Gentlemen, how is wine the strongest?: This question is rhetorical since it simply introduces the topic of wine being the strongest force in the world. Good News Bible expresses it as a statement, which other languages may find helpful. The principal translational problem here is the Greek word translated Gentlemen. This is how the young man addresses the assembled group of noblemen, military leaders, and government officials (see verse 14). The word in Greek is literally “Men,” but it was used in formal discourses to address audiences. In English the word “Men” would sound presumptuous; it would sound as if the young man were addressing these powerful figures as friends and comrades. Gentlemen is certainly better, but it is a word that the young man could use in politely addressing any audience of men. These men were his superiors, and in many languages it will be obligatory to indicate this. In the model below we use “Honorable sirs,” which is not idiomatic English, but many languages may have a similar way of addressing such a prestigious group of people. “Honorable men of Media and Persia” (similarly Contemporary English Version) is another possibility.

It leads astray the minds of all who drink it refers to people becoming drunk after drinking wine and consequently not thinking correctly. Contemporary English Version says “when people drink wine, they can’t think straight.”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• “Honorable [or, Most honored] sirs, why is wine the strongest of all things? The reason is that when people drink it, they can no longer think straight [or, they lose the ability to think clearly].

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.