Speak words: this kind of expression will be redundant in many languages. The verb “to speak” is normally sufficient to convey the idea.

Wear out: this verb is ordinarily used of wearing out clothing. But in 1 Chr 17.9 the corresponding Hebrew word is used of oppressing people. It carries the idea of a long drawn-out persecution. New English Bible/Revised English Bible attempts to get at this idea with “wear down.” But most English versions have something like “oppress” (New International Version and New American Bible as well as Good News Translation), “harass” (Moffatt and New Jerusalem Bible), or “torment” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Think to change: that is, make an effort to modify or attempt to change. Bible en français courant has “will make plans to modify.”

The times and the law: the first of these two terms refers to the calendar of festivals of the people of Israel. This is seen by some as a reference to the fact that Antiochus Epiphanes banned the observance of the Sabbath and feast days (compare 1 Maccabees 1.41-53). The second term is related to the Jewish law in general. Given the fact that this term is more general, it may be more natural in many languages to reverse the order of the two terms, as in Good News Translation.

For a time, two times, and half a time: as in 4.16 (and Rev 12.14) Good News Translation takes the word for “time(s)” to mean “year(s).” Similarly New American Bible translates “a year, two years and a half-year” (likewise in An American Translation, and in the notes in New International Version and New Jerusalem Bible). But the most natural rendering in English is simply “three and a half years” (Moffatt as well as Good News Translation and the note in New Jerusalem Bible).

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 .