Then: see comments on this same transition word in verse 13. Here Good News Translation translates “Immediately.”

Commanded …: since many languages will require an object following this verb, it will be good to follow the model of Good News Translation and clearly say “his servants.”

Was clothed: if “servants” have been clearly mentioned as the object of the previous verb, the pronoun “they” can be used as the subject of this one and will refer back to the servants: “and they dressed Daniel…”; or in other cases the Good News Translation use of the infinitive may be a good model.

Purple, a chain of gold: see verses 7 and 16.

Proclamation was made: the implied agent of this action is clearly King Belshazzar. Where necessary this may be made explicit. Since the king has already been mentioned by name in the verse, a simple pronoun, or possibly “the king” (without the proper name), will be adequate in most languages.

The discrepancy between Daniel’s statement that he would not accept the rewards (verse 17) and his eventual acceptance of them can probably be explained by the insistence of King Belshazzar. But this should not concern the translator.

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 .