Translation commentary on Daniel 9:12

He: since Daniel is praying to the Lord, the use of the third person pronoun will once again be clumsy in most languages. See the earlier notes on pronoun usage in Daniel’s prayer.

Confirmed his words: some other ways of expressing this idea are “fulfilled all that he said” (New English Bible), “made good the warning” (Revised English Bible), “fulfilled his word” (An American Translation), “carried out the threat” (New Jerusalem Bible; similarly New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and Moffatt).

Our rulers who ruled us: literally “the judges who judged us.” This is the same word as used for the leaders in the Book of Judges (2.16-18). But as in the case of the Book of Judges, the sense of the term is far larger than its simple judicial meaning. It has to do with governing or leading in its broadest sense. Here the redundant statement may be expressed more naturally in most languages by omitting the words who ruled us.

A great calamity: in Hebrew, literally “a great evil.” It is clear that the reason for what happened to Jerusalem was punishment for the sins of the people. Therefore Good News Translation has restructured by substituting the verb “punished.” The usage in the following two verses supports this translation.

Under the whole heaven: here this expression is used to indicate universality. It is almost the same expression as the Aramaic equivalent in 7.27. Compare also Job 28.24; 41.11. In some languages the equivalent is “in the whole world.”

Been done: this passive idea occurs twice at the end of this verse and will have to be translated actively in many languages. The agent of the activity (punishment) is clearly God himself.

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 .

Translation commentary on Daniel 10:17

The initial question in this verse is extremely awkward because Daniel refers to himself (my lord’s servant) and to the angel (my lord) in the third person. Good News Translation attempts to simplify the structure by separating the question from the servant-master comparison and by expressing that comparison clearly. The first sentence shows Daniel’s understanding of his status relative to the angel with whom he is speaking. Then it has Daniel asking how he can possibly speak with someone whose rank or standing is so different from his own. It would be possible to use a more general expression like “I am completely insignificant in your eyes” or “I am without worth before you,” if the image of the servant does not convey this idea.

My lord: see comments on this term in the previous verse.

No breath remains in me: if a literal rendering of this clause will be understood to refer to death, then it is certainly to be avoided. Translators may have to resort to “I can hardly breathe” (New International Version) or “I am as good as dead.” The Hebrew word translated breath is nefesh, which may be rendered “life,” “soul,” or “desire,” as well as “breath.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Daniel 11:29

At the time appointed: compare 8.19 and verse 27 above. The whole of chapter 11 is presented as a prediction of future events. These events are considered fixed in advance by a divine master plan. This explains why this expression is used. It avoids any precise time reference. In translation it is possible to use a very vague statement like “Some time later,” but it is also possible to maintain the notion of a divinely fixed time by saying “In God’s time” or “When (God decided that) the time was right.”

He: in some languages it will be prudent to say clearly here “the king of the north” or “the king of Syria.”

Return and come into the south: the comings and goings of the Syrian king may be made clearer by translating here “travel again to the kingdom in the south” or “go back to the land of Egypt.”

It shall not be this time as it was before: the word before refers to the first incursion into Egypt (verses 25-28), while this time speaks of the second campaign. The expression as a whole indicates a fundamental difference in the two expeditions. The first was a success and the second ended in failure. It is legitimate to translate “but this time he will not be victorious as before,” or “but he will not do as well as he did the first time,” or “but the result will not be the same as his other campaign.” Revised English Bible translates “but he will have less success than he had before.” Further details are given in the following verse.

The second campaign of Antiochus IV against Egypt took place in 168 B.C. It did not go well for him, because the Romans intervened and forced him to leave the country (see verse 30).

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 .

Translation commentary on Daniel 1:15

At the end of ten days: since the precise duration of the test has already been mentioned twice (see verses 12 and 14), it may be more natural in some cases to say simply “At the end of the time agreed on,” “After the period of testing was completed,” or “When they had finished the experiment.” But if it is not unnatural, translators may repeat the time period.

It was seen: this passive expression may be rendered actively by saying “he (the guard) saw…,” making the guard the subject of the verb “to see.” Or instead of it was seen that they were better in appearance, it may be more natural to say “they looked better….” This is, in fact, what most English versions do at this point.

Fatter in flesh: in ancient Jewish culture stoutness or plumpness was considered a positive thing. In certain modern cultures, especially in the West, where people have more than enough to eat, this is considered negative. Translators should be careful to translate in such a way that the readers do not think of this as negative. In some cases it may even be necessary to say something more general, like “better nourished” (New English Bible and New International Version), “better fed” (New American Bible), “in superior health,” or “in better physical condition.” The text stresses that Daniel and his friends were in better condition that all the others, who ate the king’s royal diet. This emphasis should be included in the translation.

The king’s rich food: see verse 5. Here again it is important to avoid giving the impression that the king was deprived of his own food in order that it might be given to the young men. New English Bible has “the food assigned them by the king.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Daniel 2:27

Answered: literally “answered saying” as in verse 5 and other verses.

Wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers: compare verse 2, where the list is slightly different. The first word in this list is the same as wise men in verse 12. The fourth is not used previously in Daniel; however, it does occur again in 4.7; 5.7, 11.

The king: here again Daniel refers to Nebuchadnezzar in the third person (as in verse 10 above), and this is in keeping with what is natural in Aramaic. But translators should make sure that their rendering of this expression is natural in their language. This will probably mean using the second person singular pronoun “you.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Daniel 3:11

This is a continuation of the recitation of the royal decree and is almost exactly the same as verse 6, with the exception that the Aramaic adverb for “immediately” has been dropped here. If the option of direct discourse was chosen in the previous verse, it should continue until the end of this verse.

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 .

Translation commentary on Daniel 4:14

He cried aloud: or “announced with force.” The same expression is used at the beginning of 3.4.

And said thus: this may easily be omitted as redundant in a number of languages.

Hew down … cut off … strip off … scatter: this series of imperative verb forms may seem to be addressed to the king as he observed the dream. But verse 17 seems to indicate that the angel is speaking to his own companions. In order to avoid confusion, the audience addressed by the angel’s statement may have to be made clearer by introducing these imperatives with “He shouted to his companions….”

Let the beasts flee: this means more than simply allowing the animals to run away. They are to be driven out by chopping down the tree. In some languages a causative verb form will be appropriate here: “Cause the animals to run away….” And it may be better to reverse the order of the last two verb phrases or to show their relationship more clearly. Most English versions, including Good News Translation, make it sound as if the animals were still standing around and the birds still in the branches after the tree had been cut down. This is, of course, contrary to what we know of nature. It will be possible in certain languages to say “Drive the animals and birds away from the tree by cutting it down. Yes, cut it down and chop off the branches. Strip off the leaves and take away its fruit.”

From under it … from its branches: compare verse 12.

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 .

Translation commentary on Daniel 5:9

Was greatly alarmed: this indicates an increase in the fear that was already strong in the mind of the king in verse 6. Translators may want to say “became even more afraid” or something similar.

His color changed: since the color of the king had already changed in verse 6, it may be more natural to say “changed again” or something similar. Good News Translation attempts to cover this by saying “grew even paler.” Revised English Bible also indicates a greater degree of paleness in this verse by saying “… drove all colour from (his) cheeks.”

His lords: translators should be careful to translate in such a way that the reader knows that this group is the noblemen referred to in verse 1 and not the royal advisors who had been called in later. See also 4.36.

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 .