Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 12:7

And I said: In this context the verb said may be rendered “prayed” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English VersioTranslation commentary on 2 Esdras 12n).

O sovereign Lord: See the comments on 2 Esd 3.4-5.

If I have found favor in thy sight: See the comments on 2 Esd 4.44-45.

And if I have been accounted righteous before thee beyond many others: See 2 Esd 8.47. Good News Bible combines this clause with the previous one, but some translators may wish to keep both clauses by saying “if you are pleased with me and find me more righteous [or, more faithful/obedient to you] than many other people.”

And if my prayer has indeed come up before thy face: With this idiomatic expression Ezra asks if God is listening to his prayers. Good News Bible says simply “and if you hear my prayers.”

Translators should study Good News Bible‘s model for this verse, but we also suggest the following one based on Contemporary English Version:

• I prayed, “Our Lord God, if you are pleased with me and find me more righteous [or, faithful] than many other people, and if you have heard my prayers….

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 12:42

For of all the prophets you alone are left to us: The conjunction For may be omitted (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). Ezra is referred to as a prophet here and in 2 Esd 1.1 (see the comments there). This reflects the Jewish understanding of the author’s day that the days of the prophets had ended with Ezra. This clause may be rendered “You are the only one of our prophets left to speak to us” (Contemporary English Version).

Like a cluster of grapes from the vintage, and like a lamp in a dark place, and like a haven for a ship saved from a storm: The people compare Ezra to a cluster of grapes, a lamp and a haven to indicate their dependence on him for security in their situation. The word vintage refers to a grape harvest, and the cluster of grapes is the last bunch of grapes waiting to be picked (see the comments on 2 Esd 9.21). Ezra, as the last prophet, is like those grapes. So like a cluster of grapes from the vintage may be rendered “like the last cluster of grapes to be picked [or, that they will pick].” For lamp see the comments on 2 Esd 10.2. A haven is a port or other sheltered place along shore where a ship may escape the winds.

Good News Bible provides a good model for this verse, and so does Contemporary English Version, which says:

• You are the only one of our prophets left to speak to us. You’re as special as the last bunch of grapes in the vineyard or an oil lamp in a dark place or a safe harbor for a ship in a storm.

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 13:27 - 13:28

And as for your seeing wind and fire and a storm coming out of his mouth: The phrase And as for your seeing may be rendered “You watched [or, saw].” Wind and fire and a storm coming out of his mouth refers to the man breathing fire and a storm of sparks (see verse 10). We may render this whole clause as “You saw this man breathe out fire and a storm of sparks [or, a fiery storm].”

And as for his not holding a spear or weapon of war: See the comments on 2Esdras 13.9.

Yet destroying the onrushing multitude which came to conquer him: See the comments on verses 9 and 11. This clause may be translated “but he still destroyed [or, wiped out] the crowd of people who were rushing to attack him.”

This is the interpretation may be expressed as “This is what it means.” The actual interpretation of Ezra’s dream does not begin until verse 36.

Here are possible models for verses 27-28:

• 27 You saw the man’s fiery breath and the storm [of sparks] coming from his mouth. 28 You saw that he did not have a spear or any other weapon, but still destroyed the army of people that were on their way to conquer him. Here is what that means:….

• … but he still wiped out the huge crowd of people who were rushing to attack him. Here is the meaning:….

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 14:7 - 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.