[和合本] 于是我差遣人去见他们说：“我现在办理大工，不能下去。焉能停工，下去见你们呢？”
[新标点] 于是我差遣人去见他们，说：“我现在办理大工，不能下去。焉能停工下去见你们呢？”
[和合修] 于是我派使者到他们那里，说：“我正在进行大的工程，不能下去。我怎么能离开，下去见你们，而让工程停顿呢？”
[新译本] 于是我差派使者去见他们说：“我正在进行大工程，不能去。我怎能放下这工程，去见你们，使这工程停顿呢？”
[当代修] 我派人回复他们说：“我正在做一件大工程，不能下去见你们。我怎能停止工作下去见你们呢？”
[现代修] 我派人告诉他们：“我正在进行很重要的工作，不能到那里去。我不愿意因去看你们而使工作停顿。”
[吕振中] 于是我差遣人去见他们说：“我在作的是一件大的工程，我不能下去；我哪里能把工作放开，下去见你们，以致工程停息呢？”
[思高本] 我遂派使者去答复他们说：“我作的工程浩大，不能前去。我怎能离开工作，到你们那里去，而使工程停顿呢？”
[文理本] 我遣使诣之曰、我经营巨工、弗能往、奚可止工而诣尔乎、
[GNT] I sent messengers to say to them, "I am doing important work and can't go down there. I am not going to let the work stop just to go and see you."
[BBE] And I sent men to them saying, I am doing a great work, so that it is not possible for me to come down: is the work to be stopped while I go away from it and come down to you?
[KJV] And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
[NKJV] So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I [am] doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?"
[KJ21] And I sent messengers unto them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?"
[NASB] So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and am unable to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"
[NRSV] So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?"
[WEB] I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I can't come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?"
[ESV] And I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"
[NIV] so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?"
[NIrV] So I sent messengers to them with my answer. I replied, "I'm working on a huge project. So I can't get away. Why should the work stop while I leave it? Why should I go down and talk with you?"
[HCSB] So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?"
[CSB] So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?"
[AMP] And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave to come down to you?
[NLT] so I replied by sending this message to them: "I am engaged in a great work, so I can't come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?"
[YLT] And I send unto them messengers, saying, 'A great work I am doing, and I am not able to come down; why doth the work cease when I let it alone, and have come down unto you?'