If thou dost really hate thy people, they should be punished at thy own hands: Compare 2 Sam 24.14; Sir 2.18. Ezra says that if God hates his people so much that he must punish them so harshly, he should do it in such a way that it does not give satisfaction to people who are more wicked than they are. Here are three alternative ways to render this verse:

• If you really hate your people this much, why don’t you punish them yourself?”

• … you should punish them yourself.”

• If you really hate us so much, you should punish us yourself.”

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.