Daniel

The term that is transliterated as “Daniel” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the sign for the letter D and for “lion,” referring to the story in Daniel 6. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Daniel” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “prayer” that illustrates Daniel’s close relationship with God.


“Daniel” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Daniel (image).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Daniel .

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 2:14

The structure of this verse should probably be changed in many languages to a more logical order. As it stands the Revised Standard Version text of verses 14 and 15 has Daniel replied … at the beginning of verse 14, but the content of what he said occurs in verse 15 after certain other material that is not directly a part of the actual quotation. Furthermore, the use of the verb replied in Revised Standard Version is curious, since it is not clear what Daniel is replying to. Revised English Bible restructures the whole verse as follows: “As Arioch, captain of the royal bodyguard, set out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel made a discreet and tactful approach to him.”

With prudence and discretion: as in verses 6 and 12, the joining of two nouns of similar meaning may be a means of expressing what might otherwise be stated as an adjective plus a noun. New American Bible has “prudently took counsel….” Other versions, however, prefer to preserve two nouns in translation, giving the idea of “wisdom and tact.” New Jerusalem Bible has “with shrewd and cautious words.” Note that this element is shifted to the end of the verse in Good News Translation in order to introduce the quotation in the following verse.

Captain of the king’s guard: Arioch was apparently the chief of that group of soldiers who were given the responsibility of protecting the king from danger. This was a very high position in the royal court. This expression is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew term for “bodyguard” or “guard” found several times in 2 Kgs 25.8-20. Since this bit of information may require rather a lot of words, it may be a good idea in some languages to place it in parentheses. Translators may consider something like “Now, this man was the chief of the warriors chosen to protect the king.” In many countries today there is a well-known equivalent for this group in the form of special police or a presidential bodyguard. Note Anchor Bible “chief of the royal police.”

Who had gone out to slay …: the verb tense in Revised Standard Version may be misleading. What is important here is to indicate that Arioch “was on his way to kill the Babylonian sages” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “setting out to execute the wise men…” (New English Bible).

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 .