For those who are not left will be sad: The conjunction For may be omitted (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). For those who are not left, see the comments on the previous verse. This phrase may be rendered “Those people” or simply “They” (Good News Bible).

Because they understand what is reserved for the last days, but cannot attain it: Those who have died before the end times will have known what joys await the faithful at the end (what is reserved for the last days), but they will never be able to participate (cannot attain it).

Two alternative models for verses 17-18 are:

• 17 Those people will be very sad, 18 because they will know what joy some will have in the last days, but will not be alive to share in it.

• 17-18 For those people will know what joy some will have in the last days, but will live in regret that they will not be alive to share in 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.