These men said: note that Good News Translation makes clear the fact that Daniel’s accusers were talking to each other. The verb in Aramaic may have a reciprocal meaning, and this is obviously the case here, since there is no one else to whom they might have addressed these ideas. The inclusive “we” would therefore be used in those languages that distinguish between inclusive and exclusive forms.

Ground for complaint: see verse 4.

This Daniel: see verse 3.

Unless we find it …: this clause may be better translated as a separate sentence in some languages. One possibility to consider is “The only thing that will make him do wrong (before the king) will be his obedience to matters of his God.”

The law of his God: this is taken to mean “his religion” in New English Bible/Revised English Bible as well as Good News Translation, and rightly so, since the usual word for law is not used here. But in many languages of the world the word “religion” is difficult to translate, and it may be better to use an expression like “the affairs of his God” or something similar.

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 .