Then my soul recovered the spirit of understanding: This clause means Ezra became calm enough to think about what he wanted to say. It may be rendered “but I recovered my ability to think” (Good News Bible) or “But soon I could think clearly again.”

And I began once more to speak words in the presence of the Most High: For the Most High, see the comments on 2 Esd 3.3.

Good News Bible provides a helpful model for this verse. Another possible one is:

• But when I was able to think clearly enough to put my thoughts into words, I spoke to God Most High again.

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.