complete verse (Daniel 4:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 4:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “The knowledge/wisdom of people shall be removed from that person and be given that of animals for him to stay like that for seven years.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “For seven periods may his mind be changed
    into the mind of an animal.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “For a period/[lit. inside] of seven years he will-lose his human mind, and his mind will-be-like that of an animal.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “That tree seems to have represented a man, because the angel also said, ‘Cause that man to live out in the fields among the animals and plants. Cause the dew from the sky to make his body damp each morning. Do not allow him to continue to have a mind like humans; instead, cause him to have a mind like animals have, for seven years.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 4:16

Let his mind be changed: literally the text speaks of the “heart” being changed (compare King James Version). But the “heart” here is to be understood as the seat of the intelligence. Therefore the translation mind is justified in English. In other languages, however, it may be perfectly acceptable to retain “heart” in this context, or to use some other organ thought of as being the seat of intelligence. This, of course, is not to be understood as a “heart transplant” or a “brain transplant” in which the king literally receives the organ of an animal. Rather, he will act as if he is being driven by the mind of an animal.

Let seven times pass over him: the oldest and most common interpretation of the seven times is that seven years is intended. The use of the word for “time” as “year” is peculiar to Daniel (compare 4.23, 25, 32; 7.25; 12.7), but it is well established. So it is probably best in most languages to translate “years” here. Note also that Good News Translation has restructured this verse and placed the time element at the beginning of the sentence.

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 .