The king said: since the previous verse refers to the king by his title three times (Revised Standard Version), it may be more natural in some languages to use a pronoun in place of the noun at the beginning of this verse: “he said….” But in others it will be perfectly natural to repeat the title here.

I had a dream: literally “I dreamed a dream” (compare verse 1 above). In some languages people may say “I saw a dream” or “I slept a dream.” Whatever is natural should be used in the translation.

My spirit is troubled: see comments on “his spirit was troubled” in verse 1 above.

To know the dream: as in the previous verse, this may mean either “to know what the dream was” (because he had forgotten it) or “to know what the dream meant” (because he did not understand it). Most likely the latter is the intended meaning of the writer.

In some languages it may be necessary to make clear the relationship between my spirit is troubled and to know the dream. Some possible models are “I had a dream that will allow my spirit no rest until I know what it means” (New American Bible), “my mind is troubled by a wish to understand it” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “I want to know what the dream means because my mind is very upset.”

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 .