DAN 4:12 Parallel Verse View

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

OET (OET-RV) It had beautiful leaves were beautiful and lots of fruit on it. It provided food for everything, the animals in the countryside found shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches. Every living thing benefitted from it.

Key: khaki:verbs.
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 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches. All flesh was fed from it.

UST It had beautiful leaves, and it had produced a lot of fruit for people to eat. Wild animals rested in the shade of that tree, and birds built nests in its branches. All the living creatures everywhere in the world got food from that tree.

BSB Its leaves were beautiful,
⇔ its fruit was abundant,
⇔ and upon it was food for all.
⇔ Under it the beasts of the field found shelter,
⇔ in its branches the birds of the air nested,
⇔ and from it every creature was fed.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE Its leaves were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful;
⇔ on it there was food enough for all.
⇔ Under it the wild animals used to seek shade,
⇔ and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest.
⇔ All creatures used to feed themselves from it.

LSV its leaves [are] beautiful, and its budding great, and food for all [is] in it: under it the beast of the field takes shade, and in its boughs dwell the birds of the heavens, and of it are all flesh fed.

FBV Its leaves were beautiful, and it was full of fruit for all to eat. Wild animals rested in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. It fed all living creatures.

T4T It had beautiful leaves, and it had produced a lot of fruit for people to eat. Wild animals rested in the shade of that tree, and birds built nests in its branches. All the living creatures everywhere in the world got food from that tree.

LEB   • Its foliage was beautiful, and its fruit abundant,
  • and in it was provision for all.
• Under it the animals[fn] of the field sought shade,
  • and in its branches the birds of heaven[fn] nested,
  • and from it all the living beings were fed.

4:10 Aramaic “animal”

4:10 Or “the sky”

BBE Its leaves were fair and it had much fruit, and in it was food enough for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it, and the birds of heaven were resting in its branches, and it gave food to all living things.

Moff its leaves were lovely and its fruit was rich, with food for all; wild animals sheltered under it, birds of the air roosted in its branches, and it fed all living creatures.

JPS (4-9) The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all; the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

ASV The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it.

DRA Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be tied with a band of iron, and of brass, among the grass, that is without, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the wild beasts in the grass of the earth.

YLT its leaves [are] fair, and its budding great, and food for all [is] in it: under it take shade doth the beast of the field, and in its boughs dwell do the birds of the heavens, and of it fed are all flesh.

Drby Its leaves were beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

RV The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
(The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts/animals of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls/birds of the heaven dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. )

SLT Its foliage beautiful, and its fruit great, and food for all in it: and the beasts of the open field will be shaded under it, the buds of the heavens will dwell in its boughs, and all flesh will be nourished from it.

Wbstr Its leaves were fair, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it, and the fowls of heaven dwelt among its boughs, and all flesh was fed from it.

KJB-1769 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
(The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts/animals of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls/birds of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. )

KJB-1611 The leaues thereof were faire, and the fruite thereof much, and in it was meate for all: the beasts of the field had shadow vnder it, and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the boughes thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps The leaues therof were fayre, and the fruite therof much, and in it was meate for all: the beastes of the fielde had shadowes vnder it, and the foules of the aire dwelt in the bowes therof: al fleshe fed of it.
(The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts/animals of the field had shadows under it, and the fowls/birds of the air dwelt in the bows thereof: all flesh fed of it.)

Gnva Neuerthelesse leaue the stumpe of his rootes in the earth, and with a band of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wet with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes among the grasse of the fielde.
(Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, and with a band of iron and brass bind it among the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts/animals among the grass of the field. )

Cvdl his leaues were fayre, he had very moch frute, so yt euery ma had ynough to eate therin. The beastes of the felde had shadowes vnder it, and the foules off the ayre dwelt in the bowes therof. Shortly, all creatures fed of it.
(his leaves were fair, he had very much fruit, so it every man had enough to eat therein. The beasts/animals of the field had shadows under it, and the fowls/birds off the air dwelt in the bows thereof. Shortly, all creatures fed of it.)

Wycl Netheles suffre ye the seed of rootis therof in erthe, and be he boondun with a boond of irun and of bras, in erbis that ben with out forth, and in the deew of heuene be he died, and his part be with wielde beestis in the erbe of erthe.
(Nevertheless suffer ye/you_all the seed of roots thereof in earth, and be he boondun with a bond of iron and of brass, in herbs that been with out forth, and in the dew of heaven be he died, and his part be with wild beasts/animals in the herb of earth.)

Luth Doch laß den Stock mit seinen Wurzeln in der Erde bleiben; er aber soll in eisernen und ehernen Ketten auf dem Felde im Grase gehen; er soll unter dem Tau des Himmels liegen und naß werden und soll sich weiden mit den Tieren von den Kräutern der Erde.
(But let the Stock with his roots(n) in the/of_the earth/land/ground remain/stay; he but should in iron and brazen chains on/in/to to_him field in_the grasse go; he should under to_him dew the heavens lie/lay and naß become and should itself/yourself/themselves graze with the animals from the Kräutern the/of_the earth/land/ground.)

ClVg Verumtamen germen radicum ejus in terra sinite, et alligetur vinculo ferreo et æreo in herbis quæ foris sunt, et rore cæli tingatur, et cum feris pars ejus in herba terræ.
(Nevertheless germen roots his in/into/on earth/land allowse, and bind/tieur vinculo to_carryo and to_beo in/into/on herbis which outside are, and rore heavens tingatur, and when/with wild_animals part his in/into/on grass of_the_earth/land. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:1–37: God judged King Nebuchadnezzar

The author of Daniel 4 wrote in the Aramaic language. These Notes are based on the BSB, which is based on the Aramaic text called the MT (Masoretic Text). However, the early Greek translation known as the Septuagint is different from the Aramaic text in many places in Daniel 4. Scholars are uncertain why the two are so different. It may be that the Greek translators worked from an Aramaic text that was different from that of the MT. The Notes will discuss the differences between the two texts for certain important passages.

The verse numbers of the BSB and most English versions are different from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text. The NJPS and NJB are two exceptions. They follow the verse numbers in the Aramaic text.Baldwin (p. 107) notes that the chapter divisions in the present Aramaic text were not necessarily those of the original text. The difference in numbering can cause confusion when citing verses in different translations. For example, Daniel 4:1 in the BSB is 3:31 in the NJPS and NJB. Daniel 4:4 is 4:1 in the NJB and NJPS, and so on. When these Notes cite verses in the NJPS and the NJB, they will give both the verse numbers in those versions and the corresponding BSB verse numbers.

Versions give different headings to Daniel 4. For example:

Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream (NRSV)

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a tree (NLT)

A letter from Nebuchadnezzar about his insanity (GW)

In some languages it may be more natural that the heading be a full sentence. For example:

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a second dream

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about a tree

Nebuchadnezzar wrote a letter about how he became insane

Special Problems:

1. Change of Speaker: In Daniel 4, the person who tells the story varies between the king and the narrator. For example:

A. In 4:1–18 the king told what happened to him in the first person.

B. In 4:19–27 the narrator told the story of how Daniel interpreted the king’s dream.

C. In 4:28–33 the narrator told what happened to Nebuchadnezzar.

D. In 4:34–37 the king again spoke directly in the first person.

The Notes will inform you when there is a change of speaker and suggest how to translate these passages.

2. Repetition: When Daniel interpreted the king’s dream (4:19–27), he repeated parts of what the king had previously told him (in 4:10–16). Later, when the narrator told what happened to the king (4:28–33), he repeated what Daniel had said would happen (in 4:25). This kind of repetition creates suspense in the story. Repetition also helps to emphasize the main theme of the account. For example, at the end of the account, the king repeated information from the beginning (4:3, 34). This information is the theme of the chapter: God is sovereign over human rulers.

3. Synonyms: The author liked to use synonyms, different words with the same or similar meaning. In some cases, he used synonyms to emphasize an idea. For example, in 4:37 the king used three synonyms in the same sentence to emphasize the idea of praise. In some languages this may not be natural. The Notes will suggest other ways you can translate synonyms.

4. Commands: In the dream, the angel made a number of commands. The text does not usually say to whom the angel was giving these commands. Sometimes the angel commanded non-living objects to do something. In all these cases, the angel was speaking a message from God. And when God commands that something happen, it will certainly happen. In some languages it may not be natural to use commands in this way. If that is true in your language, you may be able to translate these commands as authoritative declarations. The Notes will give examples of how you may do this.

5. Poetic Parallelism: The author of Daniel 4 liked to use poetic form to communicate ideas. In Aramaic poetry, authors often used pairs of clauses to say the same thing in two different ways. This type of poetry has many different functions. Sometimes the author used poetry to emphasize themes. Other times he used poetry to mark the climax of a section. This kind of poetry may not be natural in your language. The Notes will describe the function of the poetic speech in Daniel. They will also suggest some options on how you might translate this type of poetry in your own language.

6. Form: The author wrote Daniel 4 in the form of a royal proclamation. This proclamation form gives authority to the account. The style of the proclamation is similar to that of a letter, and the beginning of the chapter is similar to other Aramaic letters. The king first identifies himself. Second, he indicates to whom he is writing, that is, those he intends to read his letter. Third, he greets his readers. In your language, people may have a different way of identifying the author or addressee of a letter. The Notes will suggest some options on how to translate this letter style.

7. Key Terms: Two key terms in Daniel 4 are “earth” and “heaven.” Both words have more than one meaning. The Aramaic word that the BSB generally translates as “earth” can mean either “ground,” “land,” or “world.” The Aramaic word that the BSB generally translates as “heaven” can mean either “sky” or “where God lives.” In 4:26 the author used the word “Heaven” to refer to God himself. The author plays on these two words and their meanings to highlight the main theme of the chapter: “God in heaven rules over the affairs of men on earth.” The Notes will explain the meaning of these two key terms in each context.

Paragraph 4:10–12

Nebuchadnezzar described the tree he had seen in his dream.

4:12a

Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant,

Its leaves were beautiful and it had/produced lots of fruit.
It had green, healthy leaves and much fruit,

Its leaves were beautiful: The leaves of this great tree were healthy, green, and flourishing. Describe the leaves on a healthy tree in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

It had fresh green leaves (NLT)

its fruit was abundant: There was a lot of fruit on this tree. Other ways to translate this include:

it had plenty of good fruit on it (NCV)

it was loaded down with fruit (GNT)

heavy with fruit (CEV)

4:12b

and upon it was food for all.

There was enough food to feed everyone.
enough/plenty for everyone.

and: The Aramaic connector that the BSB translates as and here introduces a result. The tree bore a lot of fruit, so there was enough food for everyone. In some languages it may be natural to say:

and so

upon it was food for all: This clause emphasizes the great amount of fruit. The tree provided plenty of food, enough to feed everyone. Other ways to translate this include:

enough food for everyone (NCV)

enough for the whole world to eat (GNT)

for all: The expression that the BSB translates for all is a general term that can refer to all living beings. In this context, it seems to refer more specifically to people. Here is another way to translate this:

everyone (GW)

General Comment on 4:12a–b

In some languages it may be natural to link the last clause of 4:12a and 4:12b closely together. There was so much fruit that there was plenty for everyone. For example:

it was loaded with fruit for all to eat (NLT)

its fruit was so plentiful that it could feed everyone on earth

it bore so much fruit that everyone on earth could eat from it

4:12c

Under it the beasts of the field found shelter,

Wild animals lived in its shade. (NLT)
The tree provided shade/shelter for wild animals.

Under it the beasts of the field found shelter: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates found shelter here indicates that the wild animals were sheltered and protected from the sun by the branches of the tree. The tree provided them with a shady place to rest. In some languages it may be natural to make the tree the subject of this clause. For example:

for the wild animals it provided shade (NJB)

the beasts of the field: This Aramaic expression, which the BSB translates literally, refers in general to animals that do not live in barns, cages, or other man-made structures. Refer to such animals in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

the wild beasts (REB)

the wild animals (NIV)

4:12d

in its branches the birds of the air nested,

Birds lived/nested in its branches.
Birds built their nests on its branches.

in its branches the birds of the air nested: The Aramaic clause that the BSB translates as in its branches the birds of the air nested means that various birds made their nests in the great tree. Other ways to translate this include:

birds built nests in its branches (GNT)

The birds of heaven nested in its branches (NJB)

and birds nested in its branches (NLT)

the birds of the air: This Aramaic expression, which the BSB translates literally as the birds of the air, refers to wild birds, birds that fly around freely, as opposed to birds kept for food, like chickens.

4:12e

and from it every creature was fed.

Every living being found/received their food on/from the tree.
The tree provided food for all the people and animals.

and from it every creature was fed: This is a passive clause. If it is more natural in your language to use an active verb, you can say:

Every living being ate food from the tree.

All animals and people got/obtained food from the tree.

And the tree provided food for all the people and animals on the earth

every creature: The Aramaic expression that the BSB translates as every creature is more literally “all flesh.” It probably refers to all living beings in general, including people, animals, and birds. Other ways to translate this include:

all living beings (NRSV)

all living creatures (NJB)

All the world (NLT)

In some languages it may be necessary to mention the different types of creature separately. For example:

all people, all birds, and all animals

Parallel DAN 4:12