And the earth shall be left desolate: See verse 23. As there, the word desolate means “empty of people.” So this clause may be rendered “There will be few people left on earth.”

And its fields shall be for briers, and its roads and all its paths shall bring forth thorns means the fields, roads, and paths will be covered by thorny plants and other weeds.

Because no sheep will go along them refers to sheep grazing or eating the weeds along the paths and roads; thus keeping them clear for people to walk on.

Good News Bible provides a possible model for this verse. A better one is:

• The earth will have very few people. Its fields will be covered with thorny plants, and its roads and paths will be overgrown with weeds, because there will be no sheep to graze along them.

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.