complete verse (Daniel 7:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 7:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “The other beasts were stripped of their authority but they were left to live on the earth for a short while.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The authority of the other animals had been taken away, but they were still allowed to live for some time.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The remaining three animals had-been-stripped-off of power, but they were-allowed to live for a short time.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The power/authority of the other three beasts was taken away from them, but they were allowed to continue to live for a while.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 7:12

The rest of the beasts: that is, the other three beasts that remained after the destruction of the fourth.

Dominion: compare 4.3, 22, 34; 6.26, as well as verse 6 above.

Was taken away … were prolonged: once again, in transforming the passive forms to active, the translator should be careful not to name a particular agent. The agent may be “someone” or the indefinite “they.”

For a season and a time: the two terms in Aramaic mean virtually the same thing, and together they make up an expression carrying the idea of time limitation. Hence the rendering of Good News Translation. Compare also other versions: “until a specific date and time” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “until an appointed time and season” (Revised English Bible), and “for a certain period” (Moffatt).

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 .