He gave him: in some cases it may be important to translate the pronoun he by the noun “God” to avoid possible confusion in the mind of the reader.

Peoples, nations, and languages: see 3.4, 7; 4.1.

Trembled and feared: these two terms are very similar in meaning and may have to be translated by a single verb in some languages.

Whom he would he slew: the New Revised Standard Version gives the same information in more common English word order and vocabulary: “He killed those he wanted to kill.”

Whom he would he kept alive: both the Revised Standard Version and the Good News Translation rendering “if he wanted to keep someone alive, he did” sounds as if the king may have been a great physician with exceptional healing powers, but this is not the meaning of the text. So this meaning should be avoided. It will be much better to say “allow to live” instead of “keep alive.” Another possibility is “spared whom he pleased” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Raised up … put down: the translation of these terms should not give the impression of physical lifting up and its opposite. Very often in Scripture these words are used in a figurative sense to speak of promotion and demotion, or of distinction and dishonor. This meaning is conveyed here by Good News Translation, “honored or disgraced.” New English Bible has “promoted … and … degraded,” and New American Bible reads “exalted or humbled.”

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 .