Revised Standard Version continues the sentence begun in the previous verse to describe the decree. But it will probably be better in most languages to begin a new sentence as in Good News Translation.

You shall be driven from among men: the passive formulation of Revised Standard Version is really a third person plural indefinite construction in Aramaic: “They will chase you….” In some languages this will be better translated as “People will chase you from among them” or something similar. And, of course, men here refers to human beings in general and not just males.

Beasts of the field: see 2.38 and 4.12.

You shall be made to eat grass: literally “they (indefinite) will make you to eat (or will feed you) grass.” This kind of rendering avoids the passive of Revised Standard Version. But it is not appropriate to say “people will make you eat grass,” because at this point the king will have no other human beings around him.

You shall be wet with the dew of heaven: literally “they (indefinite) will wet you….” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has interpreted this to mean that Nebuchadnezzar would have to get his drinking water from the dew, but the interpretation of Good News Translation above seems more likely.

Till you know: another way of translating this idea is to begin a new sentence with “At the end of this time you will know (or acknowledge).”

The Most High: see 3.26 and 4.17.

Kingdom of men: to be taken as a plural as in verse 17. Similarly the singular pronouns that follow should also be pluralized.

Seven times shall pass over you: to be understood as “seven years” as in verse 16 above.

Gives it: or better “can give it” as in verse 17.

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 .