So that what has been fashioned may be nourished for a time: The relative clause what has been fashioned refers to the baby that is born. It may be rendered “the child whom you have made.” The verb be nourished refers to the baby’s nursing at the mother’s breasts. This sentence may be translated “This provides food for the child whom you made while it is still small.”

And afterwards thou wilt guide him in thy mercy: This clause refers to the child’s learning how to live and behave as a human being in human society. And afterwards may be rendered “but when the child grows older.” Guide him may be expressed as “show him how to live.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• This provides food for the child whom you made while it is still small, but when the child grows older, you show him mercy by showing him how to live.

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.