6:6a
what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures: This clause probably indicates that John could not see who spoke. It was not one of the four living creatures, God, or Jesus. But the sound of the voice came from the area where the four living creatures were. Other ways to translate this clause are:
something that sounded like a voice coming from the middle of the four living creatures (New Century Version)
-or-
a voice speaking where the living beings were
6:6b–d
At that time, a day’s wage for a common laborer was a silver coin called a “denarius.” A “denarius” would normally buy eight quarts of wheat or more. A “denarius” would also normally buy sixteen quarts of barley or more. Therefore, the words in 6:6b–c refer to a severe shortage of wheat and barley. They had become very expensive. But 6:6d prohibits any shortage of olive oil or wine. People used all these four foods daily to make their meals.
6:6b
A quart of wheat for a denarius: This clause has no verb. In some languages it is necessary to add a verb for good grammar. You should probably add a future verb. For example:
A quart of wheat will cost you a whole day’s wages! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
One quart of wheat ⌊will be sold⌋ for a day’s pay!
-or-
People will need a day’s wage ⌊to buy⌋ one quart of wheat!
This price is about eight times more than normal. In some languages a literal translation would not clearly indicate that the price is very high. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain the high cost in your translation. For example:
Wheat ⌊will be so expensive that⌋ a day’s wage will purchase ⌊only⌋ one quart of it ⌊instead of eight quarts⌋ !
-or-
One quart of wheat will cost ⌊much more than normal; it will cost⌋ a ⌊whole⌋ day’s wages!
quart of wheat: The grain called wheat was the daily food of many people at that time in that region. The Greek word for wheat and the kind of Greek measure probably imply wheat kernels/seeds/grain. The wheat kernels could be eaten directly or ground into flour for bread.
A quart of wheat would make enough bread for one person for one day. People in some languages do not normally eat wheat bread. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Use the daily food common to your area. This might be rice, corn, or some other kind of food. You may want to include a footnote to explain the literal word. An example footnote is:
Literally: “wheat.” Wheat bread was the daily food of many people at that time.
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Wheat was the daily food of many people at that time.
-or-
Wheat was the daily food in that place at that time. Bread is made from wheat. A quart/liter of wheat flour would make enough bread for one person for one day.
quart: The Greek word here refers to a measurement that is about equal to a quart or a liter. In some languages people are more familiar with liters than quarts. If that is true in your language, you may want to use the word “liter” here.
a denarius: At that time, one denarius paid the wage for one day of work by a laborer or farm worker. This was a low wage. Only poor people worked for one denarius a day.
The high prices on food indicates that people would have to work all day just to pay for enough food to eat that day. In your translation you may want to:
• Follow the New International Version and use the phrase “a day’s wages” or a similar phrase. For example:
the money earned from a whole day of working
-or-
a day’s pay.
You may then want to explain the Greek word in a footnote. For example:
Literally, “a denarius.” This was a Roman coin that a laborer or farm worker received for one day of work. It was a poor person’s wage.
• Use a word for a day’s wage for a poor person. For example:
a silver coin
You may then want to explain the Greek word in a footnote. For example:
Literally, “a denarius.” This was a Roman coin that a laborer or farm worker received for one day of work.
• Spell the Greek word as someone in your language would say it and explain its meaning in a footnote. If you have used the word “denarius” in the Gospels, you may want to use it here. An example footnote is:
A denarius was a Roman coin that a laborer or farm worker received for one day of work.
6:6c
three quarts of barley for a denarius: The word barley refers to a cheaper grain than wheat. Poor people often bought barley instead of wheat. This price is about five times more than normal. Poor people in some languages do not normally eat barley bread. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Use the daily food common to poor people in your area. It should be a food different than the word you used in 6:6b. You may then want to include a footnote to explain the literal word. For example:
Literally: “barley.” Barley was the daily food of poor people at that time.
• Explain barley in a footnote. For example:
“Barley” was the daily food of poor people at that time.
-or-
“Barley” was the daily food of poor people at that time. A low quality bread is made from barley. Three quarts/liters of barley was enough food for a small family for one day.
General Comment on 6:6b–c
These two statements about food prices are probably instructions to the black horse and rider. The horse and rider will cause a shortage of foods used for the main part of the meal such as wheat and barley. The shortage will cause the high prices. People in some languages will not see that the shortage causes the high prices. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Include some implied information. For example:
⌊Cause a shortage so that⌋ a quart of wheat costs a day’s wages and three quarts of barley costs a day’s wages
-or-
⌊The food shortage will be so severe that⌋ a quart of wheat will cost a day’s wages and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s wages
• Translate literally and explain its meaning in a footnote. For example:
This verse refers to a shortage of food that people eat daily. So the prices are five to eight times higher than normal. But there will not be a shortage of other food items like cooking oil and wine.
Also, the phrase “for a denarius” is repeated in 6:6c. In some languages it is more natural to omit the phrase. For example:
6b–c A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. (New Living Translation (2004))
6:6d
and do not harm the oil and wine: The person speaking prohibited the horse and rider from causing a shortage of olive oil and wine. Other ways to translate this clause are:
but do not harm oil and wine! (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
But don’t ruin the olive oil or the wine. (Contemporary English Version)
oil: The word oil here refers to olive oil. The olive is the fruit of the olive tree. Olive oil is squeezed out of it. The oil was used as cooking oil and as fuel for lamps.
In some languages people will think that the word refers to something other than cooking oil. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain its use in your translation. For example:
cooking oil
wine: Wine is made from the juice of a fruit called grapes. Grapes grow on a vine. People squeeze them and collect the juice. The juice is allowed to ferment, so wine is an alcoholic beverage.
At that time people commonly drank wine with the evening meal. People in some languages are not familiar with wine. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:
common beverage called wine
-or-
fermented grape juice
-or-
wine water
You may then want to explain its meaning in a footnote. For example:
Wine is a beverage made from grapes. At that time people usually drank wine with the evening meal.
• Use the name of the beverage commonly used in your area with meals. You may then want a footnote to explain what wine is. For example:
Literally: “wine.” At that time, wine is a beverage that people commonly drank with the evening meal.
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