When men drink they forget to be friendly with friends and brothers, and before long they draw their swords: Some people are not happy when they are drunk (compare verse 20); some people turn mean. That is the emphasis here. Men here simply means “people”; no explicit subject is expressed in Greek. Brothers may have a broader reference than simply literal brothers or even relatives. Good News Bible says “neighbors,” which is possible. Draw their swords refers to drawing swords from sheaths/scabbards. Here it is an idiomatic expression for fighting. Alternative models for this verse are:

• When people drink wine they become mean [or, unfriendly] to their friends and relatives. Soon they are even ready to fight them.

• When people drink wine, they are soon ready to start fights with the their friends and relatives, forgetting who these people are.

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.