And now I intend not to return to the city: The phrase And now may be omitted in many languages (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). City is better rendered “that town” (Good News Bible) or “my village.” This clause may be rendered “I do not intend to return to my village” or “I will never go back to town” (Contemporary English Version).

But to stay here may be translated “but I will stay out here” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

And I will neither eat nor drink may be expressed as “I am not going to eat anything or drink anything” or “I am not going to eat any food or drink any water.”

But without ceasing mourn and fast until I die: She has decided to starve herself to death. For the verb mourn, see the comments on 2 Esd 9.38; for the verb fast, see 1 Esd 8.50. Here this verb may be left implied since it is already expressed clearly in the previous clause (so Good News Bible).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• I am never going back to the town [or, my village]. I am going to stay right here. I am not going to eat anything or drink anything. I will do nothing but mourn until I 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.