Gentlemen, is not the king great, and are not men many, and is not wine strong?: This question is rhetorical. Zerubbabel agrees with the two previous speakers that the king is great, human beings are numerous, and wine is strong. We may render this question as a statement by saying “Honorable sirs, the king [or, emperor] is certainly powerful, and there are lots of humans, and wine is certainly strong.” Contemporary English Version has “Men of Media and Persia, I agree that the king is great, that there are lots of men, and that wine is strong.” For Gentlemen see the comments on 1 Esd 3.18.

Who then is their master, or who is their lord?: This rhetorical question introduces the topic of Zerubbabel, which is the control of women over rulers, men, and wine. Who … is their master and who is their lord ask the same question for emphasis. Good News Bible keeps the emphasis by saying “but who rules and controls them all?” Good News Bible uses the verbs “rules” and “controls” instead of the nouns master and lord. Contemporary English Version has simply “But who rules them all?” Translators may also say “Who is stronger than even these?”

Is it not women?: This rhetorical question answers the previous one. Good News Bible says “It is women!” and Contemporary English Version has “Women that’s who!”

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.