DAN 2:5 Interlinear View

2:5 OSHB variant note: ל/כשדי/א: (x-qere) ’לְ/כַשְׂדָּאֵ֔/י’: lemma_l/3779 n_1.1 morph_AR/Ngmpa/Sp1cs id_27Q2u לְ/כַשְׂדָּאֵ֔/י

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–49: Daniel explained the king’s dream

These Notes interpret Daniel 2:1–49 as a complete narrative unit. However, in some languages it may be helpful to divide this chapter into more than one section and to give each section a separate heading. For example:

The BSB has four sections.
1. Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dream (2:1–13)
2. The Dream Revealed to Daniel (2:14–23)
3. Daniel Interprets the Dream (2:24–45)
4. Nebuchadnezzar Promotes Daniel (2:46–49)
The GNT has three sections:

(a) Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:1–13)

(b) God shows Daniel what the dream means (2:14–23)

This section tells how Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream. He asked his advisers to tell him what he had dreamed and its meaning. They were unable to do so, and the king threatened them with death. But God revealed the meaning of the dream to Daniel. Daniel then told the king what he had dreamed and what it meant. The king honored Daniel and Daniel’s God.

The climax of this narrative occurs in 2:47. There the king declared that the God whom Daniel worshiped was the greatest of all gods.

Special Translation Problems:

1. Lists: The author of the book of Daniel liked to use lists (2:2, 10). However, the author did not intend for these lists to be complete or exact. The lists usually provide examples of the types of people or things that belong in a certain group or category. The Notes will suggest options on how to translate these lists.

2. Synonyms: The text often uses different terms for similar ideas. For example, there are several verbs that mean “to reveal” or “to make known.” There are three different Aramaic verbs in 2:40 that mean “crush, break to pieces.” In some languages it may be difficult or confusing to use several different words for similar ideas. The Notes will suggest how you might translate these similar words and terms.

3. Poetry: You will need to think carefully about how you will translate the poetic section in this chapter (2:20–23). Authors of Hebrew poetry usually wrote using matching pairs of lines. The relationship between these parallel lines differs. Sometimes the second line repeats the information in the first line using different words. Sometimes the second line contrasts with the first line. Hebrew poetry also has word plays, figurative speech, and alliteration. It may not always be easy to translate these literary features into your language. The Notes will suggest ways of translating the different features of Hebrew poetry. For more information about how to translate Hebrew poetry, see the Bible Translation Handbook of the Psalms. The poetry in 2:20–23 is a song of praise or thanksgiving. If your language has a special poetic form that fits this song, you can use it here.

4. Ambiguity: In the section where Daniel interpreted the last part of the king’s dream, there are a number of ambiguous references. For example, in 2:44a Daniel referred to “those kings” without identifying who those kings were. In 2:44b Daniel spoke of “all these kingdoms.” The ambiguity may be deliberate, since the dream itself is a mystery. It will be important not to over-interpret these passages by assuming a particular historical context. The Notes will suggest several options for how to translate these verses.

5. Repetition: Daniel interpreted the meaning of the first three kingdoms in a very brief way. He used many more words to describe the fourth kingdom (2:36–45). In this section he also repeated much of what was described before. In this way, Daniel emphasized the fourth kingdom as the most important. Some of the repetition in this section emphasizes specific ideas. Sometimes the repetition has another function. You will need to evaluate if this kind of repetition is natural in your language. If not, you will need to find another way to emphasize these ideas.

Paragraph 2:5–6

The king insisted that his expert advisers must both tell him what he had dreamed and interpret it for him.

2:5a

The king replied to the astrologers, “My word is final:

¶ The king answered his advisers: “My decision/intention is firm:
¶ The king declared: “I have made my decision:

The king replied to the astrologers: The BSB uses one verb, replied, but the Aramaic phrase uses two verbs that can be translated as “answered and said.” The king denied his advisers’ request. Introduce Nebuchadnezzar’s response in the way that is most natural in your language. For example:

The king declared

The king made this reply:

the astrologers: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as the astrologers is literally “the Chaldeans.” See the Notes on this same word at 2:4a. The term here again probably refers back to all the experts whom the king had summoned.

My word is final: The Aramaic clause that the BSB translates as My word is final is more literally “The word from me is sure,” as in the RSV. Scholars disagree as to the meaning of the word “sure” in this context:

It means “certain,” that is, “decided.” For example:
The word from me is firm (ESV) (BSB, NIV, NASB, RSV, ESV, REB, NET, GW, GNT, NLT, CEV, NCV, NJPS)
It means “proclaimed, decreed.” For example:
This is a public decree (NRSV) (KJV, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with the great majority of English versions. Nebuchadnezzar had made a definite decision about what to do. He was not just suggesting that his experts tell him the dream, he was requiring it. Other ways to translate this include:

The command from me is firm (NASB)

I meant what I said! (GW)

I am serious about this. (NLT)

2:5b

If you do not tell me the dream and its interpretation,

If you^(plur) do not tell me both my dream and its meaning,
Tell^(plur) me what the dream was and explain what it means. If you^(plur) fail to do so,
You^(plur) must tell me what I saw in my dream and then interpret what it means, or else

If you do not tell me the dream: This clause introduces a stern warning. If the experts did not obey the king, he would punish them severely. Probably he was pretending to forget the dream in order to test them. Languages have different ways to introduce a warning like this. Some ways to say it in English are:

If you do not tell me what my dream was… (NLT)

You must tell me the dream…If you do/can not

Express the meaning in a way that is natural in your language.

tell: The Aramaic verb that the BSB translates as tell means “inform, cause to know.”

and its interpretation: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as its interpretation is the same as in 2:4d. It refers to explaining how the dream would come true or be fulfilled. Other ways to translate this include:

and what it means (NLT)

and its meaning (GW)

2:5c

you will be cut into pieces

I will command my soldiers to cut your^(plur) bodies into pieces
I will order my men to chop you^(plur) up

you will be cut into pieces: The Aramaic phrase that the BSB translates you will be cut into pieces is literally “I will have you made into parts/limbs.” This clause indicates that the king would order others to kill his advisers by cutting them up, probably with a sword. There are several ways to translate it:

Using an active verb. You may need to supply an actor. For example:
I will command my soldiers to cut you into bits
Using a passive verb. For example:
you will be chopped to pieces (CEV)
Using a causative verb. For example:
I will have you torn apart (NCV)
I will cause you to be cut to pieces

cut into pieces: The punishment the dream experts were to receive was death. The king would order his soldiers/servants to punish them by chopping their bodies into pieces. The kings in the Ancient Near East were often very cruel. They punished people severely if they disobeyed. Other ways to translate this include:

hacked limb from limb (REB)

chopped up

2:5d

and your houses will be reduced to rubble.

and to make your^(plur) homes into heaps of rocks/junk.
and destroy/demolish your^(plur) homes.

and your houses will be reduced to rubble: This verse part is a short way of saying “I will have your houses turned into piles of rubble.” The king would order others to destroy the homes of his advisers. Their families would not be able to live in them anymore. There are several ways to translate this:

Using a passive verb. For example:
and your houses turned into piles of rubble (NIV)
and your houses shall be laid in ruins (NRSV)
Using an active verb. For example:
and they will destroy your homes
and the soldiers will make your houses a pile of stones
Using a causative verb. For example:
and I will cause your home to be destroyed

rubble: The exact meaning of the Aramaic word that the BSB translates as rubble is uncertain. It probably refers to useless heaps of stones, all that would remain after the destruction of the houses. Other ways to translate this include:

heaps of rubble (NLT)

a pile of ruins (GNT)

a complete ruin

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

2:5 OSHB variant note: ל/כשדי/א: (x-qere) ’לְ/כַשְׂדָּאֵ֔/י’: lemma_l/3779 n_1.1 morph_AR/Ngmpa/Sp1cs id_27Q2u לְ/כַשְׂדָּאֵ֔/י

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear DAN 2:5