Daniel

The term that is transliterated as “Daniel” in English means “judge of God (i.e., one who delivers judgment in the name of God,” “my judge is God.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In American Sign Language it is translated 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 Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign that refers to Daniel being cast into the lions’ den. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)


“Daniel” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

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 .

The following is a stained glass window depicting Daniel by Endre Odon Hevezi and Gyula Bajo from 1965 for the Debre Libanos Monastery, Oromia, Ethiopia:

Photo by Timothy A. Gonsalves, hosted by Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )

See also Daniel.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Daniel in the Lions’ Den and Daniel .

enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

complete verse (Daniel 4:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 4:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “Daniel (who was also named Belteshazzar) was hesitant and perplexed. Then I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let these dreams or what they show/mean frighten you.’ Belteshazzar replied, ‘Your majesty, it would have been better if these dreams were against/about your enemies!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Daniel (who is also called Belteshazzar), having heard this terrified him for a moment, frightened by the meaning of the dream. The king said to him, ‘O Belteshazzar, Do not be afraid to tell [me] the dream or its meaning.’
    ‘Belteshazzar said, ‘O my Lord! Surely it would be better if the fulfillment of this dream [lit.: the dream and its meaning] happened to your enemies. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Daniel (also called Belteshazar) was concerned/worried and very afraid after- he -heard what the king said. So the king said to him, ‘Belteshazar, you (sing.) do not be alarmed/concerned/worried of my dream and its meaning.’ Belteshazar answered, ‘Beloved King, if-only/wish your (sing.) dream and its meaning will-happen to your (sing.) enemies and not to you (sing.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I, whose new name was Belteshazzar, did not say anything for some time, because I was very worried/disturbed about the meaning of the dream. Finally, the king said to me, ‘Belteshazzar, do not be afraid about the dream and about what it means.’ I replied, ‘Sir, I wish that the events that were predicted in your dream would happen to your enemies, and not to you.” (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 4:19

Whose name was Belteshazzar: this information, repeated from verse 8, may possibly be omitted in some languages if the repetition is considered unnatural.

Dismayed … alarmed …: these two verbs are similar in meaning and may be translated by one verb in many languages. A single verb is, in fact, used in Nebuchadnezzar’s response to the situation.

For a moment: New Revised Standard Version revises this to “for a while,” while New International Version has “for a time.” The term indicates a relatively short period of time, but not necessarily a matter of mere seconds. It has been omitted altogether by Good News Translation, but this is not advised.

The king said: literally “answered and said” (see 2.5). Instead of this, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has the first person pronoun, “and I said to him….” This is based on the idea that the entire chapter is the king’s own narration (see 4.1). But given the distance from the introduction and the intervening section heading, it is appropriate to maintain the third person singular of the original.

My lord: translators should use whatever title is appropriate for them when addressing a king or an important chief (compare 1.10).

May the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies: once again, this parallel structure expresses a single point. Daniel wishes that the bad news of the dream might be for the enemies of King Nebuchadnezzar, but in fact he knows very well that it is for the king himself. The translation must bring out the fact that Daniel is aware of the consequences to Nebuchadnezzar of the interpretation he is about to give. Good News Translation does this by using the verb “I wish” and adding at the end “and not to you.” New International Version and New English Bible/Revised English Bible begin “if only…,” and New American Bible uses “should be….” But it may be necessary to say more than this in some languages and say at the end of the verse something like “but I know it concerns you” (compare verse 22 below).

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 .