haughty / proud / heart exalted / exalt oneself above

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “haughty,” “proud,” “heart exalted,” “exalt oneself above” or similar in English is translated in the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version with a historical Chinese idiom: xīngāo qìào (心高氣傲 / 心高气傲), lit. “heart high and air prideful.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)

See also pride.

pride

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The Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “pride” in English is translated as

  • “continually boasting” (Amganad Ifugao)
  • “lifting oneself up” (Tzeltal)
  • “answering haughtily” (Yucateco) (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • “unbent neck” (like llamas) (Kaqchikel) (source: Nida 1952, p. 151)
  • “praising oneself, saying: I am better” (Shipibo-Conibo) (source: Nida 1964, p. 237).
  • “bigness of head” (existing idiom: girman kai) in the Hausa Common Language Bible it is idiomatically translated as or (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • “trying to make yourself the leader” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • “make oneself important” (sick upspeeln) in Low German (source: translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006)
  • “a haughty liver” in Yakan (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • “lift head” in Upper Guinea Crioulo (source: Nicoleti 2012, p. 78)

See also proud / arrogant and haughty / proud / heart exalted / exalt oneself above.

complete verse (Daniel 5:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 5:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “But when he became arrogant, stubborn and filled with pride, he was stripped of rulership and was shamed.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But since he had become arrogant, stubborn he was removed from his throne and his grandeur was also snatched from him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But because he became-proud and arrogant, he was-brought-down/deposed from his kingship” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But when he became very proud and stubborn , he was removed from being king. People did not consider him to be glorious/great any more.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 5:20

But: the initial conjunction contrasts the king’s glory and majesty with his humiliation after being dethroned.

The structure of this verse may be simplified by taking the first two clauses, which are subordinate in Aramaic, and making an independent clause of them. The third clause may then be introduced by something like “Therefore” or “Consequently.”

His heart was lifted up: this expression indicates a state of arrogance and conceit. See comments on “heart” at 1.8; 2.30; 4.16. In some languages it may be acceptable to translate this literally, but in others a literal rendering will have a totally different meaning. Some possible models are “his heart became proud” (Anchor Bible), “his heart became arrogant” (New International Version), or “he grew (or became) haughty” (New Jerusalem Bible and Revised English Bible). Some languages have figures of speech such as “his heart swelled up” or “he acted with a big head” to indicate such arrogance.

His spirit was hardened: this expression refers to stubbornness and inflexibility. Other versions have “willfully presumptuous” (New Jerusalem Bible), “his spirit stiff with arrogance” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “stubborn” (Revised English Bible).

So that he dealt proudly: literally “until arrogance.” This has been translated in a variety of ways: “presumptuous” (New English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible); “insolence” (New American Bible); and “so that he bore himself haughtily” (Moffatt). The cumulative effect of the last three phrases is more important than the details of each expression. Extreme pride and arrogance are in view.

He was deposed: this is the main clause of this verse and should probably be introduced by something like “Therefore” to show the relationship with the previous statements. In many languages restructuring will be required by the fact that it is passive in form. Translators may say “he lost his royal authority” or identify the agent by saying something like “God deposed him” or “God caused him to fall.”

His glory was taken from him: although this is passive in Revised Standard Version, the text literally reads “they (indefinite) took away his glory.” A literal rendering of the Aramaic may be acceptable in some cases. Or some may have to say “his glory disappeared completely.”

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 .