Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 14:7 - 14:8

And now I say to you: Contemporary English Version inserts Ezra’s name here, saying “Ezra, I am commanding you,” which is a helpful model. God has been talking about his dealings with Moses, now it is Ezra’s turn. This clause may also be rendered “Now, Ezra, I tell you” or “Now, Ezra, I am commanding you.”

Lay up in your heart the signs that I have shown you, the dreams that you have seen, and the interpretations that you have heard: Good News Bible renders the figurative expression Lay up in your heart as “memorize.” New English Bible is similar with “commit to memory.” The problem with these renderings is that words are memorized, not experiences. We think better models are “Remember well” and “Never, ever forget.” The signs refers to the events signaling the end of time (see the comments on 2 Esd 4.52), and the interpretations refers to the explanations of the dreams that Ezra had.

Here is an alternative model for verses 7-8:

• 7 And now, Ezra, I tell you this: 8 You must never forget the signs that I have shown you, or the dreams you have had, or the explanations of them that you have heard.

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.

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 14:45

And when the forty days were ended, the Most High spoke to me, saying: Good News Bible says “At the end of the forty days God Most High said to me.”

Make public the twenty-four books that you wrote first and let the worthy and the unworthy read them: As the footnotes in Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible indicate here, the Latin text does not contain the number twenty-four. However, it is not necessary to resort to a textual explanation. From verses 44 and 46 it is clear that the books that you wrote first were twenty-four in number (94 less 70 equals 24). We think it is helpful to use the number twenty-four in this verse, but see it as a translational matter needing no textual footnote. The twenty-four books are the books of the Hebrew Bible, as traditionally counted. 1-2 Samuel are counted as one book, 1-2 Kings are counted as one book, 1-2 Chronicles are counted as one book, Ezra and Nehemiah are counted as one book, and the twelve Minor Prophets are counted as one book.

In verses 45 and 46 the second person references in the Latin text are all singular. God speaks to Ezra alone, even though Ezra himself did not literally write any of the books, but only dictated them to the scribes.

We suggest the following alternative model for this verse:

• When the forty days were over, God Most High said to me, “Take the twenty-four books that you wrote down first, and make them public. Let anyone read them, whether they are worthy or not.

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.

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 15:37

And there shall be fear and great trembling upon the earth means everyone on earth will tremble with fear because of the war.

And those who see that wrath shall be horror-stricken, and they shall be seized with trembling: This sentence repeats the ideas in the previous one for emphasis. Good News Bible combines the two sentences, but if possible, it is better to keep both. That wrath refers to the war and violence. This sentence may be rendered “People who actually see this horrible sight [or, event] will be filled with horror and shake uncontrollably.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• People all over the earth will tremble with fear. Those who actually see this terrible thing [or, horror] will be filled with horror and shake uncontrollably.

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.

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 16:11

The Lord will threaten, and who will not be utterly shattered at his presence?: This rhetorical question means people are overwhelmed with fear when he is near them. He threatens people by his presence. Both Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version understand the Latin expression for utterly shattered to mean “fall to one’s knees.” However, we feel its meaning is psychological. People feel “devastated” or “completely overwhelmed.” Alternative models for this verse are:

• No one can avoid being devastated when threatened by the presence of the Lord.

• No one can avoid being overwhelmed with fear when they are in the presence of the Lord [or, when the Lord shows himself].

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.

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 16:47 - 16:48

Those who conduct business, do it only to be plundered: Good News Bible says “Anyone who makes money will do so only to see it violently taken away,” which is a good model. However, in languages that do not have the passive voice, translators may say “Anyone who makes money will do so only to have people violently take it away [or, steal it] from them.”

The more they adorn their cities, their houses and possessions, and their persons, the more angry I will be with them for their sins,” says the Lord: Revised Standard Version has a serious problem with its punctuation here. At verse 40 there was a pair of opening quotes, which are closed here in verse 48. This is a long time to wait before being told that the Lord is the speaker. New Revised Standard Version avoids the problem by not using quotation marks at all, although it does keep the quote frame says the Lord (so also New English Bible). Contemporary English Version uses no quotation marks, but puts says the Lord into the first person by saying “I, the Lord.” Contemporary English Version does this in spite of the fact that it begins this section at verse 35 with the quote frame “Ezra said.” Good News Bible changes the first person reference to the Lord here into the third person, so that the Lord is not directly quoted. A first person reference to the Lord occurs only here in the whole section, so this is probably the easiest solution. For translators who hesitate to do this, our second choice would be following New Revised Standard Version and New English Bible with no quotation marks at all. An alternative model for this last sentence of verses 47-48 is:

• The more possessions people gather, the more they spend to decorate their homes and cities, and the more they make themselves attractive, 48 the angrier the Lord will become with them because of their sins. This is what the Lord says.

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:12

They roasted the passover lamb with fire, as required: The pronoun They has to refer to the Levites (see verse 13), which Good News Bible makes explicit. For the passover lamb, see 1 Esdras 1.1. Although the singular is used here, there were obviously many lambs and goats slaughtered on this occasion, so translators may certainly shift to the plural (so Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version with “the Passover sacrifices”). For most translators the phrase with fire is better translated “over fires” (this is what roasting is) or even omitted as unnecessary. According to Exo 12.8-9, the Passover animals are to be roasted, but according to Deut 16.7, they are to be boiled. Here is a possible model for this whole clause: “The Levites roasted the meat of the Passover animals over fires, just as the Law required.”

And they boiled the sacrifices in brass pots and caldrons: For the sacrifices, which refers to the cattle that were offered as sacrifices during the Passover Festival, see 1 Esdras 1.6. Some translators may find it helpful to speak of “the meat of the sacrifices” rather than the sacrifices to avoid the impression that whole animals were boiled. The Greek words for brass pots and caldrons refer to large metal pots in which food may be boiled in large quantity.

With a pleasing odor may be rendered “making a pleasant smell” (Good News Bible) or even “The cooking meat smelled wonderful!” (Contemporary English Version).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• The Levites roasted the Passover animals in the proper manner, and boiled the meat of the other sacrificed animals in brass pots and kettles. The smell was good [or, delicious].

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:51

But they mocked his messengers may be rendered “But they scoffed at [or, made fun of] his messengers [or, prophets].” In this verse messengers and prophets refer to the same people.

And whenever the Lord spoke, they scoffed at his prophets: There is an ambiguity in the Greek text here which can result in two quite different interpretations. Whenever the Lord spoke is literally “in [or, on] a/the day the Lord spoke.” Most translations, including Good News Bible, follow the interpretation of Revised Standard Version for this clause. The Greek verb phrase translated scoffed at (literally “were scoffing at”) is an unusual construction. The use of the Greek periphrastic construction here points to the progressive or continuous nature of the scoffing. A good model for the last half of this verse is “Whenever the Lord spoke, they would scoff at his prophets” or “… would continue to scoff at his prophets.” However, New English Bible and Revised English Bible understand this sentence in another way. They take the Greek expression translated whenever to refer to a particular day when the Lord spoke, that is, when the Lord pronounced final judgment on his people. Here is New English Bible‘s rendering: “and on the very day when the Lord spoke they were scoffing at his prophets.” This interpretation certainly fits in better with the Greek verb form for scoffed at. At the end of the discussion on verse 52 we offer two models for verses 51-52, based on these two interpretations. We prefer the former interpretation, but translators may choose either one with ample justification.

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 2:30

Then, when the letter from King Artaxerxes was read, Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates … may be rendered “As soon as Rehum, the official scribe [or, secretary] Shimshai, and their colleagues read the king’s letter, they…” (similarly Contemporary English Version). For the people here see the comments on verse 16.

Went in haste to Jerusalem may be translated “went to Jerusalem as fast as they could [get there].”

With horsemen and a multitude in battle array: Horsemen refers to cavalry, soldiers who fought from horseback. This word may be rendered “soldiers who rode horses” or simply “horse soldiers.” A multitude in battle array refers to many foot soldiers who were armed and ready to fight.

And began to hinder the builders: Good News Bible says “and began interfering with the rebuilding of the Temple.” This rendering makes it sound like the cavalry and foot soldiers were able to do nothing more than to get in the way of the builders, slowing progress. But as the next sentence makes clear, they actually stopped the work of rebuilding. Contemporary English Version is better with “they forced everyone to stop rebuilding the city.”

And the building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians: For the problem with chronology here, see the introductory comments on this section. Darius I ruled from 521 to 486 B.C., so he ruled about forty years before Artaxerxes I (465–424 B.C.). The second year of Darius’ reign was 520 B.C.

Here is another possible model for this verse:

• When [or, As soon as] Rehum and the official scribe [or, secretary] Shimshai and the others read the letter from King Artaxerxes, they went to Jerusalem as fast as they could [get there], along with cavalry and a large army. They stopped the work being done on the Temple, and it did not begin again until the second year in the reign of Darius as king of Persia.

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.