Let Egypt mourn, and its foundations: The verb mourn refers to the sadness and pain of the Egyptians after God has punished them. Good News Bible translates Let Egypt mourn as “The whole land will be in mourning,” and Contemporary English Version says “The entire nation will groan.” And its foundations means that Egypt’s foundations also will mourn. The idea of Egypt’s foundations mourning is described in Good News Bible as “it [Egypt] will be shaken to its foundations.” We may also say “and its foundations will shake.” Contemporary English Version renders this figurative expression as “and the cities [of Egypt] will fall.”

For the plague of chastisement and punishment that the Lord will bring upon it: Good News Bible translates chastisement as “strike” and punishment as “pound,” which are two similar actions. Translators should follow Good News Bible and find two words for “striking” in their language. Contemporary English Version uses only the word “destroy,” which is not quite right. In verses 1-11 God speaks directly, but here he is referred to in the third person as the Lord since the prophet is speaking on behalf of him at this point. Good News Bible keeps a first person reference for him by saying “I, the Lord,” and so does Contemporary English Version, which uses simply “I.” For naturalness translators may use a first person reference for God here.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• The people of Egypt will mourn, and its cities will fall, when I, the Lord, strike it and pound on it.

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.