You will find in the chronicles what has been written about them: The chronicles refers to the official records mentioned in verse 21. The pronoun them refers to the Jewish population of Jerusalem. This clause may be translated “You will find in those records what has been written about these people” or “You will find information in those records….”

And will learn that this city was rebellious may be expressed as “and you will learn that the inhabitants [or, people] of this city [or, Jerusalem] were rebellious.” See the comments on verse 18.

Troubling both kings and other cities may be rendered “causing trouble for both other kings and cities.”

And that the Jews were rebels simply repeats the information in this city was rebellious, so translators may omit this clause if they wish (so Contemporary English Version).

And kept setting up blockades in it from of old: This rendering makes little sense. The Greek noun for blockades really refers to “sieges.” The only way someone could set up a siege in a city would be to use it as a place for planning military ventures that would result in laying siege to other cities. This is what Good News Bible means by rendering this clause and the previous one as “The Jews have used it from ancient times as a base for rebellions and wars.” New English Bible has “and has been a centre of armed rebellion by the Jews from the earliest times.” We may also say “Soldiers from this city often used it as a base for attacking other cities.”

That is why this city was laid waste may be translated “That is why this city was destroyed” (similarly Good News Bible). For languages that cannot use the passive voice here, other possible models are “That is why the Babylonians destroyed the city” and “That is why an enemy….”

Here is an alternative model for verses 22-23:

• 22 You will find in those records what has been written [or, what they have written] about these people. You will learn that the people of Jerusalem were rebellious, causing trouble for both other kings and cities. 23 Soldiers from Jerusalem often used the city as a base for attacking other cities. That is why the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem.

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.