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Verse: 2 Esdras 8:52
Vobis enim apertus est paradisus, plantata est arbor vitae, praeparatum est futurum tempus, praeparata est abundantia, aedificata est civitas, probata est requies, perfecta est bonitas, ante perfecta sapientia.
52because it is for you that paradise is opened, the tree of life is planted, the age to come is prepared, plenty is provided, a city is built, rest is appointed, goodness is established, and wisdom is perfected beforehand.
The Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that is transliterated as “paradise” in English is often transliterated in other languages as well. Translations include “Place of well-being” (Toraja-Sa’dan, Tzeltal), “abode of happiness (or: of happy people)” (Marathi), “garden of eternal life” (Uab Meto), or the name of a place where you don’t have to work and fruits drop ripe in your hand (Ekari). (Source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
In Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese it is translated as 乐园 / 樂園 (lèyuán in Mandarin, lok6jyun4 in Cantonese). This term, literally meaning “garden of joy,” originates from Buddhist terminology.
Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Kako: “heart thinking” (source: Reyburn 2002, p. 190)
In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a hand gesture referring to God to indicate a human quality to communicate that wisdom does not originate from man but is linked to and connected with the fear of God (source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group):
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
For purchasing artworks by Kateryna Shadrina go to IconArt Gallery .
Verses 52-54 describe the heavenly life. This verse uses various images to describe the riches of heaven; the next two verses tell what is absent from heaven.
Because it is for you that paradise is opened: The logical connector because may be left implied (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). The Latin pronoun for you is plural, referring to Ezra and all the rest of the righteous. For paradise see the comments on 2 Esd 4.7. In languages that do not have the passive voice, this clause may be rendered “God has opened paradise for people like you” or “God has designed paradise for people like you.”
The tree of life is planted: For the tree of life, see the comments on 2 Esd 2.12. This clause may be translated “He has planted the tree of life there.”
The age to come is prepared may be expressed as “He has prepared the world [or, age] to come” or “the future world is ready” (Contemporary English Version).
Plenty is provided may be rendered “It is filled with good things [or, riches]” or even “He has filled it with riches.”
A city is built may be translated “He has built a city there.” The city is the heavenly Jerusalem (see 2 Esd 13.36; compare Rev 21.2).
Rest is appointed may be expressed as “He has provided a place of rest for you” or even “He will give you perfect rest.” Revised Standard Version‘s textual footnote here involves a translational matter, so it is not needed.
Goodness is established and wisdom perfected beforehand may be rendered “He has made sure that perfect goodness and perfect wisdom will be there.”
Good News Bible provides a helpful model for this verse. A model that sees God as the speaker here (so Contemporary English Version) is:
• I, the Lord, have designed paradise for people like you. I have planted the tree of life there for you. For you I have prepared the world [or, age] to come, filled it with riches, built a city there, provided a place of rest there, and have made sure that perfect goodness and perfect wisdom will be there.
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.
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