But if the Most High grants that you live: But if may be rendered “And if” (Contemporary English Version) or simply “If” (Myers). For the Most High, see the comments on 2 Esd 3.3. Grants that you live may be translated “allows you to live” or even “lets you live long enough” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version).

You shall see it thrown into confusion: The pronoun it refers to “the land which you now see ruling” in the previous verse. Thrown into confusion may be rendered “completely confused” (Contemporary English Version). In some languages it will be necessary to translate this clause as “you will see the people of that country completely confused [or, in a great panic]” or “… so afraid they will not know what to do.”

After the third period: The Latin simply says “after the third” (Revised Standard Version footnote). The footnote in Revised Standard Version shows ways that other ancient translations have attempted to make sense of this phrase. The solution is probably in the observation that in apocalyptic thinking the number 3½ had a special significance (see, for example, Dan 7.25; Rev 12.14). If we assume that the writer is thinking of a period of 3½ symbolic days, months, or years that this world power would exercise its authority, then “after the third” would mean “when its time of rule is almost over.” This is what we try to represent in the models below. For more on this expression, see Box, page 569.

We suggest the following models for the first half of this verse:

• But if God Most High lets you live long enough, you will see the people of that country become completely confused [or, so afraid that they will not know what to do]. They will hold power for only a certain period of time.*

• That country will hold power for only a certain period of time, and if God Most High allows you to live until its time is almost over, you will see it thrown into confusion.*
* The Latin of the first half of this verse is unclear.

And the sun shall suddenly shine forth at night, and the moon during the day: We advise against placing verses 4b-5 in poetic format. These verses recall Isa 13.10; 34.4; Joel 2.10; 3.14-15, which are Hebrew poetry. But the author of Esdras has no poetic intent here and probably did not know that his sources were poetry. The author predicts that when the Roman Empire is near the end of its power, the powers of nature will dissolve and strange things will happen. These two clauses may be rendered “The sun will suddenly start shining at night, and the moon during the day.”

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.