Gentlemen, are not women strong?: This question is rhetorical, so it does not expect an answer. It is merely the speaker’s way of summing up his argument before changing the subject and going on. So we may say “Most honorable sirs, women are certainly powerful! But think about this.” For Gentlemen see the comments on 1 Esd 3.18.

The earth is vast may be rendered “The earth is huge [or, enormous].”

And heaven is high may be translated “and the sky is high above it [the earth].”

And the sun is swift in its course may be expressed as “The sun moves with great speed.”

For it makes the circuit of the heavens means the sun rises in the east and goes down in the west.

And returns to its place in one day means that in a 24-hour period, the sun not only goes from east to west but, hidden from our eyes, goes back to where it started from in the east.

We may render this verse as follows:

• “Yes, honored sirs, women are certainly powerful. But think about this. The earth is huge and the sky is high above it. The sun moves with great speed, because in one day’s time [or, in a 24-hour period] it rises, crosses the whole sky, and then goes back to where it started.

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.