OET interlinear DAN 6:7

6:7a

All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed: The officials were talking about themselves. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit:

We ^(excl) the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors

We are all agreed, presidents of the realm, magistrates, satraps, councillors and governors (NJB)

Scholars are uncertain of the exact function of each of these officials. They are also unsure if the names are listed according to rank. The main point is that the text refers to all the important members of the administration, the government officials. In some languages you may not have so many different names for officials. In that case you may have to translate a shorter list and use more general terms for officials. For example:

All of your officials, leaders, advisors and governors (CEV)

All of us who administer your empire—the supervisors, the governors, the lieutenant governors, and the other officials (GNT)

royal administrators: This term refers to the high officials who supervised the satraps. Not including Daniel, there were only two of them. See the Notes at 6:2a. Translate the term here as you did there. For example:

chief officials of the kingdomNouvelle Version Segond, the BFrCL88 is similar.

administrators (NLT)

supervisors (GNT)

prefects: The prefects were also government officials but their specific role is uncertain. See the Notes at 3:2a. Translate the term here in the same way you did there. For example:

advisors (CEV)

magistrates (NJB)

satraps: See the Notes at 6:1 and 6:2a. Translate the term here as you did there. For example:

governors (NCV)

advisers: See the Notes at 3:24b, 3:27a.The same word is used in 3:24b, 27a, 4:36. Translate here as you did there. For example:

counselors (RSV)

governors: See the Notes at 3:2a. Translate here as you did there and at 3:27.

have agreed: The Aramaic verb that the BSB translates have agreed means “have taken counsel together.” Here are some other ways to translate this:

are in agreement

have taken counsel and all are agreed (REB)

are unanimous

6:7b

that the king should establish an ordinance: The officials asked the king to make a new law. They spoke in a polite way in order to influence the king to do what they wanted. Only the king had the authority to make a law official. Here are some other ways to translate this:

that Your Majesty should issue an order (GNT)

the king should make a statute (GW)

you should make a law (CEV)

ordinance: The word that the BSB translates as ordinance here refers to a law that was to be in effect for a specific period of time. Use a term that can refer to a temporary order such as this one. For example:

decree (REB)

edict (NIV)

law (CEV)

and enforce a decree: This phrase explains more about the law. The officials wanted to be able to punish those who disobeyed it. Here are some other ways to translate this:

that will be strictly enforced (NLT)

and enforce it strictly (GNT)

for everyone to obey (NCV)

decree: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as decree refers to a law that prohibits something.HALOT, 1821. The word occurs in 6:8,10,13,15. You can translate this as:

interdict (RSV)

ban

prohibition

However, make sure that you do not imply that the men were talking about two laws. The term decree refers to the same law as the word “ordinance” in the previous clause. In some languages it may be better to use a pronoun that refers back to the law in the previous clause. For example:

and enforce it strictly (GNT)

6:7c

In Daniel 6:7c the officials told the king what the law should say. In some languages it may be good to start a new sentence here. For example:

The decree should state… (GW)

Give orders… (GNT)

that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man: The Aramaic phrase that the BSB translates as petitions is literally “requests a request.” In this context, it means “prays a prayer.” There are two ways to indicate the content of the decree:

• You can state this positively:

  that whoever prays to anyone (NRSV)

• You can state it negatively:

  no one should pray to…

The Persians used to pray both to gods and to people who represented gods, like the king. In some languages it may not be natural use the verb “pray” in this way. If that is true in your language, you may have to use a different verb for “pray” as the BSB has done. Some other ways to do this are:

no one may request anything

whoever asks for anything (GW)

for thirty days: This phrase indicates that this new law would be in force for thirty days. After that time, it would no longer apply.

any god: See the Notes at 2:11b; 5:4, 2:23a. The Persians worshiped many different kinds of gods. In some languages, the word god only refers to the one true God. If that is true in your language, you may have to use a different term here. For example:

to any divine/supernatural being

to any spirit

to anyone/anything we worship

man: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as man here refers to people in general.

human (NRSV)

person (GW)

6:7d

except you, O king: The Aramaic connector that the BSB translates as except introduces the one exception to the law. People could make their prayers and requests to the king. The officials intended to compliment the king by treating him like a god.Goldingay (p. 128) notes that the Persian king was not thought of as divine in the same way as the Egyptian Pharaoh was thought of by his people. However, in the court, people showed him respect in a ceremonial way as one would show respect to a god. The king was considered as a manifestation or representative of deity as well as a mediator with deity. Other ways you can translate this phrase are:

except to your Majesty (NLT)

other than you, O king (NET)

In some languages it may be natural to translate this as a positive statement. For example:

They may/must pray to you alone, our king.

Only to you may they pray, O king.

Translate this idea in a way that is natural in your language. See the General Comment on 6:7c–e.

O king: Use a form that is natural in your language to show respect to an important person. For example:

Sir/Sire

Honorable one

our^(excl) king

6:7e

will be thrown into the den of lions: The punishment for praying to any god or person other than the king was to be death. The king’s men would force the offender to enter the den where lions were kept. It is implied that the lions would certainly kill and eat him.

The verb will be thrown is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this as an active clause. For example:

they (indefinite) will throw him/them into the den of lions

your soldiers will cause them to fall into the pit where lions live

be thrown: In this context, the verb be thrown indicates that the men would lift the offenders up and drop them into the den. In some languages, you may have to use a different verb. Translate this idea in a way that is most natural in your language. For example:

be dropped

be forced to enter

be caused to fall

the den of lions: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as den here refers to a large room below the ground. There was probably an opening at the top where food could be dropped to the lions. The king kept lions here as a way to execute criminals. In some languages it may not be natural to translate the definite article the since the author has not referred to this den before. You can translate this:

a pit (GNT)

a large hole

lions: The lion is a large and powerful animal of the cat family. It has a brownish yellow skin and a tufted tail, and the male has a shaggy mane. Lions hunt and kill other animals for food. The king punished people by throwing them into the pit where he kept lions. The lions would kill and eat the people. In some languages, people may not be familiar with lions. If that is true in your language, see KBT for different ways to translate unknown terms.