And now I will speak out: About all mankind thou knowest best; but I will speak about thy people, for whom I am grieved: I will speak out gives warning to the Lord that Ezra is about to argue with him. Ezra is not going to argue the case for the Gentiles (all mankind); with them God may do as he thinks best. But he does want to defend God’s own people. I will speak about thy people, for whom I am grieved is repeated three times in the next verse, in three different ways. Good News Bible has a good approach to this verse.

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.