We ourselves and our children are faring well: Compare 3 Macc 3.13. The pronouns We and our refer to Philopator himself. Our children probably refers to the people he ruled: the Egyptian people. He himself may have had no children at this time. This clause may be rendered “I and the Egyptian people are well [or, in good health].”

The great God guiding our affairs according to our desire: Contemporary English Version begins this clause with the conjunction “because,” indicating that the king and his people are well because of what God has done. We recommend that translators add such a connector. This clause may be translated “because the great God is our guide [or, guides us], and this makes us grateful [or, happy].”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• I and my people, the Egyptians, are well, because the great God is our guide [or, is guiding us], for which we are grateful.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 3-4 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2018. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.