The now commonly-used English idiom “den of lions” (for a dangerous situation) was first coined in 1560 in the Geneva Bible. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 275)
For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
Following is a hand colored stencil print on washi of Daniel by Sadao Watanabe (1965):
Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe. For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.
The following artwork is part of a series of 56 paintings on biblical themes by Kazakh artist Nelly Bube (born 1949):
Copyright by Norwegian Bible Society , used with permission.
For other images of Nelly Bube in TIPs, see here.
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 6:24)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 6:24:
- Kupsabiny: “At that/Then, the king ordered the people who had plotted against Daniel to be taken/arrested together with their wives and children and be thrown into that lion’s den. The lions snatched these people in the air/up before reaching the ground and crushed their bones.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “After that the king ordered that all the men that falsely accused Daniel be seized. Then they, together with their wives and children, were thrown into deep pit. Even before they reached the floor of deep pit the lions pounced upon them and crushed all their bones.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “Then the king commanded that all who had-accused Daniel be-thrown into the into hole with lions including wives and children. When they were- already -thrown-in, before they even landed on the bottom the lions jumped on them and rippled-(them)-to-pieces.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “Then the king commanded that the men who had accused me should be seized and be thrown, along with their wives and children, into the pit where the lions were. When they were thrown into the pit, the lions leaped on them and crushed their bones before they fell onto the bottom of the pit!” (Source: Translation for Translators)
king
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 6:24
The king commanded, and …: once again it may be necessary to state who received and executed the order. See verse 16.
Were brought and cast: literally “they brought them and they threw them.” Once again these two passive verbs of Revised Standard Version should probably be made active, as in verse 16. The first verb may be taken in the sense of “arrest,” as Good News Translation makes clear.
They, their children, and their wives: the subject of the passive verbs is further amplified here. But it will probably be better in most languages to restructure this verse and make more than one sentence of it. In many languages it will be more natural to mention wives before children. Some may prefer to add a separate sentence after indicating that Daniel’s accusers were cast into the pit: “They (indefinite) also threw the wives and children of these men into the hole where the lions were.”
Reached the bottom: this statement helps us to understand better the shape of the pit where the lions were kept, since it indicates that there was an opening at the top. These men apparently fell through the air or slid down a very steep incline.
Broke all their bones: the translation should not give the impression that the lions broke the bones of the men without eating them, as both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation can be understood. The idea is that the lions ate them up completely, including their bones. Note that New English Bible has “crunched them up, bones and all.” Revised English Bible carries the same meaning although using a slightly less vivid verb: “devoured them, bones and all.”
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 .
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