And whenever his voice issued from his mouth: This literal translation will sound strange in many languages. If so, this clause may be rendered simply “and when he spoke” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version).

All who heard his voice melted as wax melts when it feels the fire: Whoever heard the man speaking vanished like wax in a fire. For the imagery of fire melting wax, compare Micah 1.4 (see also Psa 97.5). The clause as wax melts when it feels the fire personifies wax, which literally does not feel anything, but reacts to the heat by melting. In the real world, when wax encounters fire, it is usually a small flame, like a candle, not a huge inferno. The Revised Standard Version footnote here may be ignored.

We suggest the following model for this verse:

• He would speak, and [or, When he spoke] everyone who heard his voice would melt [away] like wax near a flame.

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.