angry

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “(was or became) angry” in English is translated in Kwere as “saw anger.” In Kwere, emotions are always paired with sensory verbs (seeing or smelling or hearing). (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Bariai it is “to have grumbling interiors” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

See also anger and feel (terror, pain, suffering, anxiety).

complete verse (Daniel 2:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 2:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “When the king heard that, he became very angry! Then he commanded that all the wise men in that country of Babylon be executed/destroyed.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “This made the king very angry and furious that he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be killed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Because of what- they -had-replied, the anger of the king was so fierce/severe. And he ordered to kill all the wise men in Babylon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The king was very angry when he heard that, so he commanded his soldiers that they execute all such wise men in Babylon.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Daniel 2:12

Many versions, including both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, begin a new paragraph here. However, others (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible/Revised English Bible) make the paragraph break at verse 14, while New Jerusalem Bible makes it at verse 13. Given the close relationship between the anger of the king and the statement of his advisers that provoked it, it may be better not to make a break at this point unless translators are following the principle of beginning a new paragraph after every direct quotation.

Because of this: that is, because of the statement quoted in the previous verse. Most English versions have “At this…” or “At that….” But New International Version has “This made the king so angry….” Other languages may prefer “Because of what they said…” or “As soon as they finished saying that….”

Angry and very furious: the Aramaic puts together two terms that mean almost the same thing to express a single idea (compare verse 6, “gifts and rewards”). The idea here is that of extreme anger. It has been rendered “became violently angry” (New American Bible), “flew into a violent rage” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “lost his temper” (New English Bible).

And commanded: the relationship between the king’s violent anger and his order is less clear in Revised Standard Version. Clearly it was because of his anger that he issued the decree. This may be made clearer in some languages by saying something like “became so angry that he commanded….”

All the wise men of Babylon: the more general Aramaic word for wise men here is intended to include all four of the terms given in verse 2 (magicians, sorcerers, enchanters, and Chaldeans).

Be destroyed: instead of the verb “destroy,” this context may require “execute” or simply “kill.” And in languages where the passive form is unnatural or nonexistent, translators may need to say “ordered the death of…” or “commanded that they (indefinite) slaughter….” In verse 14 it becomes clear that it was “the king’s guard” that was to carry out this order.

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 .