Then I awoke: Nothing has been said to indicate that Ezra’s first vision took place in a dream, while sleeping. The verb awoke is to be understood here in light of Zechariah’s description of his experience in Zech 4.1. An English idiom for this situation is “came to.” Possible renderings for this clause are “Then my vision suddenly ended” and “Then I awoke as if from sleep.”

And my body shuddered violently may be rendered “and every part of my body shook violently” or even “and every part of my body was trembling in fear” (Contemporary English Version).

And my soul was so troubled that it fainted: Compare Dan 7.15; 10.17. My soul may be rendered “my spirit,” “my mind,” or simply “I” (Good News Bible). Good News Bible renders my soul was so troubled as “I was so disturbed,” and Contemporary English Version is similar with “I was in so much agony.” The verb fainted does not necessarily mean that Ezra actually passed out (lost consciousness); it could mean that he “was about to faint” (Good News Bible) or “almost fainted” (Contemporary English Version). While not necessarily asleep, Ezra has been in bed (2 Esd 3.1). In the next verse the angel will help Ezra get to his feet, so that it fainted can perhaps be interpreted as “that I could not stand up.”

We suggest the following model for this verse:

• Then I awoke as if from sleep [or, Then I came to]. The vision left my body shaking violently, and my mind [or, spirit] was so disturbed that I could not stand up.

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.