ‘Why did you lead us into this wilderness? To kill us? We would have been better off as slaves in Egypt than dying out here in this wilderness!’

• You asked, ‘Why have you led us into this wilderness? Did you intend to kill us? We would have preferred to be slaves of the Egyptians than dying out here [in the wilderness].’

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.