The parallelism at the beginning of this verse should be translated in such a way as to avoid making the reader think of two different events. The word sentence corresponds to decision; and the watchers obviously has the same meaning as the holy ones. For this reason Good News Translation has combined the two.

By the decree … by the word: it is important that the translation avoid giving the impression that the angels are capable of making decisions themselves. They are, in fact, only messengers or bearers of the decision made by God. For this reason Bible en français courant translates “transmitted by….”

Watchers … holy ones: see verse 13.

To the end that …: this shows the purpose of the decision communicated by the angels. The Good News Translation rendering “So then” at the beginning of a new sentence may seem weak if translated literally into some languages. “In this way” or “As a result” may be better.

The living: that is, all persons who are alive, wherever they may be.

The Most High: the Aramaic word used here occurs sometimes along with the name of God (as in 3.26; 4.2; 5.18, 21). But here and in a number of other cases it occurs alone, that is, unaccompanied by the word for “God” (4.24, 25, 32, 34; 7.18, 22, 25, 27). The corresponding Hebrew expression is often used in the Psalms in parallel with other terms for God. In some languages it is possible to say “the Most High One,” and this will be understood as referring to God, but in other languages it will be indispensable to add the word for God, even when it is not actually present in the text. It should be noted that this expression is also used in the New Testament to refer to God. It is a favorite of Luke (1.32, 35, 76; 6.35; Acts 7.48, for example).

Rules: literally “is powerful over.”

The kingdom of men: although singular in form, the word for kingdom has a collective meaning and should probably be translated as a plural in most languages (as in “human kingdoms,” Good News Translation). Also, the two occurrences of the pronoun it which follow refer to kingdom and should be made plural.

Gives: the verb used here carries a sense of “being able to” that is probably better rendered “can give,” as in Good News Translation, New American Bible, Bible en français courant, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch.

The lowliest of men: the Aramaic term has the sense of positive humility, rather than a negative sense that may possibly communicate the idea of “the scum of the earth.” It is therefore perhaps better to translate something like “the most humble person” or “the meekest of all people.”

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 .

This subordinate clause is attached to verse 11 in Revised Standard Version and a few other versions to explain why Daniel had been made chief of the wise men. This is certainly a grammatical possibility. But the majority of modern versions (New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, and Good News Translation) begin a new sentence here and thus make this clause the reason for the appeal to call for Daniel at the end of the verse.

An excellent spirit: it is better to understand the word translated spirit as being equivalent to something like “mind” in English. New American Bible translates the two words together as “an extraordinary mind,” and New International Version has “a keen mind.” Others take it in the sense of ability: “rare ability” (Moffatt), “surpassing ability” (An American Translation), “exceptional ability” (Revised English Bible), or “unusual ability” (Good News Translation). But it would probably be a mistake to use the literal equivalent for “spirit” in most languages.

Knowledge: this is yet another term similar in meaning to those in the previous verse. But in some languages it may be necessary to repeat one of the words already used.

Understanding: the last of these three words here is the same as the second of the list in the previous verse.

To interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems: these infinitives are really verbal nouns, and they all serve to explain what Daniel’s knowledge and understanding involved. On interpret dreams see chapter 4. The words explain riddles may be rendered “explain enigmas” (Anchor Bible and New American Bible) or “hidden things to reveal” (Knox). The noun refers to a mystery that puzzles the ordinary person. The expression solve problems literally means “to untie knots,” indicating an ability to find solutions to seemingly impossible problems. Some commentators see in this expression some kind of reference to the literal untying of knots in the context of Aramaic magical practices. An American Translation, for example, has “unraveling knots.” But this is unlikely. New Jerusalem Bible retains something of the image with “unravelling difficult problems” (compare Revised English Bible).

Were found: this is once again a passive form that should be made active in many languages. This idea may be expressed by beginning the verse “he possesses” followed by the list of qualities.

Let Daniel be called: it should be made clear in translation that this is a command of the king. New American Bible is correct in rendering it “summon Daniel….” Some other ways of saying this are “call for Daniel” (New International Version) or simply “send for him” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Show the interpretation: see 2.4. In some languages it may be appropriate to state clearly what is to be interpreted, as in “the interpretation of the writing on the wall” or “the meaning of the written message that appeared.” The writing has not been mentioned since verse 8.

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 .

That Daniel: see comments on “this Daniel” in verse 3 above.

The exiles from Judah: compare chapter 1 and 2.25.

Pays no heed to you: see 3.12.

Makes his petition: this is the same verb as in verses 7 and 12. It may be translated “says his prayers” or simply “prays.” The ancient Greek translations add “to his God.” While this may or may not have been a part of the original text, it is certainly information that may be supplied in the translation if necessary for understanding or if it sounds more natural.

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 .

Note that Good News Translation here inserts the words “He said” from the previous verse, for better style in English, and also for making it clearer that what follows are the words of the one explaining the vision and not of Daniel himself.

Are: in some languages the verb “to be” may not be appropriate to show the correspondence between the beasts and the kings or kingdoms. In those cases it may be better to say “resemble,” “depict,” “show,” “represent,” “stand for,” or something similar.

Kings: while the word here is literally kings, the individual kings represented the kingdoms over which they ruled. For this reason Moffatt, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and New English Bible/Revised English Bible translate “kingdoms,” and Good News Translation has “empires.” In fact, one Aramaic manuscript as well as the ancient Greek and Latin actually has the word “kingdoms.” While this reading may not be adopted for textual reasons, there are valid translation reasons for using “kingdoms” or “empires” in some languages. Both Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament advocate translating the text that says “kings,” but under the “proposed interpretation” of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament the following is stated: “One may indicate in a note that each of the ‘kings’ in fact incarnates one of the empires which followed each other in the Ancient Near East.”

Shall arise out of the earth: the wording of Revised Standard Version may possibly be misunderstood as a reference to some kind of resurrection from the grave. But this is certainly not the meaning of the text. The verb arise indicates “rise to power,” “come into authority,” or “take (political) control.” And out of the earth may be translated “on the earth” (New American Bible), or the whole expression may be reworded “(four kingdoms) of earthly origin will take power” (Bible en français courant).

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 .

He-goat: in contrast with verse 5, where a single term is used, here the text has both a Hebrew word and the corresponding Aramaic word placed in apposition. For this reason New Jerusalem Bible reads “the buck, the he-goat.” Since the Hebrew term is from the same family as the word for “hair,” certain translations have felt it necessary to say something like “shaggy goat” (New International Version) or “hairy he-goat” (New Jerusalem Bible). But this is unnecessary since the second term is probably not intended as a description of the animal. It is rather a means of more precise identification. And in any case, to speak of a “hairy goat” may be considered redundant in some languages.

King: since there is reference at the end of this verse to the first king as in a series of kings, the first use of this word seems to signify the “kingdom,” that is, the totality of the kings who ruled. Compare also verse 20 and 7.17.

Greece: literally “Javan” as in New Jerusalem Bible. But this is clearly the meaning, since Javan is the Hebrew word for Greece, and a transliteration of the Hebrew would hide the meaning from the ordinary reader.

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 .

The Hebrew text of verses 26 and 27 is uncertain and obscure in several places.

After the sixty-two weeks: instead of repeating the actual time period from the previous verse, it is possible to make a more general reference to this period, as in Good News Translation “at the end of that time.”

An anointed one: see verse 25.

Shall be cut off: the verb translated cut off is not used previously in Daniel but is frequent elsewhere in the Old Testament. In some contexts it means “excommunicated from the people of God.” But here and in many other places it means “be put to death” or “be destroyed” (Gen 9.11, for example). Also, where necessary the passive formulation may be made active by using something like “disappear” (New Jerusalem Bible) or simply “die.”

And shall have nothing: these words have given rise to a great deal of guesswork as to what the writer really meant. King James Version translated them “but not for himself.” Other interpretations are (1) “leaving no one to succeed him” (An American Translation and Moffatt); (2) “when the city is no longer his” (New American Bible and Anchor Bible); (3) “with no one to take his part” (New English Bible); (4) “and vanish” (New Jerusalem Bible); (5) “unjustly” (Good News Translation); and (6) “his Kingdom still unrealized” (Living Bible). This wide variety of possible translations simply shows that no one knows what this passage means. Nevertheless the translator is forced to make a choice. The textual change proposed by New American Bible and Anchor Bible is quite appealing. The translator can therefore possibly translate the idea “when he does not possess the city.”

The people of the prince who is to come: in this context the word translated people refers to “troops” or “soldiers,” as in Judges 5.2 and 2 Sam 10.13. New Jerusalem Bible rightly translates “the army of a leader.”

Its end shall come with a flood: literally “his (or its) end is a flood.” It is unclear what the intended antecedent of the pronoun is. It can be either the leader with his invading army or the city with its sanctuary. If the latter interpretation is adopted, it may be necessary to translate “they (the city and the sanctuary) will come to an end like a flood” or “the city with its Temple will be destroyed as in a flood.” The flood is to be understood figuratively and not in its literal sense. The former interpretation, which is perhaps more likely, can be rendered as in New Jerusalem Bible, “The end of that prince will be catastrophe.” This solution is also preferred by New Jerusalem Bible and Bible en français courant.

To the end there shall be war: this will have to be reworded in a number of languages, and in some cases it will be necessary to state more specifically the meaning of the end. A possible model is “war will continue until the end of that period of time (referring to the sixty-two weeks).”

Desolations are decreed: in a number of languages it will be necessary to reformulate this passive expression and make it clear that it is God who decreed the destruction.

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 .

Then: once again, this translates the multipurpose Hebrew conjunction that may be best left untranslated in many languages.

The king of the south: the king of Egypt, as confirmed by verse 8. Similarly, the king of the north in this verse should again be rendered “the king of Syria.”

Moved with anger: the position of this element in the sentence will be determined by what is most natural in the translator’s language. But it is clearly in a prominent position in the Hebrew. Note that New Revised Standard Version, like Good News Translation, has shifted it to the beginning of the sentence.

Come out and fight: or “go forth to battle.” The use of two verbs in this manner is a frequent Hebrew way of describing the initiation of an action followed by the essential meaning. Compare comments on the construction “answered and said” in 2.5. In those languages where such a formula is unnatural, it will be better to use a single verbal expression such as “launch an offensive” (Bible en français courant), or an expression indicating purpose, “march out to do battle” (New English Bible).

He shall raise a great multitude: the third person pronoun here may refer to the king of the south (Egypt) or to the king of the north (Syria). But it is much more likely that it refers to the Syrian ruler. The great multitude is, as in verse 10, a very large army.

But it shall be given into his hand: the subject pronoun, it, refers back to the great multitude or army that the Syrian king mustered. And as often in Scripture, the word hand represents “power.” The third person singular possessive pronoun, his, in this case refers to the king of the south (Egypt). The restructuring of Good News Translation clarifies all these pronouns and makes the meaning comprehensible. It should serve as a good model for other languages.

This verse is thought to refer to the battle at Raphia, where Ptolemy IV (king of the South) fought Antiochus III in 217 B.C. Antiochus was defeated and his army suffered considerable loss as Judea was rejoined to Egypt.

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 .

Become ruler of: literally “He will dominate.” Compare “will gain control of (or over)” (New English Bible, New International Version, and New Jerusalem Bible) and “treasure … will lie in his power” (New Jerusalem Bible). In other languages translators may say “… will be under his power” or “he will conquer.”

All the precious things of Egypt: in this context, following the mention of gold and silver, it will be appropriate in many languages to add the word “other” and say something like “all the other valuable things of Egypt.” Or the whole thing may be restructured to say something like “he will seize all the treasures of Egypt, including its silver and gold.”

The Ethiopians: literally “the Cushites.” The term “Cush” refers to the region situated to the south of Egypt and identified with the ancient Nubia (New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or with “Sudan” in earlier editions of Good News Translation. Since the term “Cush” undoubtedly referred to an area much larger than the present day state of Sudan, the use of “Sudan” is not recommended. The ancient Greek version rendered the term “Cush” as “Ethiopia,” and this has been followed by a great many modern English versions (including Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, An American Translation, Moffatt). Others simply transliterate the Hebrew here, using “Cushites” (New English Bible/Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). In those languages where all the geographic terms are equally unknown, the latter solution is preferable.

Shall follow in his train: literally “(are) at his steps.” This expression indicates submission to a higher authority. Some versions have translated it by “follow in his footsteps” (Segond and Bible de la Pléiade in French), but this is unfortunate, since that expression carries with it the idea of “following the example of,” which is not found in the Hebrew. New Jerusalem Bible has “follow at his heel,” and New Jerusalem Bible renders the same expression “will be at his feet,” both of which give the idea of submissive adherents. Libya (to the west) and Cush (to the south) were a part of the kingdom of the Ptolemies. So the conquest of the “king of the north” is not limited to Egypt as such but extends throughout the “kingdom of the south.”

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 .