And the glory of your power shall wither like a flower: The glory of your power is an elegant way of saying “your great power” or “Your proud strength” (Contemporary English Version).

When the heat rises that is sent upon you may be rendered “when the heat I am sending on you strikes you.” Here heat is an image for God’s punishment. Contemporary English Version makes this clear by saying “when my fiery anger falls on you.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• When the heat I am sending on you strikes, all that great power of yours will wither like a flower.

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.