If integrated into the book of Daniel: 14.2.
Daniel was a companion of the king is literally “Daniel was one who lived with the king.” New English Bible and Moore translate companion as “confidant” while Contemporary English Version has “friend and advisor.”
Was the most honored of his friends: It is not clear whether his friends refers to Daniel’s friends or the king’s friends. New English Bible takes it to mean the king’s friends, and translates “the most honoured of all the King’s Friends.” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version make the same assumption, but further assume that it was the king who honored Daniel even though this is not clear in the Greek text. The Greek could equally well be rendered “people thought more highly of Daniel than of any other of the king’s advisers.” The first question to be decided is whether companion and friends are roughly synonymous terms for royal advisors, cabinet members, or whether friends refers to Azariah, Mishael, and Hananiah. In Dan 2.13, 17, and 18 these three people are referred to as Daniel’s “friends” in the Greek, using the same word as here. Assuming this is what is meant here would also assume a very close connection of this story with the account in Dan 2, which may not be warranted. On the other hand, “friends of the king” was known to be a title of court officials in Seleucid times; see 1 Macc 2.18. It is hard to decide which interpretation is correct, but evidence would seem to warrant favoring Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version‘s interpretation that here his friends refers to the king’s advisors. The second question is who honored Daniel. Again it is hard to decide, but internal evidence from the story would suggest that Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version are correct here. (In verses 7 and 19 Daniel laughs at the king, and in verse 19 he physically restrains him.) Not all translators will have to be any more specific than the Greek, but those who must would do well to favor Good News Translation‘s interpretation that it was the king who honored Daniel. “The king thought more highly of Daniel than of any other of his advisors” (Good News Translation) or “… honored him more than anyone else” (Contemporary English Version) represents the Greek very well. There is no suggestion in the text that Daniel received medals or awards or was otherwise honored at ceremonies. In verse 14 we learn that Daniel had servants.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.