6:9

Notice the parallel rhetorical questions:

9a
How long will you lie there, O slacker?

9b
When will you get up from your sleep ?

6:9a–b

How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?: These rhetorical questions are used to rebuke the lazy person. The parallel repetition makes the rebuke more forceful. Other ways to translate these rhetorical questions are:

• Use a different rhetorical question that expresses rebuke in your language. For example:

9a Why are you always sleeping?

9b Why do you not get up?

• Use a statement. For example:

9a You shouldn’t just lie there sleeping.

9b You ought to get up.

• Use a command. For example:

9a Do not lie there in your bed.

9b Get up!

You may also use a different option in each parallel line or change the order of the parallel lines. Use an option that will express this rebuke effectively in your language.

O slacker: The person addressed in this verse is the same person or class of people as in 6:6a. You will need to decide whether to refer to the hearer in the same way as in that verse.

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