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 .

complete verse (Daniel 5:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 5:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “This man is Daniel whom the king named Belteshazzar. It was seen that this man was intelligent and had wisdom and was alert. He is even able to show the meaning of dreams and riddles and even has the ability to solve difficult issues. So, let him be called for you to come and show you the meaning of those writings.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “This skilled and learned man is Daniel, whom the king calls Belshazzar. He has knowledge and a splendid mind. He is able to interpret dreams. As well as answering riddles, he is also able to solve problems. Send to summon Daniel, and he will tell the meaning of the letters."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He [is] Daniel, named by your (sing.) father Belteshazar. He has an extraordinary ability and wisdom/knowledge. He knows how to explain the meaning of dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. So call-for/summon him and have- him -explain what is the meaning of that writing on the wall.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “That man’s name is Daniel; the king gave him a new name, Belteshazzar. He is very intelligent and is able to know and understand many things. He is even able to tell the meaning of dreams, and explain riddles, and explain things that are very difficult to understand. Summon him, and he will tell you what this writing means.’” (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 5:12

This subordinate clause is attached to verse 11 in Revised Standard Version and a few other versions to explain why Daniel had been made chief of the wise men. This is certainly a grammatical possibility. But the majority of modern versions (New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, and Good News Translation) begin a new sentence here and thus make this clause the reason for the appeal to call for Daniel at the end of the verse.

An excellent spirit: it is better to understand the word translated spirit as being equivalent to something like “mind” in English. New American Bible translates the two words together as “an extraordinary mind,” and New International Version has “a keen mind.” Others take it in the sense of ability: “rare ability” (Moffatt), “surpassing ability” (An American Translation), “exceptional ability” (Revised English Bible), or “unusual ability” (Good News Translation). But it would probably be a mistake to use the literal equivalent for “spirit” in most languages.

Knowledge: this is yet another term similar in meaning to those in the previous verse. But in some languages it may be necessary to repeat one of the words already used.

Understanding: the last of these three words here is the same as the second of the list in the previous verse.

To interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems: these infinitives are really verbal nouns, and they all serve to explain what Daniel’s knowledge and understanding involved. On interpret dreams see chapter 4. The words explain riddles may be rendered “explain enigmas” (Anchor Bible and New American Bible) or “hidden things to reveal” (Knox). The noun refers to a mystery that puzzles the ordinary person. The expression solve problems literally means “to untie knots,” indicating an ability to find solutions to seemingly impossible problems. Some commentators see in this expression some kind of reference to the literal untying of knots in the context of Aramaic magical practices. An American Translation, for example, has “unraveling knots.” But this is unlikely. New Jerusalem Bible retains something of the image with “unravelling difficult problems” (compare Revised English Bible).

Were found: this is once again a passive form that should be made active in many languages. This idea may be expressed by beginning the verse “he possesses” followed by the list of qualities.

Let Daniel be called: it should be made clear in translation that this is a command of the king. New American Bible is correct in rendering it “summon Daniel….” Some other ways of saying this are “call for Daniel” (New International Version) or simply “send for him” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Show the interpretation: see 2.4. In some languages it may be appropriate to state clearly what is to be interpreted, as in “the interpretation of the writing on the wall” or “the meaning of the written message that appeared.” The writing has not been mentioned since verse 8.

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 .