Let your gifts be for yourself: Daniel’s answer may sound impudent in some languages if translated using the imperative form, as in Good News Translation and several other versions. Probably no such arrogance is intended, and the answer may have to be softened in some languages. Many English versions make the discourse sound less harsh by beginning with “You may keep…” instead of the imperative (New Jerusalem Bible and New American Bible). In some cases it may be possible to say “It is good for you to keep….” However, it should be noted that some scholars think that the author intentionally uses strong language here to show that Daniel is a messenger of divine judgment. This is in keeping with the tone of judgment that is found in the rest of the speech.

And give your rewards to another: the use of the conjunction and makes it appear that the gifts and rewards refer to two different sets of objects, one of which Belshazzar would keep and the other which would be given to someone else. This, however, is not the intention of the writer. So the conjunction should be “or.” Daniel is saying that the three rewards (the royal clothing, the royal collar, and royal power mentioned at the end of verse 16) may either be kept by the king or given away to other people. In addition to Good News Translation, those versions using the conjunction “or” are New English Bible, New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version, and Anchor Bible. Revised English Bible restructures the two phrases and joins them with a semicolon: “I do not look for gifts from you; give your rewards to another.” Another possible model is “I don’t want to receive your gifts. If you want to, give them to someone else.”

Nevertheless: this adverb stresses the fact that, even without any reward, Daniel intends to clear up the mystery of the writing on the wall.

To the king … to him: since Daniel is speaking directly to the king, it will be very unnatural in most languages to use this third person reference. It will be much more natural to say something like “I will read the writing to you, your Majesty, and tell you what it means.” On the use of the third person in place of the second, see 2.10 and comments.

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 .