You shall be weakened like a wretched woman who is beaten and wounded, so that you cannot receive your mighty lovers: This verse pictures Asia as a prostitute again (see verse 48). However, God will punish her so much that she will no longer be attractive to her lovers. In this context the word wretched means “helpless” (Contemporary English Version; compare verse 47). Good News Bible provides a helpful model for this verse, and so does Contemporary English Version, which says:

• You will be weak and helpless, like an abused woman, and will no longer attract rich lovers.

Another possible model is:

• You will be weak and helpless, like a woman whom men have beaten until wounded, and….

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.