13:6a

But: There is something unexpected here. The seeds sprouted quickly (13:5b), but the plants did not live long (13:6). The Berean Standard Bible indicates this unexpected event with the conjunction But.

In some languages, it may be more natural to use a different conjunction or a phrase here. For example:

Then

In other languages, no conjunction is necessary here. For example:

When the sun came up

when the sun rose: This clause refers to the hottest part of the day. This was some hours after sunrise. Here this clause does not refer to soon after sunrise. It may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

when the sun rose ⌊high in the sky⌋
-or-
when the sun became hot

the seedlings were scorched: The word scorched also means “burned.” This word indicates that the heat from the sun caused the plants to become dry and brown.

This is a passive clause. Here are some ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

the plants were dried by the sun

• Use an active verb. For example:

the sun burned the plants

• Use another type of verb. For example:

the plants soon wilted (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the plants drooped

13:6b

they withered: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as withered means “became dry.” When a plant becomes dry, its leaves shrink and turn brown, and the plant dies.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

the plants dried up (New Century Version)
-or-
they died (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
they withered/shriveled

because they had no root: The phrase had no root exaggerates the fact that the plants had few roots. The plants did not have deep enough roots to live under the hot sun. The roots could not grow down past the rock to find water. In some languages, it may be more natural not to exaggerate here. For example:

because they did not have deep roots (New Century Version)
-or-
since their roots could not go deep
-or-
they did not have enough roots

root: The word root is singular, but refers to any number of roots here. In some languages, it may be more natural to use the plural “roots” here.

General Comment on 13:6b

The clause “because they had no root” is the reason clause. The clause “they withered” is the result clause. In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these clauses. For example:

And since they had no root, they withered away. (English Standard Version)

-or-

and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up. (Good News Translation)

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