For thy word went forth, and at once the work was done: Compare “And it was so” in Gen 1.11. The text here does not exactly say that God’s word “completed the work” (Good News Bible). The idea is that God spoke, and when he did, that which he wished to create came into being. Contemporary English Version provides the following helpful model for this verse:

• As soon as you commanded these things, they happened.

Another possible model is:

• You spoke, and immediately these things came into being [or, happened].

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.