diff --git a/wp-includes/block-i18n.json b/wp-includes/block-i18n.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d31f78592
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wp-includes/block-i18n.json
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+	"title": "block title",
+	"description": "block description",
+	"keywords": [ "block keyword" ],
+	"styles": [
+		{
+			"label": "block style label"
+		}
+	],
+	"variations": [
+		{
+			"title": "block variation title",
+			"description": "block variation description",
+			"keywords": [ "block variation keyword" ]
+		}
+	]
+}
diff --git a/wp-includes/blocks.php b/wp-includes/blocks.php
index 96b897aeec..5351ab94aa 100644
--- a/wp-includes/blocks.php
+++ b/wp-includes/blocks.php
@@ -187,11 +187,29 @@ function register_block_style_handle( $metadata, $field_name ) {
 	return $result ? $style_handle : false;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Gets i18n schema for block's metadata read from `block.json` file.
+ *
+ * @since 5.9.0
+ *
+ * @return array The schema for block's metadata.
+ */
+function get_block_metadata_i18n_schema() {
+	static $i18n_block_schema;
+
+	if ( ! isset( $i18n_block_schema ) ) {
+		$i18n_block_schema = wp_json_file_decode( __DIR__ . '/block-i18n.json' );
+	}
+
+	return $i18n_block_schema;
+}
+
 /**
  * Registers a block type from the metadata stored in the `block.json` file.
  *
  * @since 5.5.0
- * @since 5.9.0 Added support for the `viewScript` field.
+ * @since 5.7.0 Added support for `textdomain` field and i18n handling for all translatable fields.
+ * @since 5.9.0 Added support for `variations` and `viewScript` fields.
  *
  * @param string $file_or_folder Path to the JSON file with metadata definition for
  *                               the block or path to the folder where the `block.json` file is located.
@@ -209,7 +227,7 @@ function register_block_type_from_metadata( $file_or_folder, $args = array() ) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	$metadata = json_decode( file_get_contents( $metadata_file ), true );
+	$metadata = wp_json_file_decode( $metadata_file, array( 'associative' => true ) );
 	if ( ! is_array( $metadata ) || empty( $metadata['name'] ) ) {
 		return false;
 	}
@@ -238,6 +256,7 @@ function register_block_type_from_metadata( $file_or_folder, $args = array() ) {
 
 	$settings          = array();
 	$property_mappings = array(
+		'apiVersion'      => 'api_version',
 		'title'           => 'title',
 		'category'        => 'category',
 		'parent'          => 'parent',
@@ -249,53 +268,17 @@ function register_block_type_from_metadata( $file_or_folder, $args = array() ) {
 		'usesContext'     => 'uses_context',
 		'supports'        => 'supports',
 		'styles'          => 'styles',
+		'variations'      => 'variations',
 		'example'         => 'example',
-		'apiVersion'      => 'api_version',
 	);
+	$textdomain        = ! empty( $metadata['textdomain'] ) ? $metadata['textdomain'] : null;
+	$i18n_schema       = get_block_metadata_i18n_schema();
 
 	foreach ( $property_mappings as $key => $mapped_key ) {
 		if ( isset( $metadata[ $key ] ) ) {
-			$value = $metadata[ $key ];
-			if ( empty( $metadata['textdomain'] ) ) {
-				$settings[ $mapped_key ] = $value;
-				continue;
-			}
-			$textdomain = $metadata['textdomain'];
-			switch ( $key ) {
-				case 'title':
-				case 'description':
-					// phpcs:ignore WordPress.WP.I18n.LowLevelTranslationFunction,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralText,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralContext,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralDomain
-					$settings[ $mapped_key ] = translate_with_gettext_context( $value, sprintf( 'block %s', $key ), $textdomain );
-					break;
-				case 'keywords':
-					$settings[ $mapped_key ] = array();
-					if ( ! is_array( $value ) ) {
-						continue 2;
-					}
-
-					foreach ( $value as $keyword ) {
-						// phpcs:ignore WordPress.WP.I18n.LowLevelTranslationFunction,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralText,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralDomain
-						$settings[ $mapped_key ][] = translate_with_gettext_context( $keyword, 'block keyword', $textdomain );
-					}
-
-					break;
-				case 'styles':
-					$settings[ $mapped_key ] = array();
-					if ( ! is_array( $value ) ) {
-						continue 2;
-					}
-
-					foreach ( $value as $style ) {
-						if ( ! empty( $style['label'] ) ) {
-							// phpcs:ignore WordPress.WP.I18n.LowLevelTranslationFunction,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralText,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralDomain
-							$style['label'] = translate_with_gettext_context( $style['label'], 'block style label', $textdomain );
-						}
-						$settings[ $mapped_key ][] = $style;
-					}
-
-					break;
-				default:
-					$settings[ $mapped_key ] = $value;
+			$settings[ $mapped_key ] = $metadata[ $key ];
+			if ( $textdomain && isset( $i18n_schema->$key ) ) {
+				$settings[ $mapped_key ] = translate_settings_using_i18n_schema( $i18n_schema->$key, $settings[ $key ], $textdomain );
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/wp-includes/class-wp-theme-json-resolver.php b/wp-includes/class-wp-theme-json-resolver.php
index 39354106f2..0e5a92698a 100644
--- a/wp-includes/class-wp-theme-json-resolver.php
+++ b/wp-includes/class-wp-theme-json-resolver.php
@@ -40,12 +40,12 @@ class WP_Theme_JSON_Resolver {
 	private static $theme_has_support = null;
 
 	/**
-	 * Structure to hold i18n metadata.
+	 * Container to keep loaded i18n schema for `theme.json`.
 	 *
-	 * @since 5.8.0
+	 * @since 5.9.0
 	 * @var array
 	 */
-	private static $theme_json_i18n = null;
+	private static $i18n_schema = null;
 
 	/**
 	 * Processes a file that adheres to the theme.json schema
@@ -59,17 +59,7 @@ class WP_Theme_JSON_Resolver {
 	private static function read_json_file( $file_path ) {
 		$config = array();
 		if ( $file_path ) {
-			$decoded_file = json_decode(
-				file_get_contents( $file_path ),
-				true
-			);
-
-			$json_decoding_error = json_last_error();
-			if ( JSON_ERROR_NONE !== $json_decoding_error ) {
-				trigger_error( "Error when decoding a theme.json schema at path $file_path " . json_last_error_msg() );
-				return $config;
-			}
-
+			$decoded_file = wp_json_file_decode( $file_path, array( 'associative' => true ) );
 			if ( is_array( $decoded_file ) ) {
 				$config = $decoded_file;
 			}
@@ -77,103 +67,17 @@ class WP_Theme_JSON_Resolver {
 		return $config;
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Converts a tree as in i18n-theme.json into a linear array
-	 * containing metadata to translate a theme.json file.
-	 *
-	 * For example, given this input:
-	 *
-	 *     {
-	 *       "settings": {
-	 *         "*": {
-	 *           "typography": {
-	 *             "fontSizes": [ { "name": "Font size name" } ],
-	 *             "fontStyles": [ { "name": "Font size name" } ]
-	 *           }
-	 *         }
-	 *       }
-	 *     }
-	 *
-	 * will return this output:
-	 *
-	 *     [
-	 *       0 => [
-	 *         'path'    => [ 'settings', '*', 'typography', 'fontSizes' ],
-	 *         'key'     => 'name',
-	 *         'context' => 'Font size name'
-	 *       ],
-	 *       1 => [
-	 *         'path'    => [ 'settings', '*', 'typography', 'fontStyles' ],
-	 *         'key'     => 'name',
-	 *         'context' => 'Font style name'
-	 *       ]
-	 *     ]
-	 *
-	 * @since 5.8.0
-	 *
-	 * @param array $i18n_partial A tree that follows the format of i18n-theme.json.
-	 * @param array $current_path Optional. Keeps track of the path as we walk down the given tree.
-	 *                            Default empty array.
-	 * @return array A linear array containing the paths to translate.
-	 */
-	private static function extract_paths_to_translate( $i18n_partial, $current_path = array() ) {
-		$result = array();
-		foreach ( $i18n_partial as $property => $partial_child ) {
-			if ( is_numeric( $property ) ) {
-				foreach ( $partial_child as $key => $context ) {
-					$result[] = array(
-						'path'    => $current_path,
-						'key'     => $key,
-						'context' => $context,
-					);
-				}
-				return $result;
-			}
-			$result = array_merge(
-				$result,
-				self::extract_paths_to_translate( $partial_child, array_merge( $current_path, array( $property ) ) )
-			);
-		}
-		return $result;
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Returns a data structure used in theme.json translation.
 	 *
 	 * @since 5.8.0
+	 * @deprecated 5.9.0
 	 *
 	 * @return array An array of theme.json fields that are translatable and the keys that are translatable.
 	 */
 	public static function get_fields_to_translate() {
-		if ( null === self::$theme_json_i18n ) {
-			$file_structure        = self::read_json_file( __DIR__ . '/theme-i18n.json' );
-			self::$theme_json_i18n = self::extract_paths_to_translate( $file_structure );
-		}
-		return self::$theme_json_i18n;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Translates a chunk of the loaded theme.json structure.
-	 *
-	 * @since 5.8.0
-	 *
-	 * @param array  $array_to_translate The chunk of theme.json to translate.
-	 * @param string $key                The key of the field that contains the string to translate.
-	 * @param string $context            The context to apply in the translation call.
-	 * @param string $domain             Text domain. Unique identifier for retrieving translated strings.
-	 * @return array Returns the modified $theme_json chunk.
-	 */
-	private static function translate_theme_json_chunk( array $array_to_translate, $key, $context, $domain ) {
-		foreach ( $array_to_translate as $item_key => $item_to_translate ) {
-			if ( empty( $item_to_translate[ $key ] ) ) {
-				continue;
-			}
-
-			// phpcs:ignore WordPress.WP.I18n.LowLevelTranslationFunction,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralText,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralContext,WordPress.WP.I18n.NonSingularStringLiteralDomain
-			$array_to_translate[ $item_key ][ $key ] = translate_with_gettext_context( $array_to_translate[ $item_key ][ $key ], $context, $domain );
-		}
-
-		return $array_to_translate;
+		_deprecated_function( __METHOD__, '5.9.0' );
+		return array();
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -188,50 +92,12 @@ class WP_Theme_JSON_Resolver {
 	 * @return array Returns the modified $theme_json_structure.
 	 */
 	private static function translate( $theme_json, $domain = 'default' ) {
-		$fields = self::get_fields_to_translate();
-		foreach ( $fields as $field ) {
-			$path    = $field['path'];
-			$key     = $field['key'];
-			$context = $field['context'];
-
-			/*
-			 * We need to process the paths that include '*' separately.
-			 * One example of such a path would be:
-			 * [ 'settings', 'blocks', '*', 'color', 'palette' ]
-			 */
-			$nodes_to_iterate = array_keys( $path, '*', true );
-			if ( ! empty( $nodes_to_iterate ) ) {
-				/*
-				 * At the moment, we only need to support one '*' in the path, so take it directly.
-				 * - base will be [ 'settings', 'blocks' ]
-				 * - data will be [ 'color', 'palette' ]
-				 */
-				$base_path = array_slice( $path, 0, $nodes_to_iterate[0] );
-				$data_path = array_slice( $path, $nodes_to_iterate[0] + 1 );
-				$base_tree = _wp_array_get( $theme_json, $base_path, array() );
-				foreach ( $base_tree as $node_name => $node_data ) {
-					$array_to_translate = _wp_array_get( $node_data, $data_path, null );
-					if ( is_null( $array_to_translate ) ) {
-						continue;
-					}
-
-					// Whole path will be [ 'settings', 'blocks', 'core/paragraph', 'color', 'palette' ].
-					$whole_path       = array_merge( $base_path, array( $node_name ), $data_path );
-					$translated_array = self::translate_theme_json_chunk( $array_to_translate, $key, $context, $domain );
-					_wp_array_set( $theme_json, $whole_path, $translated_array );
-				}
-			} else {
-				$array_to_translate = _wp_array_get( $theme_json, $path, null );
-				if ( is_null( $array_to_translate ) ) {
-					continue;
-				}
-
-				$translated_array = self::translate_theme_json_chunk( $array_to_translate, $key, $context, $domain );
-				_wp_array_set( $theme_json, $path, $translated_array );
-			}
+		if ( null === self::$i18n_schema ) {
+			$i18n_schema = wp_json_file_decode( __DIR__ . '/theme-i18n.json' );
+			self::$i18n_schema = null === $i18n_schema ? array() : $i18n_schema;
 		}
 
-		return $theme_json;
+		return translate_settings_using_i18n_schema( self::$i18n_schema, $theme_json, $domain );
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -365,7 +231,6 @@ class WP_Theme_JSON_Resolver {
 		self::$core              = null;
 		self::$theme             = null;
 		self::$theme_has_support = null;
-		self::$theme_json_i18n   = null;
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/wp-includes/functions.php b/wp-includes/functions.php
index 2b75cfea03..33344f3153 100644
--- a/wp-includes/functions.php
+++ b/wp-includes/functions.php
@@ -4267,6 +4267,54 @@ function wp_check_jsonp_callback( $callback ) {
 	return 0 === $illegal_char_count;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Reads and decodes a JSON file.
+ *
+ * @since 5.9.0
+ *
+ * @param string $filename Path to the JSON file.
+ * @param array  $options  {
+ *     Optional. Options to be used with `json_decode()`.
+ *
+ *     @type bool associative Optional. When `true`, JSON objects will be returned as associative arrays.
+ *                            When `false`, JSON objects will be returned as objects.
+ * }
+ *
+ * @return mixed Returns the value encoded in JSON in appropriate PHP type.
+ *               `null` is returned if the file is not found, or its content can't be decoded.
+ */
+function wp_json_file_decode( $filename, $options = array() ) {
+	$result   = null;
+	$filename = wp_normalize_path( realpath( $filename ) );
+	if ( ! file_exists( $filename ) ) {
+		trigger_error(
+			sprintf(
+				/* translators: %s: Path to the JSON file. */
+				__( "File %s doesn't exist!" ),
+				$filename
+			)
+		);
+		return $result;
+	}
+
+	$options      = wp_parse_args( $options, array( 'associative' => false ) );
+	$decoded_file = json_decode( file_get_contents( $filename ), $options['associative'] );
+
+	if ( JSON_ERROR_NONE !== json_last_error() ) {
+		trigger_error(
+			sprintf(
+				/* translators: 1: Path to the JSON file, 2: Error message. */
+				__( 'Error when decoding a JSON file at path %1$s: %2$s' ),
+				$filename,
+				json_last_error_msg()
+			)
+		);
+		return $result;
+	}
+
+	return $decoded_file;
+}
+
 /**
  * Retrieve the WordPress home page URL.
  *
diff --git a/wp-includes/l10n.php b/wp-includes/l10n.php
index f69a24ffd8..7699d92b1e 100644
--- a/wp-includes/l10n.php
+++ b/wp-includes/l10n.php
@@ -1712,3 +1712,47 @@ function is_locale_switched() {
 
 	return $wp_locale_switcher->is_switched();
 }
+
+/**
+ * Translates the provided settings value using its i18n schema.
+ *
+ * @since 5.9.0
+ * @access private
+ *
+ * @param string|string[]|array[]|object $i18n_schema I18n schema for the setting.
+ * @param string|string[]|array[]        $settings    Value for the settings.
+ * @param string                         $textdomain  Textdomain to use with translations.
+ *
+ * @return string|string[]|array[] Translated settings.
+ */
+function translate_settings_using_i18n_schema( $i18n_schema, $settings, $textdomain ) {
+	if ( empty( $i18n_schema ) || empty( $settings ) || empty( $textdomain ) ) {
+		return $settings;
+	}
+
+	if ( is_string( $i18n_schema ) && is_string( $settings ) ) {
+		return translate_with_gettext_context( $settings, $i18n_schema, $textdomain );
+	}
+	if ( is_array( $i18n_schema ) && is_array( $settings ) ) {
+		$translated_settings = array();
+		foreach ( $settings as $value ) {
+			$translated_settings[] = translate_settings_using_i18n_schema( $i18n_schema[0], $value, $textdomain );
+		}
+		return $translated_settings;
+	}
+	if ( is_object( $i18n_schema ) && is_array( $settings ) ) {
+		$group_key           = '*';
+		$translated_settings = array();
+		foreach ( $settings as $key => $value ) {
+			if ( isset( $i18n_schema->$key ) ) {
+				$translated_settings[ $key ] = translate_settings_using_i18n_schema( $i18n_schema->$key, $value, $textdomain );
+			} elseif ( isset( $i18n_schema->$group_key ) ) {
+				$translated_settings[ $key ] = translate_settings_using_i18n_schema( $i18n_schema->$group_key, $value, $textdomain );
+			} else {
+				$translated_settings[ $key ] = $value;
+			}
+		}
+		return $translated_settings;
+	}
+	return $settings;
+}
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index e80b508a38..51cd8a9a20 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '5.9-alpha-51598';
+$wp_version = '5.9-alpha-51599';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.