A stream of fire: since the word stream may suggest a rather small or insignificant flow, it may be better to follow the example of Revised English Bible in translating “a river of fire.” And in some languages it will be more natural to express this phrase as “fire was rushing out like the waters of a river.” In languages where the idea of fire being in some way like the water of a stream or river would be unthinkable, a different image may have to be used, or perhaps the image may have to be dropped completely. An example of a different figure may be “fire came out like grain being poured out.” If the image is removed altogether, the translation may say something like “much fire kept coming out….”
Issued and came forth: in many languages it will be perfectly legitimate to translate these two verbs by a single verb as in Good News Translation.
Before him: this indicates more precisely the place from which the river of fire originated. But the third person singular pronoun may refer either to the throne (“it,” Good News Translation) or to the person seated on the throne (him, Revised Standard Version). The majority of versions seem to prefer “before him” or “from his presence.”
A thousand thousands … ten thousand times ten thousand: these two expressions are in parallel, as are the verbs that accompany them. And the figures are not meant to be taken as mathematically precise. Rather they suggest extremely large or incalculable numbers. If such parallel structure is not considered natural in the translator’s language, it is possible to restructure the whole sentence, combining the various elements. Bible en français courant, for example, reads “Millions, even tens of millions of persons stood in his presence in order to serve him.” It should be noted also that the word “persons” or “people” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant) is very likely intended and should probably be made explicit in the translation. However, Moffatt takes it to be “angels.”
Stood before him: translators should avoid giving the impression that there were two groups, one of which was working and the other simply standing around. The expression “to stand before” does not indicate idly standing in the presence of the “Ancient of Days.” It is rather in parallel with served him in the previous line and indicates that those standing in his presence were prepared to do whatever he required of them. Compare 1.5.
The court sat in judgment: that is, the actual court session began (compare Good News Translation). In some languages translators may wish to say “the court proceedings began.”
The books: although almost all English versions have the definite article here, the form of the Aramaic is indefinite. The use of the definite article may be justified by the fact that, according to the understanding of the people of antiquity, there existed heavenly books in which all the deeds of human beings, both good and bad, were recorded. Moffatt translates “the records were opened.” Compare Jer 17.1; Psa 56.8; Mal 3.16; and Rev 20.12.
Were opened: in order to avoid the passive form, it is possible to make the judges the subject of the last two verbs in this verse: “The judges sat down (to begin their work) and opened the books.”
Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .