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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Dan C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12
Dan 7 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28
OET (OET-LV) After this seeing I_was and_lo another like_a_leopard and_to_it wings four of a_bird were_on back_of_its[fn] and_four heads were_to_the_beast and_dominion it_was_given to_it.
7:6 OSHB variant note: גבי/ה: (x-qere) ’גַּבַּ֑/הּ’: lemma_1355 n_1 morph_ANcmsc/Sp3fs id_278Um גַּבַּ֑/הּ
OET (OET-RV) • Next I saw another creature that resembled a leopard, but with four wings (like birds’ wings) attached to its back, and with four heads. It was given the authority to rule people.
Daniel had a vision of four beasts on earth and of God on his throne in heaven. One of the heavenly beings explained to Daniel that the four beasts represented four earthly kingdoms.
Daniel described the third beast he saw rising from the sea,
another beast appeared. It was like a leopard: The Aramaic text is more literally “and lo/behold! Another like a leopard.” The BSB has supplied the information that what Daniel saw was another beast or animal. It is important that your translation does not indicate that Daniel had previously seen another leopard-like beast. This was the third beast, but it was the only one that looked like a leopard. Here are some other ways to translate this:
and there before me was another animal. This animal looked like a leopard (NCV)
I saw another animal. It looked like a leopard. (GW)
Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. (NLT)
Next, as I watched, another beast appeared.
¶ Then as I was watching another beast appeared.
¶ I kept watching and suddenly I saw a third strange creature.
Next, as I watched: The Aramaic phrase that the BSB translates as Next, as I watched here introduces the next scene in Daniel’s vision.
After these things, as I was watching (NET)
After this as I gazed (REB)
It was like a leopard,
It was/looked like a leopard.
This creature resembled a leopard,
It was like a leopard: The third beast resembled a large and dangerous member of the cat family.Some scholars think that this is a reference to the Greek empire, and other scholars think that it is a reference to the Persian empire. It is not certain if the Aramaic word refers to a leopard or to a panther, but most English translations say leopard. If your language has a word for a panther or other similar animal, but not for a leopard, it is acceptable to use that.
and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird.
Four wings like birds' wings grew/came from its back.
but there were four wings on its back. The wings looked like the wings of a bird.
and: The Aramaic conjunction that the BSB translates as and here continues the description of the fourth beast. It introduces a contrast to the previous phrase. So in some languages it may be natural to introduce this verse part with a conjunction introducing contrast. For example:
but (GNT)
on its back it had four wings like those of a bird: The leopard had four wings on its back and the wings appeared similar to bird’s wings. In your translation, avoid implying that birds have four wings. You may be able to say:
It had four wings growing/sprouting from its back, wings that looked like the wings of a bird.
on its back there were four wings. The wings appeared similar to birds’ wings.
The beast also had four heads,
It had four heads,
There were four heads on the creature,
The beast also had four heads: Daniel continued his description of the third beast. It had four heads. Refer back to the third beast in a way that is natural in your language. For example:
This creature had four heads (REB)
it had four heads (NJB)
Daniel said the third beast resembled a leopard and then gave two ways in which it was different from a normal leopard. So in some languages it may be natural to say:
The third beast was like a leopard—except that it had four wings and four heads. (CEV)
and it was given authority to rule.
and it was permitted to rule/govern.
and it received power to rule over people/nations.
and it was given authority to rule: The Aramaic clause that the BSB translates as it was given authority to rule is more literally “it was given dominion.” In this context this indicates that the animal was given political power, authority over nations. It implies that the beast was not only given such authority but actually did rule. This is a passive clause and there are two ways to translate it:
Using a passive verb. For example:
and was given power to rule (NCV)
and it was allowed/permitted to rule
Using an active verb. For example:
it received authority to rule
God permitted/allowed it to rule
Note 1 topic: writing-symlanguage
אָֽחֳרִי֙ כִּנְמַ֔ר
another like,a_leopard
This was not an actual leopard, but a symbolic animal that was similar to a leopard.
Note 2 topic: writing-symlanguage
גַּפִּ֥ין אַרְבַּ֛ע & וְאַרְבְּעָ֤ה רֵאשִׁין֙
wings four & and,four heads
The four wings and four heads are symbols, but their meaning is unclear.
וְלַ֨הּ גַּפִּ֥ין אַרְבַּ֛ע דִּי־ע֖וֹף עַל־גביה
and,to,it wings four that/who bird on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in back_of,its
Alternate translation: “and the animal had four wings of a bird on its back”
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
וְשָׁלְטָ֖ן יְהִ֥יב לַֽהּ
and,dominion given to,it
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “and someone gave it authority to rule”
7:6 The leopard was known for its speed and agility (Hab 1:8). Four bird’s wings and four heads indicate the scope and speed of this fierce nation’s military campaigns. Greece conformed to this symbolism well, especially under Alexander the Great, whose kingdom was divided into four parts following his death in 323 BC.
OET (OET-LV) After this seeing I_was and_lo another like_a_leopard and_to_it wings four of a_bird were_on back_of_its[fn] and_four heads were_to_the_beast and_dominion it_was_given to_it.
7:6 OSHB variant note: גבי/ה: (x-qere) ’גַּבַּ֑/הּ’: lemma_1355 n_1 morph_ANcmsc/Sp3fs id_278Um גַּבַּ֑/הּ
OET (OET-RV) • Next I saw another creature that resembled a leopard, but with four wings (like birds’ wings) attached to its back, and with four heads. It was given the authority to rule people.
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.
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