vision

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin and Greek that is translated as “vision” in English is translated in a variety in the following languages:

  • Chol: “as if in a dream” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Obolo: ilaak ọkpọchieen̄ or “dreaming awake” (source: Enene Enene)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “a showing like dreams”
  • Desano: “see in a dream what God will send”
  • Rincón Zapotec: “see what God shows”
  • Mayo: “see things from God as in a dream”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “dream how it is going to be”
  • Chuj: “like dreaming they see”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “understand what they see as if in a dream”
  • Ayutla Mixtec: “see that which will happen” (source for this and seven above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Tagbanwa: “being caused to dream by God” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Chichewa: azidzaona zinthu m’masomphenya: “they will see things as if face-to-face” (interconfessional translation, publ. 1999) (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 69)
  • Mandarin Chinese: yì xiàng (异象 / 異象), lit. “different (or: strange) appearance.” (Source: Zetzsche)

The Greek in the books of Revelation and Acts is translated as obq-rmwible: “look-dream” in Natügu. Brenda Boerger (in Beerle-Moor / Voinov, p. 162ff.) tells the story of that translation: “In the book of Revelation, the author, John, talks about having visions. Mr. Simon [the native language translator] and I discussed what this meant and he invented the compound verb obq-rmwible ‘look-dream’ to express it. Interestingly, during village testing no one ever had to ask what this neologism meant.”

See also see a vision.

power / strength

The Hebrew that is typically translated in English as “power” or “might” or “force” is translated in the English translation by Goldingay (2018) as energy or energetic.

complete verse (Daniel 10:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 10:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “(They) left me there alone gazing at those wonderful visions. I lost strength so I felt lame and my face became pale.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Being like that, I was the only one there watching this amazing vision. Because of this I had no strength, my face also lost its color.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So I (was) the only one alone who was left looking-at that strange vision. I turned-pale and lost-strength.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So I was left there by myself, looking at this very unusual vision. I had no strength left. My face became very pale, with the result that no one would have recognized me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 10:8

So: as a result of the others running away, Daniel found himself all alone. The particular transition word to be used in the translation will be determined by a consideration of what is most natural in such a context as this.

Saw: the translation should avoid giving the impression that Daniel saw something new at this point. He kept on looking (or gazing) at what had already begun to take place.

Great vision: the adjective should not focus so much on the size or length of the vision as on the impression it made on Daniel. In some languages translators may prefer to say something like “this fantastic sight” or “this astounding revelation.” Knox translates “this high vision.”

No strength was left in me: this has essentially the same meaning as I retained no strength at the end of the verse. In many languages it will probably be awkward style to repeat the idea.

My radiant appearance was fearfully changed: more literally “my splendor…,” referring to Daniel’s appearance, which was radically altered. Since the most obvious manifestation of a person’s appearance is seen on the face, several versions have translated this term using the word “face”: “my face turned deathly pale” (New International Version). But Revised English Bible renders the phrase “I became a sorry figure of a man.” And New Jerusalem Bible has “my appearance was changed and contorted.”

Was fearfully changed: literally “was overturned upon me to destruction.” The Hebrew expression suggests the idea of passing from life to death. New International Version renders the last part of the verse “my face turned deathly pale,” and New American Bible has “I turned the color of death.”

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 .