9:4a

While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me: The word we probably refers to Jesus and his disciples. They were required to do God’s works while they had the opportunity. If your language has inclusive and exclusive pronouns, it is best to use an inclusive pronoun we here.

While it is daytime: This clause implies that it will not always be day. The time a person can work is limited, as daytime is limited. For example:

as long as it is daytime (NET Bible Bible)

daytime: This word here is a metaphor. In this metaphor, “day” represents the time when Jesus was living on earth. The similarity is that both “day” and Jesus’ time on earth are times when it is good to work because light is present. Jesus himself was the light for the world (see 8:12b). It may help your readers understand this figure of speech if you make explicit that “day” refers to the hours of light. For example:

daylight (Revised English Bible)

we must do the works of Him who sent Me: These clauses indicate that Jesus and his disciples were required to do God’s works. God sent Jesus to the world and told Jesus to do certain miracles (works) to show God’s power. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

We must do the work of him who sent me (Good News Translation)
-or-
We must do what the one who sent me wants us to do (God’s Word)

must do: Jesus was already doing what God had sent him to do. He was healing the sick and preaching the gospel. This was not something he was about to start doing. So in some languages it may be natural to make this clearer. For example:

must keep on working
-or-
must continue doing (New Century Version)

the works of Him who sent Me: This phrase indicates the deeds that God himself does and wanted Jesus and his disciples to do. In this context, Jesus did the work of God, the one who sent him, when he healed the blind man. Your translation of works should not only refer to physical labor. In some languages it may be necessary to make it explicit that God is the one who sent Jesus. For example:

the works/deeds of ⌊God⌋ who sent me
-or-
what ⌊God⌋ who sent me wants/commands

General Comment on 9:4a

In some languages it may be natural to translate the expression “while it is daytime” at the end of the verse. That may make it clearer that “while it is daytime” refers to our working and not God sending. For example:

We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day (New Revised Standard Version)

9:4b

Night is coming, when no one can work: The reason why no one could work at night was because it was dark. If people regularly work at night in your culture, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

the hours of darkness are coming when no one can work

Night is coming: The words Night is coming mean “it will soon be night.” In some languages it is not natural to speak of night as coming. Use the expression that is natural in your language. For example:

night is near
-or-
night is on the way
-or-
it will soon be night

Night: This word here is a metaphor. In this metaphor the evil time when Jesus would die and leave them is referred to as Night. Both night and when Jesus would leave are times when it is hard to work because there is no light. When Jesus would no longer be in the world as its light, there would be spiritual darkness. It may help your readers to understand this figure of speech if you translate Night in this way:

the dark/darkness

General Comment on 9:4b

In some languages it may be natural to reorder the information in 9:4b. For example:

The night when no one can do anything is coming. (God’s Word)

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