Rise therefore and eat some bread: The verb Rise cannot be taken literally as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible, since Ezra was already standing (see verse 15). In Scripture this verb is often used to initiate an action, here the action of eating. Here it is better omitted or rendered “Come” or “Go.” The conjunction therefore may also be rendered “So” (Good News Bible), or it may be omitted as in the models below. Bread may be understood more generically as “food.” Possible models for this whole clause are “So, you must eat something” and “Come on. Eat some food.”

So that you may not forsake us sounds like Ezra’s taking care of the people depends upon his eating something. However, this clause should be a separate command, for example, “Do not abandon us” (Good News Bible).

Like a shepherd who leaves his flock in the power of cruel wolves: For the imagery here, compare Acts 20.29. A shepherd is someone who takes care of sheep. In some languages a possible model for this simile is “If you abandon us, you will be like a shepherd who leaves his sheep for vicious wolves to attack.”

Possible models for this verse are:

• Come on. Eat something. Don’t abandon us. If you do, you will be like a shepherd who leaves his sheep for cruel wolves to attack [or, to kill and eat].”

• … If you don’t take care of us, we will be like a flock of sheep abandoned by their shepherd and attacked by cruel wolves.”

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.