And I said, “Speak, my lord”: For my lord as an address to an angel, see the comments on 2 Esd 2.44. Contemporary English Version renders this sentence as “I replied, ‘Please speak, sir.’ ”

And he said to me: Good News Bible has simply “So he continued.”

Are you greatly disturbed in mind over Israel?: Revised Standard Version‘s footnote renders this rhetorical question as a statement, saying “You are greatly distracted in mind over Israel.” Contemporary English Version has “You seem very upset about the people of Israel.” Another possible model is “Your heart seems turned upside down about the people of Israel!”

Or do you love him more than his Maker does?: The pronoun him refers to the people of Israel. Good News Bible provides a good model here. Contemporary English Version also does with “Do you think you love them more than God their Creator does?”

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.