In Ezra’s prayer (verses 4-36) Revised Standard Version uses archaic pronouns for God (for example, thou and thy) and archaic verbs for God’s actions (for example, didst). It uses such language when characters speak directly to God. However, this archaic language should not be imitated in other languages since it reflects nothing in the Latin. New Revised Standard Version does not use it here.

O sovereign Lord: The Latin phrase for sovereign Lord (domine dominator or dominator domine) occurs nine times in the book. Here it refers to God (also in 2 Esd 5.23; 12.7; 13.51), but sometimes it refers to an angel (2 Esd 4.38; 5.38; 6.11; 7.17, 58 [possibly also 7.75, where there is a textual problem]). Good News Bible usually renders it “Lord and Master,” which is a good model.

Didst thou not speak at the beginning when thou didst form the earth—and without any help—and didst command the dust and it gave thee Adam, a lifeless body?: Here Ezra is recalling the creation account given in Genesis, especially 2.4-7 (compare Psa 33.6, 9). This question is rhetorical and may be rendered as one or more strong statements (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). In this context the verb speak means “give a command.” Without help may be translated “you alone” (Good News Bible). The first half of this question may be rendered “you alone spoke [or, gave a command] at the beginning of time and created the earth [or, world].” And didst command the dust and it gave thee Adam, a lifeless body may be expressed as “You commanded the dust to form the lifeless body of Adam” or “At your command the dust produced the lifeless body of Adam” (Good News Bible). The two Revised Standard Version footnotes here may be ignored.

Yet he was the workmanship of thy hands may be rendered “But then with your hands you worked with his body.”

And thou didst breathe into him the breath of life may be translated “and you breathed life into him.”

And he was made alive in thy presence may be expressed as “and he became a living person right there in front of you.”

Good News Bible provides a good model for verses 4-5. Another possible model is:

• 4 and prayed, “O Lord and Master, you alone gave the command in the beginning, and created the world. Then you commanded the dust, 5 and it produced Adam, a body without life. But then you used your hands and shaped this dead body and breathed life into it. Immediately he became a man right there in front of you.

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.