And those who opposed thy promises have trodden down those who believed thy covenants: Compare 2 Esd 8.57. For covenants see the comments on 2 Esd 2.5. Contemporary English Version renders this word as “solemn promises,” but translators will probably not want to repeat the word “promises” in the verse. It may be helpful for many translators to reverse the order of the clauses in this verse as in the following model:

• We believed your solemn promises, but people who opposed them have beaten us into the ground [or, defeated us].

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.