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Parallel DAN 4:2

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.

B I ◄ ← Dan 4:2 ↓ → ► ═ ©  

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

OET (OET-RV) It seemed good to me to let you all know about the amazing miracles that the supreme God has done for me.OET logo mark

OET-LV [fn] a_dream I_saw and_it_made_me_afraid and_imaginings on my_of_bed and_visions_of my_head they_alarmed_me.

4:2 Note: KJB: Dān.4.5OET logo mark

UHB 3:32 אָֽתַיָּ⁠א֙ וְ⁠תִמְהַיָּ֔⁠א דִּ֚י עֲבַ֣ד עִמִּ֔⁠י אֱלָהָ֖⁠א עלי⁠א שְׁפַ֥ר קָֽדָמַ֖⁠י לְ⁠הַחֲוָיָֽה׃ ‡
   (3:32 ʼātayyā⁠ʼ və⁠timhayyā⁠ʼ diy ˊₐⱱad ˊimmi⁠y ʼₑlāhā⁠ʼ ˊly⁠ʼ shəfar qādāma⁠y lə⁠haḩₐvāyāh.)

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).

BrLXX No BrLXX DAN book available

BrTr No BrTr DAN book available

ULT It has seemed good to me to make known the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.

UST I want you to know about all the wonderful miracles that the Supreme God has performed for me.

BSB I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

MSB (Same as BSB above)

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked towards me.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.

LSV The signs and wonders that God Most High has done with me, it is good before me to show.

FBV It is my pleasure to share with you an account of the signs and wonders the Most High God has done for me.

T4T I want you to know about all the wonderful miracles [DOU] that the Supreme God has performed for me.

LEB It is pleasing to me to recount the signs and wonders that the Most High God worked for me.

BBE It has seemed good to me to make clear the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done with me.

Moff It is my royal pleasure to declare the signal acts of the Most High God in dealing with me.

JPS (3-32) It hath seemed good unto me to declare the signs and wonders that God Most High hath wrought toward me.

ASV It hath seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath wrought toward me.

DRA I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.

YLT The signs and wonders that God Most High hath done with me, it is good before me to shew.

Drby It hath seemed good unto me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High [fn]God hath wrought toward me.

4.2 Elohim

RV It hath seemed good unto me to shew the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath wrought toward me.
   (It hath/has seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath/has wrought/done toward me. )

SLT The signs and wonders that the most high God made with me, it was pleasant before me to show.

Wbstr I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought towards me.

KJB-1769 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.[fn]
   (I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath/has wrought/done toward me. )

4.2 I thought…: Chaldee, It was seemly before me

KJB-1611 [fn]I thought it good to shew the signes, and wonders, that the high God hath wrought toward me.
   (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

4:2 Cald. it was seemely before me.

Bshps I thought it good to shewe the signes & marueylous workes that the hie God hath wrought vpo me.
   (I thought it good to show the signs and marvellous works that the high God hath/has wrought/done upon me.)

Gnva Saw a dreame, which made me afraide, and the thoughtes vpon my bed, and the visions of mine head troubled me.
   (Saw a dream, which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed, and the visions of mine head troubled me. )

Cvdl I thought it good to shewe the tokes & maruelous workes, yt ye hye God hath wrought vpon me.
   (I thought it good to show the tokes and marvellous works, it ye/you_all high God hath/has wrought/done upon me.)

Wycl Y siy a dreem, that made me aferd; and my thouytis in my bed, and the siytis of myn heed disturbliden me.
   (I saw a dream, that made me afraid; and my thoughts in my bed, and the siytis of mine heed disturbedn me.)

Luth sah ich einen Traum und erschrak, und die Gedanken, die ich auf meinem Bette hatte über dem Gesichte, so ich gesehen hatte, betrübten mich.
   (saw I a dream and frightened, and the mind/thoughts, the I on/in/to my bed had above to_him visions/faces, so I seen had, saddened me.)

ClVg somnium vidi, quod perterruit me: et cogitationes meæ in strato meo, et visiones capitis mei conturbaverunt me.
   (a_dream/sleep I_saw, that terrified me: and thoughts my in/into/on strato mine, and visions of_the_head my/mine conturbaverunt me. )

HAP Hebrew accents and phrasing: See Allan Johnson's Hebrew accents and phrasing analysis.
TSN Tyndale Study Notes:

4:1-37 In his pride, King Nebuchadnezzar convinced himself that he had built Babylon (4:30; cp. Gen 11:1-9). He disregarded the warning of the Most High God (Dan 4:24-27). He had still not learned the lesson God was teaching him through these experiences, that the God of Daniel stands outside the world of time and space, and no human is equal to him. So God’s decree of judgment fell upon Nebuchadnezzar (4:17, 25-26; see Prov 16:18).

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 4:1–3

This chapter is in the form of a royal proclamation or announcement. In this first paragraph the king introduced himself as the person who was making the proclamation. He mentioned whom he was addressing and greeted them.

The king’s scribes would have written a proclamation like this on a stone or wooden slab. His servants would then have placed it where people could see and read it easily.

The verse numbers in the BSB differ from the numbers in the NJB and the NJPS.These versions begin the account at 3:31, and the paragraph ends at 3:33. So in these versions chapter 4 does not begin until 4:4 in the BSB. 4:4 in the BSB is 4:1 in the NJB. See the discussion in the Introduction to these Notes.

4:2a

I am pleased to declare

I am pleased to declare: The Aramaic phrase that the BSB translates as I am pleased to declare is more literally “It seemed good to me to declare to you.” Nebuchadnezzar introduced what he wanted to tell his readers. Other ways to say this in English are:

I am glad to tell (CEV)

I want you to know (NLT)

I am pleased to write to you (GW)

4:2b

the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

the signs and wonders: The two Aramaic words that the BSB translates as signs and wonders are close synonyms.These two words also occur together in 6:27. The use of two words emphasizes the idea. The two words do not refer to different or separate events. There are at least two ways to translate this expression:

signs: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as signs refers to things that God does to show his power—signs of his power.

wonders: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as wonders also refers to strange and unusual things God does to show his power. It is a close synonym to “signs.”

the Most High God: See the Notes at 3:26b. The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as Most High comes from the adjective that means “highest.” The king referred to God as the God who was the “highest,” that is, greater than all other gods.The Translator’s Handbook on Daniel, however, says that the title “expresses the greatness of this God without necessarily stressing that he is greater than all other gods.” Here is another way to translate this:

Supreme God (GNT)

has performed for me: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as performed means “done, made.” God had done some amazing deeds to show the king his power. Other ways to say this in English are:

did for me (GW)

has worked for me (NRSV)

General Comment on 4:2a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 4:2a–b. For example:

bThe Most High God has done amiracles and wonderful things for me that I am happy to tell you about. (NCV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

אָֽתַיָּ⁠א֙ וְ⁠תִמְהַיָּ֔⁠א

(Some words not found in UHB: dream I_saw and,it,made_me_afraid and,imaginings on/upon my_of,bed and=visions_of of,my_head they,alarmed_me )

These words share similar meanings and refer to the amazing things that God had done.

B I ◄ ← Dan 4:2 ↑ → ► ═ ©