DAN 4:4 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=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) I, Nevukadnetstsar, was doing well at home, and prospering at my work in my palace,

4:4 Note: KJB: Dān.4.7

4:4 OSHB variant note: עללין: (x-qere) ’עָלִּ֗ין’: lemma_5954 n_1.1.1 morph_AVqrmpa id_27a5b עָלִּ֗ין

4:4 OSHB variant note: כשדי/א: (x-qere) ’כַּשְׂדָּאֵ֖/י’: lemma_3779 n_1.0 morph_ANgmsc/Sp1cs id_277ej כַּשְׂדָּאֵ֖/י

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).

UST I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace. I was living luxuriantly, and everything was going very well for me.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home, living luxuriously in my palace.

LSV I, Nebuchadnezzar, have been at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:

FBV I, Nebuchadnezzar, was doing well at home, living happily in my palace.

T4T ¶ I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace. I was living luxuriantly, and everything was going very well for me.

LEB ¶ “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was content in my house and prospering in my palace.

BBE I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my place, and all things were going well for me in my great house:

Moff I Nebuchadnezzar was at ease in my house and flourishing within my palace,

JPS (4-1) I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

ASV I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

DRA Then came in the diviners, the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers, and I told the dream before them: but they did not shew me the interpretation thereof:

YLT 'I, Nebuchadnezzar, have been at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:

Drby I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

RV I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace.

SLT I Nebuchadnezzar, was secure in my house, and green in my temple:

Wbstr I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:

KJB-1769 ¶ I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

KJB-1611 ¶ I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace.
(Same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps I Nabuchodonozor beyng at rest in my house, and florishing in my palace,
(I Nabuchodonozor being at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace,)

Gnva So came the inchanters, the astrologians, the Caldeans and the sothsayers, to whom I tolde the dreame, but they could not shew me the interpretation thereof,
(So came the enchanters, the astrologians, the Chaldeans and the sothsayers, to whom I told the dream, but they could not show me the interpretation thereof, )

Cvdl I Nabuchodonosor beynge at rest in myne house, ad florishinge in my palace,
(I Nebuchadnezzar being at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace,)

Wycl Than false dyuynours, astronomyens, Caldeis, and biholderis of auteris entriden; and Y telde the dreem in the siyt of hem, and thei schewiden not to me the soilyng therof, til the felowe in office,
(Than false diviners, astronomyens, Chaldees, and biholderis of altars entered; and I told the dream in the sight of hem, and they schewed not to me the soiling thereof, till the fellow in office,)

Luth Da brachte man herauf die Sternseher, Weisen, Chaldäer und Wahrsager, und ich erzählte den Traum vor ihnen; aber sie konnten mir nicht sagen, was er bedeutete,
(So brought man up the Sternseher, ways/manners, Chaldeans and fortune-teller, and I erzählte the dream before/in_front_of to_them; but they/she/them could to_me not say, what/which he bedeutete,)

ClVg Tunc ingrediebantur arioli, magi, Chaldæi, et aruspices, et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum: et solutionem ejus non indicaverunt mihi,
(Then to_enterebantur arioli, magi, Chaldæi, and aruspices, and a_dream/sleep narravi in/into/on in_sight their: and solutionem his not/no they_indicated to_me, )

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 4:4–7

Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream and summoned the wise men of Babylon. They were unable to explain the meaning of his dream. Before you translate this paragraph, read Genesis 40 and Genesis 41:1–2, where there are descriptions of similar events that took place in ancient Egypt.

4:4a–b

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace: Daniel 4:4a–b gives the background to the account that begins in 4:5. The two parts of the verse are in Aramaic poetic form, with the second line repeating the basic meaning of the first. It literally says:

I Nebuchadnezzar was at ease in my house

and I was flourishing/prospering in my palace

Some English versions translate this form closely. For example:

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease in my home and prospering in my palace. (NRSV)

The NIV has reordered the information and made it clear that “my home” and “my palace” refer to the same location.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace (NIV)

Other versions that combine these parallel lines include:

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was happy and successful at my palace. (NCV)

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity. (NLT)

You should order the information in these verse parts in a way that is natural in your language.

4:4a

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house

¶ I, Nebuchadnezzar was living in my palace.
¶ At that time, I lived in my great/royal house/mansion

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house: The king told his account in the first person. See the note above on 4:4a–b and the General Comment. The king introduced his narrative by giving background information: at the time the story began he was living in his palace home in comfort. Here is another way to translate this:

I, Nebuchadnezzar was living comfortably in my house (NJB)

I, Nebuchadnezzar: The king said his name in order to emphasize his authority. In some languages it may not be natural for a person to state his name after saying I. If that is true in your language, you may need to translate this as:

I the king

Translate in a way that is natural in your language and that puts the same emphasis on the king’s authority.

at ease: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as at ease probably means “calm, relaxed.” Other ways to translate this include:

living comfortably (GW)

happy (NCV)

contented (NIV)

4:4b

and flourishing in my palace.

I was comfortable and successful/wealthy.
in peace and prosperity.

flourishing: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as flourishing means “thriving, flourishing.” The word is sometimes used to describe a healthy tree with many leaves.There may have been an intentional double meaning. Later in the dream, Nebuchadnezzar is represented by a tree. In this context, the word is used figuratively to describe a person who is doing well in a worldly or material sense. Here is another way to translate this:

successful (NCV)

in my palace: A palace is the home of a ruler. The word implies luxury and wealth. In some languages it may be natural to translate this as:

in my luxurious house

living in my royal house

Parallel DAN 4:4

Section 4:1–37: God judged King Nebuchadnezzar

Paragraph 4:4–7

4:4a–b

4:4a

4:4b

General Information: