I brought you up with gladness may be rendered “I was happy while I raised you” (Contemporary English Version) or “I was so happy to raise you as my children.”

But with mourning and sorrow may be translated “But now I am sad and my heart is filled with sorrow [or, my heart aches].”

I have lost you may be expressed as “you are no longer my children” or even “you were taken away from me” (Contemporary English Version).

Because you have sinned before the Lord God gives the reason why the Israelites are no longer Jerusalem’s children. They sinned against the Lord.

And have done what is evil in my sight: See the comments on 1 Esd 1.39. This clause may be rendered “and did things that I knew were evil.”

Here is a possible model for this verse:

• I was so happy to raise you as my children, but now I am sad and my heart aches because you are no longer my children. You sinned against the Lord God, and did things that I knew were evil.

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.