Call, O call heaven and earth to witness: God tells his new people to call on all of the forces of nature to act as witnesses (compare Deut 4.26; Isa 1.2). Here heaven refers to the sky. The Latin verb rendered call … to witness is repeated for emphasis. This clause may be translated “Call the sky and the earth to bear witness [or, give testimony]” or “Call on the sky and the earth, and they will tell you.”

For I left out evil and created good: The conjunction for is better rendered “that” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). The new people of God are invited to call on the forces of nature to bear witness that his creation is good, not evil. This clause brings to mind the repeated expression “and God saw that it was good” in the creation account of Gen 1.

Because I live: This clause gives the reason why God’s creation is good and not evil. It is because the living God is the creator.

Says the Lord: See the comments at 2 Esd 1.14. Good News Bible omits this clause, but it is better to keep it (see the models below).

Alternative models for this verse are:

• I am the living God, and when I created the world I created it good and not evil. Call on the sky and the earth, and they will tell you so. [Go ahead, call on them.]” That is what the Lord said.

• Call on the sky and the earth, and they will tell you that when I created the world, I as the living God created it good and not evil.” That is what the Lord said.

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.