Wine is unrighteous, the king is unrighteous, women are unrighteous …: Zerubbabel reviews the three answers given to the question being debated (wine, the king, and women), and says that all of these can be and sometimes are unrighteous, that is, unreliable. The Greek text of the first sentence of this verse does not use a verb. So when translators supply a verb, as we must in English, they must also supply some particular form of the verb. Revised Standard Version has chosen the present tense verbs is and are. But we think this is not the intent here. Zerubbabel is saying that wine, women, and the king might be deceitfully unreliable at times. You cannot rely on any of them absolutely, because reliability is not a distinguishing characteristic of anything human. We could begin this verse with “Wine can deceive [or, fool] you. The king can disappoint you. Women can deceive you….” Zerubbabel specifically includes the king, whom he is addressing. He is not accusing the king of being unrighteous or even accusing him of being deceitful. He is only saying that it is possible for the king to be unreliable. This will be important as the story unfolds.

All the sons of men are unrighteous: All the sons of men refers to all human beings. This clause may be rendered “All human beings are unreliable” or “No human being is fully reliable.”

All their works are unrighteous may be translated “Nothing they do is reliable.”

And all such things stresses what is said in the precious clause. If translators wish, they may say simply “Nothing!”

There is no truth in them means human beings are unreliable all their lives—reliability is not in their nature. This clause may be expressed as “By nature humans are unreliable” or “Reliability is not in human nature.”

And in their unrighteousness they will perish: This clause is not referring to dying in sin, but to dying as human beings, who are never completely reliable.

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• Wine can fool you. The king can disappoint you. Women can deceive you. No human being is ever fully reliable, and nothing they do is reliable—nothing. Reliability is not in human nature, and people are unreliable all their lives.

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.