Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Ge’ez, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

change the ritual calendar and the law

The Aramaic that is translated as “change the ritual calendar and the law” or similar in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “change the Law of Moses and the times of worship festivals.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

complete verse (Daniel 7:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 7:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “He will talk bad against/about the God of authority and oppress/mistreat his people. He will try to change their laws and feasts and rule the people of God for three and a half years.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He will talk against God Most High and oppress God’s holy people. He will try to change their religious festivals and practices. And holy people will be handed over to his hands for one periods, two periods and half periods.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He will-speak words against the Most High God, and persecute the holy-ones of God. He will-try to-change the feast/festivals and the Law. For a period/[lit. inside] of three years and a half he will-cause-to-be-under/will-take-control-over the holy-ones of God.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “He will revile the Supreme God, and he will oppress God’s people. He will try to change the sacred festivals and their religious laws/regulations. He will control them for three and a half years.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 7:25

Speak words: this kind of expression will be redundant in many languages. The verb “to speak” is normally sufficient to convey the idea.

Wear out: this verb is ordinarily used of wearing out clothing. But in 1 Chr 17.9 the corresponding Hebrew word is used of oppressing people. It carries the idea of a long drawn-out persecution. New English Bible/Revised English Bible attempts to get at this idea with “wear down.” But most English versions have something like “oppress” (New International Version and New American Bible as well as Good News Translation), “harass” (Moffatt and New Jerusalem Bible), or “torment” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Think to change: that is, make an effort to modify or attempt to change. Bible en français courant has “will make plans to modify.”

The times and the law: the first of these two terms refers to the calendar of festivals of the people of Israel. This is seen by some as a reference to the fact that Antiochus Epiphanes banned the observance of the Sabbath and feast days (compare 1 Maccabees 1.41-53). The second term is related to the Jewish law in general. Given the fact that this term is more general, it may be more natural in many languages to reverse the order of the two terms, as in Good News Translation.

For a time, two times, and half a time: as in 4.16 (and Rev 12.14) Good News Translation takes the word for “time(s)” to mean “year(s).” Similarly New American Bible translates “a year, two years and a half-year” (likewise in An American Translation, and in the notes in New International Version and New Jerusalem Bible). But the most natural rendering in English is simply “three and a half years” (Moffatt as well as Good News Translation and the note in New Jerusalem Bible).

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 .