Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: depending on the system for referring to participants in the language of translation, it may be possible to render these proper names by a simple pronoun, “They.”

O Nebuchadnezzar: English translations are almost equally divided between those that follow Revised Standard Version by including the proper name within the quotation, and those that have something like “answered King Nebuchadnezzar…” outside the quotation. The problem is essentially one of punctuation. The markings in the traditional Aramaic text yield a rendering like that of Revised Standard Version. But this is unlikely, since to address the king by his name without using the title would show disrespect by failing to observe proper court formalities, and there is no reason to believe that the young men would have forgotten their manners in this case. Nowhere else in the Book of Daniel is the king addressed only by his name; yet there are many cases where the usual convention of using the title is observed (see 2.4, 29, 31, 37). It is probably best not to follow Revised Standard Version on this point but to use the more respectful formulas found elsewhere in the Book of Daniel.

We have no need to answer you: this should not be understood as an impertinent remark on the part of the three young men. They were simply stating a fact. New Revised Standard Version translates “we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter.” Some other ways of saying this are “we don’t want to try to justify ourselves” (Bible en français courant), “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter” (New American Bible), or “there is no need for further consideration of this matter.” For those languages distinguishing we-inclusive and we-exclusive pronouns, the exclusive forms should be used throughout this passage.

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 .