anger

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The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “anger” or similar in English in this verse is translated with a variety of solutions (Bratcher / Nida says: “Since anger has so many manifestations and seems to affect so many aspects of personality, it is not strange that expressions used to describe this emotional response are so varied”).

  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “be warm inside”
  • Mende: “have a cut heart”
  • Mískito: “have a split heart”
  • Tzotzil: “have a hot heart”
  • Mossi: “a swollen heart”
  • Western Kanjobal: “fire of the viscera”
  • San Blas Kuna: “pain in the heart”
  • Chimborazo Highland Quichua: “not with good eye”
  • Chichewa: “have a burning heart” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation) (see also anger burned in him)
  • Citak: two different terms, one meaning “angry” and one meaning “offended,” both are actually descriptions of facial expressions. The former can be represented by an angry stretching of the eyes or by an angry frown. The latter is similarly expressed by an offended type of frown with one’s head lowered. (Source: Graham Ogden)

In Akan, a number of metaphors are used, most importantly abufuo, lit. “weedy chest” (the chest is seen as a container that contains the heart but can also metaphorically be filled with other fluids etc.), but also abufuhyeε lit. “hot/burning weedy chest” and anibereε, lit. “reddened eyes.” (Source: Gladys Nyarko Ansah in Kövecses / Benczes / Szelid 2024, p. 21ff.)

See also God’s anger and angry.

complete verse (Daniel 11:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 11:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, another king will take over/replace him. That one will send a tax collector to collect taxes from the people in order to raise wealth that will be used to bring prosperity/wealth in the kingdom. Shortly, he will die softly/slowly without being killed in a battle.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “After him someone else will become king. He will send one official to increase the wealth of his country by taking taxes [and] oppressing people. But sometime later he will be destroyed by someone, not in anger and in battle.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘The one-who-will-replace/succeed him as king will-send an officer who will-force the people to pay taxes for the additional wealth of his kingdom. But not in-a-long-time this king will-die, but not in war or because someone is mad at him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then another man will succeed him/become king. That king will send one of his officers to oppress the people in Jerusalem by forcing them to pay big taxes, in order to get more money for his kingdom. But after a few years that king will die, but he will not die as a result of people being angry with him or in a battle.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 11:20

Then shall arise in his place one: in some languages the most natural and economical way to express this will be simply “his successor,” as in Bible en français courant.

Who shall send an exactor of tribute through the glory of the kingdom: literally “one sending over an exactor of splendor of kingdom.” This part of the verse is loaded with difficulties. Anchor Bible takes the whole expression to mean “one suffering a loss of dominion, glory and sovereignty.” On the other hand it may mean “a tax collector to maintain royal splendor” (New International Version) or “a tax collector through the glorious kingdom” (New American Bible). Bible en français courant follows yet another possibility, with “a man to pillage the most glorious edifice of the kingdom” (that is, the Temple). The interpretation of Good News Translation, New International Version, and New Jerusalem Bible involving the “tax collector” is recommended.

A literal translation of the word glory may be misleading. In certain contexts the same word means “wealth,” and this seems to be the case here.

Within a few days: this expression is not necessarily to be taken literally as referring to a period of time less than a week or two. It simply means “after a (relatively) short period of time” (see New English Bible/Revised English Bible and Anchor Bible, as well as Good News Translation) or “(very) soon” (New American Bible and Moffatt). New International Version has “in a few years.”

He shall be broken: the meaning is undoubtedly “will be killed,” and a literal rendering of Revised Standard Version may be misleading in many languages. Where the passive construction is unnatural or impossible, translators may say “he will die” or use a less direct but equivalent expression that will be clearly understood. Revised English Bible has “will meet his end.” Compare 8.25 and comments on the same verb there.

Neither in anger nor in battle: literally “not by the nose (or nostrils) and not in battle.” The first of the two nouns here may be taken, by extension, to refer to the face as a whole or as a figure of speech for anger. This gives rise to two different interpretations, both of which are attested by the ancient versions. In the first case the expression means “not to the face of people” or “not publicly” (New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible/Revised English Bible, Anchor Bible, and Bible en français courant, as well as Good News Translation). The second interpretation is translated as in Revised Standard Version, neither in anger (similarly in New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). An American Translation seems to combine the two ideas with “not in open violence.” But in view of the probable Aramaic background of the Hebrew text, the first interpretation is to be preferred. It may be rendered positively as “in secret,” if it is desirable to avoid the negative form.

Seleucus IV, one of the sons of Antiochus III, succeeded him on the throne of Syria. He sent his finance minister, Heliodore, to Jerusalem to capture the temple treasure. But Heliodore was unsuccessful in his attempt, and later he assassinated 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 .