survive / escape / save

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “survive,” “escape,” “save,” or similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) in these verses with pulumuka, describing someone whose life was in danger but who has freed himself or herself. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (Daniel 11:41)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 11:41:

  • Kupsabiny: “He will also attack the sweet/beautiful country and kill numerous people. But Edom, Moab and some of the famous/well known people of Amon will escape.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He will also attack that beautiful land. By fighting he will succeed in conquering many lands. Edom, Moab and leaders of Ammon, however, will be delivered from his hand.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He will-attack even the beautiful land of Israel, and many people will-be-killed. But Edom, Moab, and the leaders/[lit. heads] of Ammonhon will-flee/escape.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They will invade the glorious land of Israel and kill tens of thousands of people. But the people of the Edom people-group and the people of the Moab people-group and the people of the Ammon people-group who are still alive will escape.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 11:41

Come into: in most languages the context will require a less neutral verb indicating a military invasion. New Jerusalem Bible and Moffatt as well as Good News Translation use “invade.”

The glorious land: that is, the land of Israel as in verse 16. See also the comments on 8.9.

Tens of thousands: the traditional Hebrew text has “many (people)” (as in New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). But the form of the text is unusual, and a minor change in the vowels (recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project/Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament) yields the text of Revised Standard Version, which is also followed by Good News Translation, New English Bible/Revised English Bible, New Revised Standard Version, and others. See verse 12 and 7.10.

Fall: indicating death, as in verses 33-35.

These: the structure of Revised Standard Version, using this demonstrative pronoun at the beginning of the sentence and then defining it later (Edom and Moab), will be awkward in many languages and should probably be transformed with the geographical names at the beginning of the sentence.

Shall be delivered out of his hand: as in 1.2 and elsewhere, the hand stands for the “power” of the king and his army. And it should probably be so translated in many languages.

The main part of the Ammonites: in addition to the rendering of Revised Standard Version (as well as New Jerusalem Bible and New American Bible), the traditional Hebrew text may also be understood to mean “the beginnings of the Ammonites” or “the chiefs of the Ammonites” (followed by New International Version). But by proposing a correction in the Hebrew, some scholars have arrived at a text that corresponds to what is found in the Syriac, and that may be rendered “what remains of the Ammonites.” This is the basis of the Good News Translation rendering, which is also followed by Anchor Bible, New English Bible, and An American Translation. This emended reading seems to fit the context best.

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 .