O king: the formal address is left out by Good News Translation but should be included in translation if an appropriately natural way is found to do this. See 2.4. The Aramaic actually has an emphatic expression (“You, O king”), calling attention to the long accusation that follows. Anchor Bible translates “Hear, O king!” Some translators may prefer to begin with “Listen, O king!”

The Most High God: see 3.26.

Nebuchadnezzar your father: see verses 2 and 11.

Gave … kingship: while the verb to give may be appropriate to the other three nouns in this list, it may not be suitable for the word kingship. In many languages it will be better to use an expression like “make king,” or there may be a special word for “enthrone.” Another way of handling the problem may be to say “gave your father this kingdom with all its greatness and glory and majesty” (similarly Moffatt). While the dignity and majesty may be given by the people of the kingdom in the first place, in the ways in which they show respect to the king, the writer sees it as ultimately coming from God.

On the synonymous terms greatness and glory and majesty, compare 2.37; 4.30, 36.

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 .