Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 7:83

The third way, they shall see the reward laid up for those who have trusted the covenants of the Most High: Good News Bible is good here, but Contemporary English Version is probably right in emphasizing God’s promises within the covenants (see the comments on 2 Esd 2.5), but not only the promises, the threats also. In God’s covenants with the Israelites he promised to do certain things if they did certain things, but if they failed to obey, he would punish them. From verse 36 we may assume that the unrighteous can see the righteous as they progress toward their reward. Alternative models for this verse are:

• Third, they see the reward stored up for those who took the promises and threats of God Most High seriously.

• In the third step they see the reward that God Most High has kept for those who understood that what he promised and threatened would actually happen.

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 7:117

For what good is it to all that they live in sorrow now and expect punishment after death?: Ezra sees life as a hopeless proposition, if lives are hard in this world, and we can look forward to nothing after death but punishment. This rhetorical question may be expressed as a strong statement (see the second model below). The logical connector For may be left implied (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). Alternative models for this verse are:

• What good is life if we live in misery now, and can expect nothing but punishment after we die?

• It does us no good if we live in misery now, and can expect nothing but punishment after we die.

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 8:11

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.

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 8:22

And at whose command they are changed to wind and fire: Rather than work with the Syriac we prefer to follow the Latin (see Revised Standard Version footnote), so a possible model here is “who serve you in the wind and fire” (compare Psa 104.4).

Whose word is sure and whose utterances are certain: These two clauses are parallel in meaning and may be combined by saying “Your words are trustworthy” or “We can trust your words.”

Whose ordinance is strong and whose command is terrible: These two clauses are somewhat parallel in meaning. In this context the word terrible means “inspiring fear.” These clauses may be rendered “Your will is firm, and your commands are terrifying.”

Here is an alternative model that combines verses 21 and 22:

• Your majesty and glory are far beyond anything that we can understand. Even your armies of angels, who serve you in the wind and fire, stand trembling in your presence. Your words are trustworthy, your will is firm, and your commands are terrifying.

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 8:57

Moreover they have even trampled upon his righteous ones: In addition to other sins against God, the unrighteous made life hard for people who were trying to live righteously (see 2 Esd 5.29). Alternative models for this verse are:

• On top of that, they mistreated people who were trying to live according to God’s [or, my] will.

• Besides that, they abused those who were faithful to me.

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 9:34 - 9:35

And behold: See the comments on verse 31. Some translators will be able to use an introductory expression here, such as “So look!” or “So pay attention.” But many other translators may omit this expression entirely.

It is the rule that, when the ground has received seed, or the sea a ship, or any dish food or drink, and when it happens that what was sown or what was launched or what was put in is destroyed: It is the rule that may be rendered “The usual thing is that” (Good News Bible) or “Usually” (Contemporary English Version). The verb phrase is destroyed may be placed near the beginning of this sentence by saying “Usually, when seed is put in the ground, and destroyed, the ground is not destroyed. When a ship goes to sea and sinks, the sea is not destroyed. When food is put in a dish, but the food goes bad, the dish is not destroyed.”

They are destroyed, but the things that held them remain may be translated “All these things are destroyed, but the ground, the ocean, and the dish are not destroyed” or simply “That is the rule of nature.”

Yet with us it has not been so may be expressed as “However, in our case this rule has not applied” or “but in our case you did not apply this rule.”

An alternative model for these two verses is:

• 34 When seed is put in the ground, but dies, the ground is not destroyed. When a ship goes to sea and sinks, the sea is not destroyed. When food is put in a dish, but the food goes bad, the dish is not destroyed. 35 That is the rule of nature, but in our case, this rule has not applied.

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 10:24

Therefore shake off your great sadness: Here Ezra concludes by telling the woman to stop being sad. This clause may be rendered “So put aside your sadness, great as it is” or even “So stop being so sad.”

And lay aside your many sorrows means the same thing as the previous clause. A possible model for both clauses is “So stop being so sad and sorrowful.”

So that the Mighty One may be merciful to you again, and the Most High may give you rest, a relief from your troubles: The conjunction so that introduces these clauses as the grounds for Ezra’s admonition to the woman. He uses the word again since God showed the woman mercy earlier by giving here a son (see 2 Esd 9.45). The Mighty One may be translated “God Almighty” or “God who is All-Powerful.” The Most High is similar to the Mighty One. A possible model for this last half of the verse is “Then God, who is All-powerful and above all other gods, may show you mercy once again by giving you peace and relief from your troubles.”

This is the end of Ezra’s speaking. Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• So put aside your sadness, great as it is, and forget all your many sorrows. Then God Almighty, the Most High, may show you mercy once again, and you will find peace, and relief from your troubles.”

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 11:4

But his heads were at rest; the middle head was larger than the other heads, but it also was at rest with them: Good News Bible interprets the Latin word for at rest to mean that the three heads of the eagle were “asleep.” This is probably wrong; it is certainly not clear from the Latin. This word means that the three heads (which represent three great Roman rulers) were not concerned about a threat to their rule from the little wings.

Here is an alternative model for verses 3 and 4:

• 3 Then I saw more wings growing out from [under] the twelve wings, but these were small and weak, 4 and the three heads showed no concern about them. The middle head was larger than the other heads, but it too, showed no concern.

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.