When I heard this, I rose to my feet and listened: Ezra followed Uriel’s command to stand up. Contemporary English Version says simply “So I stood up and listened.”

And behold, a voice was speaking, and its sound was like the sound of many waters: The word behold introduces the surprising loud voice that Ezra heard. Good News Bible renders it well with “I heard.” The sound of many waters probably refers to the sound of a flooding river or the sound of water crashing on rocks as it flows over rapids (see Isa 17.13; Ezek 1.24). Good News Bible says “a roaring river,” which is a good model. Other options are “a huge waterfall” and “a roaring ocean” (Contemporary English Version).

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.