And now I see that the world to come will bring delight to few, but torments to many: Ezra understands from what Uriel has said so far that not many people will be saved. Ezra is concerned about this. An alternative model for this verse is:

• Now I understand [or, realize] from what you have said that the world [or, age] to come will bring joy [or, happiness] to only a few people, but it will bring torment to a great many.

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.