And they shall go on steadily to Babylon, and shall destroy her: The pronoun they again refers to the destructive elements in verse 41, namely fire, hail, flying swords, and floods. Good News Bible refers to these things as “This destruction,” which will be difficult to translate in many languages. The following model of this sentence specifies the referents for the pronoun they: “The fire, hail, flying swords, and floods will press on steadily right to the city of Babylon, and destroy it.” Babylon represents Rome (see the comments on 2 Esd 3.1; compare Rev 14.8).

They shall come to her and surround her may be rendered simply “They will surround it.”

They shall pour out the tempest and all its wrath upon her: Tempest again translates the Latin word meaning “star” (see verse 13). So we may render this sentence as “Then the star will pour out all of its anger [or, violence] on the city.”

Then the dust and smoke shall go up to heaven may be translated “and the dust and smoke [of its destruction] will rise into the sky.”

And all who are about her shall wail over her: All who are about her refers to the neighboring cities of Babylon.

The destruction of Babylon mentioned in verse 43 is described more fully in verse 44. For this reason Good News Bible combines these two verses. We also combine them in the following models:

• The destruction will press on until it reaches Babylon and surrounds it. Then the star will pour out all its anger [or, violence] on the city, and the dust and smoke of its destruction will rise into the sky. When the people of the neighboring cities see this, they will mourn for it.

• The fire, hail, flying swords, and floods will press on toward Babylon, destroying everything as they go. When they reach Babylon, the star will pour out all….

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.