DAN 10:6 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) His body sparkled like a jewel, his face was brilliant like lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and his feet were like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice was loud like the sound of a huge crowd.

Key: .
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT His body was like topaz, his face was like the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and his feet were like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words was like the sound of a multitude.

UST His body shone like a precious beryl stone. His face was as bright as a flash of lightning. His eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and legs shone like polished bronze. And his voice was very loud, like the roar of a huge crowd.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE His body also was like beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches. His arms and his feet were like burnished bronze. The voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET His body resembled yellow jasper, and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches; his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.

LSV and his body as a beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet as the aspect of bright bronze, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude.

FBV His body shone like a jewel;[fn] his face was as bright as lightning; his eyes were like blazing torches; his arms and legs gleamed like polished bronze; and his voice sounded like the roar of a crowd.

10:6 “Jewel”: the exact gemstone is uncertain—beryl, topaz, and jasper have been suggested.

T4T His body shone like a precious beryl stone. His face was as bright as a flash of lightning. His eyes were/shone like flaming torches. His arms and legs shone like polished bronze. And his voice was very loud, like the roar of a huge crowd.

LEB Now his body was like turquoise,[fn] and his face was like the appearance of lightning, and his eyes were like torches of fire, and his arms and his legs were like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words was like the sound of a multitude.

10:6 Or “yellow jasper” or other gold-colored stones; the exact identity of ancient precious stones is difficult

BBE And his body was like the beryl, and his face had the look of a thunder-flame, and his eyes were like burning lights, and his arms and feet like the colour of polished brass, and the sound of his voice was like the sound of an army.

Moff his body gleaming like a topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like lamps of fire, his arms and legs like the colour of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the noise of a crowd!

JPS his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

ASV his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches, and his arms and his feet like unto burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

DRA And his body was like the chrysolite, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as a burning lamp: and his arms, and all downward even to the feet, like in appearance to glittering brass: and the voice of his word like the voice of a multitude.

YLT and his body as a beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet as the aspect of bright brass, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude.

Drby and his body was like a chrysolite, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet as the look of burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

RV his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

SLT And his body as topaz, and his face as the sight of lightning, and his eyes as flames of fire, and his arms and his feet as the eye of polished brass, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude.

Wbstr His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

KJB-1769 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

KJB-1611 His body also was like the Berill, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lampes of fire, and his armes, and his feete like in colour to polished brasse, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps His body was lyke the thurkis stone, his face to loke vpon was lyke lightening, his eyes as lampes of fire, his armes and feete were lyke in colour to pullished brasse, and the voyce of his wordes was lyke the voyce of a multitude.
(His body was like the thurkis stone, his face to look upon was like lightening, his eyes as lamps of fire, his arms and feet were like in colour to pullished brass, and the voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude.)

Gnva His body also was like the Chrysolite, and his face (to looke vpon) like the lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his armes and his feete were like in colour to polished brasse, and the voyce of his wordes was like the voyce of a multitude.
(His body also was like the Chrysolite, and his face (to look upon) like the lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet were like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude. )

Cvdl his body was like the Chrisolite stone, his face (to loke vpon) was like lightenynge, his eyes as the flame of fyre, his armes and fete were like fayre glisteringe metall, but the voyce of his wordes was like ye voyce of a multitude.
(his body was like the Chrisolite stone, his face (to look upon) was like lightning, his eyes as the flame of fire, his arms and feet were like fair glistering metall, but the voice of his words was like ye/you_all voice of a multitude.)

Wycl and his bodi was as crisolitus, and his face was as the licnesse of leit, and hise iyen weren as a brennynge laumpe, and hise armes and tho thingis that weren bynethe til to the feet weren as the licnesse of bras beynge whijt, and the vois of hise wordis was as the vois of multitude.
(and his body was as crisolitus, and his face was as the likeness of light, and his eyes were as a burning lamp, and his arms and those things that were beneath till to the feet were as the likeness of brass being white, and the voice of his words was as the voice of multitude.)

Luth Sein Leib war wie ein Türkis, sein Antlitz sah wie ein Blitz, seine Augen wie eine feurige Fackel, seine Arme und Füße wie ein glühend Erz, und seine Rede war wie ein groß Getön.
(Be body what/which as/like a doorkis, be face saw as/like a flash(n), his eyes as/like a/one fiery Fackel, his arms/poor/unfortunate_(one) and feet as/like a glühend ore, and his speech what/which as/like a large sound.)

ClVg et corpus ejus quasi chrysolithus, et facies ejus velut species fulguris, et oculi ejus ut lampas ardens: et brachia ejus, et quæ deorsum sunt usque ad pedes, quasi species æris candentis: et vox sermonum ejus ut vox multitudinis.
(and body his as_if chrysolithus, and faces his like/as in_appearances lightning, and eyes his as lampas burning: and brachia his, and which down are until to feet, as_if in_appearances copper candentis: and voice of_speeches his as voice multitude. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–12:13: Daniel saw a vision of an angelic man and the end of the age

In this long final vision, Daniel was told of events leading up to the end of the age.

Paragraph 10:4–6

Daniel wrote that he saw a vision of an awe-inspiring man dressed in linen.

10:6a–e

This verse is a series of five similes. The appearance of the man by the river is compared to four very bright things, and his voice is compared to the sound of a large crowd. The point of comparison is that the man’s appearance was very impressive or awe-inspiring and his voice was very loud. In your translation, use vocabulary and imagery that indicate the man was impressive rather than strange or ridiculous. In some languages it may be natural to include the points of similarity. For example:

His body glowed like topaz, his face shone like lightning, his eyes flamed like torches, his arms and feet glittered like burnished bronze, and when he spoke his voice sounded like the voice of a multitude. (REB)

His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people. (NLT)

His body was like shiny yellow quartz. His face was bright like lightning, and his eyes were like fire. His arms and legs were shiny like polished bronze, and his voice sounded like the roar of a crowd. (NCV)

10:6a

His body was like beryl,

His body looked/appeared like a beautiful topaz gemstone,
His body shone like quartz.
His body glowed like a gem/jewel.

His body was like beryl: This is a simile. It indicates that the man’s body was bright and radiant like a beautiful gem. The exact gem that is referred to is not certain. The gem beryl is the same as chrysolite, which is how the translators of the LXX (Septuagint) understood it (see also the NIV). Other possibilities are yellow quartz (NCV) and yellow jasper (NET).

See how you translated the name of this gemstone in Exodus 28:20a (first gem) and Ezekiel 1:16. Chrysolite is mentioned in Revelation 21:20 (seventh foundation).

If these gemstones are not known in your culture, you may wish to translate using a more general phrase, as the CEV has done:

His body was like a precious stone. (CEV)

In some languages it may be natural to make the point of similarity explicit. Here are some ways to do this:

His body glowed like topaz (REB)

His body shone like a precious gem.

10:6b

his face like the brilliance of lightning,

and his face shone like lightning.
His face blazed/flashed brightly like lightning.
His face was as bright as a lightning flash.

his face like the brilliance of lightning: In some languages it may be natural to translate this simile as a separate clause or sentence, with its own verb. For example:

His face was like lightning.

In some languages it may be natural to make the point of similarity explicit. Here are some ways to do this:

his face shone like lightning (REB)

his face had an appearance like lightning (NET)

10:6c

his eyes like flaming torches,

His eyes were/looked like torches of blazing fire,
His eyes sparkled like flaming torches.
His eyes were as brilliant as fiery torches.

his eyes like flaming torches: Daniel compared the eyes of this man to flaming torches. The point of similarity is that his eyes were brilliant or very bright. They blazed or sparkled like torches. Try to find a word expressing this comparison that is natural in your language for referring to eyes. In some languages it may be natural to supply a verb and translate this simile as a separate clause or sentence. For example:

his eyes were like fiery torches (NJB)

his eyes were like blazing torches (NET)

his eyes blazed like flaming torches

flaming torches: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as flaming torches is “torches of fire.” It refers to torches that were lit and burning. The light came from cloth attached to a long pole, dipped in oil, and set on fire. In Old Testament times these torches were used to give light when people were walking in the dark. See how you translated the phrase “torch of fire” in Genesis 15:17.

10:6d

his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze,

and his arms and legs gleamed like polished bronze.
His arms and legs were as bright/shiny as copper when they polish it.
His arms and feet had the shine of a highly polished metal.

his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze: In some languages it may be natural to supply a verb and translate this simile as a separate clause or sentence. For example:

his arms and feet glittered like burnished bronze (REB)

his arms and his face had the gleam of burnished bronze (NJB)

legs: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as legs more normally refers to feet. In this context either is acceptable. Here is another way to translate this:

feet (NET)

polished bronze: The substance called bronze is an alloy (mixture) of copper and tin. The word polished means “burnished,” that is, rubbed to make it bright and shiny. See Revelation 1:15.

10:6e

and his voice like the sound of a multitude.

His voice sounded like the shouting of many people speaking at once.
His voice was as powerful as the voice/noise of a great crowd of people.
His words were as loud as the shouts of a crowd.

and his voice like the sound of a multitude: This simile compares the sound of the one man’s voice to the sound of a crowd. The point of similarity is the power and volume (loudness) with which he spoke. In many languages it will be natural to translate this as a separate clause or sentence with its own verb. For example:

and when he spoke his voice sounded like the voice of a great multitude (REB)

the sound of his voice was like the roar of a multitude (NJB)

his voice thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd (NET)

General Comment on 10:6

The overall impression given by the description should be one of impressive and powerful goodness. Avoid using vocabulary associated with evil power or words that sound humorous.For example, in English to say that something is “shiny” or “glittery” or “sparkly” tends to trivialize it. It suggests humor rather than majesty. The man dressed in linen was not an evil figure or a funny one, but he was a great messenger from the one true God.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וּ⁠גְוִיָּת֣⁠וֹ כְ⁠תַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ

and,body_of,his [was]_like,chrysolite

His body gleamed with blue or yellow light as if it were made of topaz. Alternate translation: “His body gleamed like topaz”

כְ⁠תַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ

[was]_like,chrysolite

The word topaz refers to a blue or yellow gemstone, also known as beryl, peridot, or chrysolite.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וּ⁠פָנָ֞י⁠ו כְּ⁠מַרְאֵ֤ה בָרָק֙

and,face_of,his [was]_like_[the],appearance_of lightning

His face shone brightly as a bolt of lightning shines. Alternate translation: “his face shone with light as bright as the flash of lightning”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וְ⁠עֵינָי⁠ו֙ כְּ⁠לַפִּ֣ידֵי אֵ֔שׁ

and,eyes_of,his [were]_like,torches_of flaming

His eyes were bright with light as if they were flaming torches. Alternate translation: “his eyes were so bright that it seemed they had torches burning inside them”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וּ⁠זְרֹֽעֹתָי⁠ו֙ וּ⁠מַרְגְּלֹתָ֔י⁠ו כְּ⁠עֵ֖ין נְחֹ֣שֶׁת קָלָ֑ל

and,arms_of,his and,feet_of,his [were]_like_[the],appearance_of copper/brass/bronze//coin polished

His arms and feet were as shiny as if they were made of polished bronze. Alternate translation: “his arms and feet shone like polished bronze that reflects the light around it”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וְ⁠ק֥וֹל דְּבָרָ֖י⁠ו כְּ⁠ק֥וֹל הָמֽוֹן

and,the_sound_of his_words_of,his [was]_like,the_sound_of multitude

His voice was so loud that it was as if a crowd of people were all talking loudly. Alternate translation: “and his voice was as loud as a huge crowd all calling out together”

Parallel DAN 10:6