9:6a–d

In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will escape them: The words men will seek death and will not find it (9:6a–b) have the same meaning as the words they will long to die, but death will escape them (9:6c–d). Repeating the same meaning using different words emphasizes that meaning. If possible, emphasize the meaning naturally in your language.

In some languages repeating one’s words has a different use. If that is true in your language, emphasize the meaning in a natural way. For example:

During those days men will intently seek to die, but will not find a single way ⌊to die⌋

9:6a

men: Here the word men refers to both men and women.

seek death: The people will suffer so much severe pain from the locusts that they will want to die. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

want to die (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
look for a way to die (New Century Version)

9:6b

and will not find it: This clause indicates that the people will not die even though they want to. Other ways to translate this clause are:

but they will not be able to (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
but find none

9:6c

they will long to die: The word long refers to desiring or wanting something. For example:

hope for death (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
desire to die (King James Version)

9:6d

death will escape them: The word escape refers to eluding someone or something. For example:

death will flee from them (Good News Translation)

This clause is used figuratively to refer to people not being able to die. In some languages a literal translation would not have that meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Use a different word or figure of speech that gives this meaning. For example:

death will not come to them
-or-
they will not be able to meet with death
-or-
death is far from them

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

they will not be able to die

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