DAN 4:9 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “Oh Belteshatstsar, chief of the magicians, since I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, go through the visions of my dream and tell me their interpretation.

4:9 Note: KJB: Dān.4.12

4:9 OSHB variant note: ידרון: (x-qere) ’יְדוּרָן֙’: lemma_1753 n_0.1.0 morph_AVqi3mp id_27ZMa יְדוּרָן֙

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 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.

UST So, using the name that had been given to him, I said, ‘Belteshazzar, you are the most important of all my fortune-tellers. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and that you can reveal all mysteries. There is none that is too difficult for you. So, tell me what my dream means.

BSB “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods [is] in you and that no mystery baffles you. [So] explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE “Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation!

LSV O Belteshazzar, master of the scribes, as I have known that the spirit of the holy gods [is] in you, and no secret presses you, the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation, tell.

FBV “Belteshazzar, chief of magicians,” I said,[fn] “I certainly know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is difficult for you to explain. So tell me about what I saw in my dream and explain what it means.

4:9 Implied.

T4T So, using the name that had been given to him, I said, ‘Belteshazzar, you are the most important of all my fortune-tellers. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and that you can reveal all mysteries. There is none that is too difficult for you. So, tell me what my dream means.

LEB “ ‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians,[fn] I myself know that the spirit[fn] of the holy gods is in you, and _⌊no mystery is too difficult_⌋[fn] for you. Now tell me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation.[fn]

4:9 Or “soothsayer-priests”

4:9 Or “a spirit”

4:9 Literally “every mystery is not difficult”

4:9 Or “interpretation”

BBE O Belteshazzar, master of the wonder-workers, because I am certain that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and you are troubled by no secret; this is the dream which I saw: make clear to me its sense.

Moff ‘O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, I know the spirit of the gods divine is in you, and no mystery is any trouble to you; hear the visions of my dream that I have seen, and tell me what they mean.

JPS (4-6) O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret causeth thee trouble, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

ASV O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

DRA Its leaves were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much: and in it was food for all: under it dwelt cattle, and beasts, and in the branches thereof the fowls of the air had their abode: and all flesh did eat of it.

YLT 'O Belteshazzar, master of the scribes, as I have known that the spirit of the holy gods [is] in thee, and no secret doth press thee, the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation, tell.

Drby O Belteshazzar, master of the scribes, because I know that the spirit of the holy [fn]gods is in thee, and no secret is too hard for thee, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, and the interpretation of it.

4.9 Elohim

RV O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
(Oh Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee/you, and no secret troubleth thee/you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. )

SLT O Belteshazzar, leader of the sacred scribes, for I knew that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and my secret pressed not upon thee; the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation, say thou.

Wbstr O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation of it.

KJB-1769 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
(Oh Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee/you, and no secret troubleth thee/you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. )

KJB-1611 O Belteshazzar, master of the Magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy Gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dreame that I haue seene, and the interpretation thereof.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation)

Bshps O Baltassar, thou prince of wyse men, forsomuch as I knowe that thou hast the spirite of the holy gods, & no secrete troubleth thee: tell me therefore the visions of my dreame that I haue seene, and the interpretation therof.
(Oh Baltassar, thou/you prince of wise men, forsomuch as I know that thou/you hast the spirit of the holy gods, and no secret troubleth thee/you: tell me therefore the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.)

Gnva The boughes thereof were faire and the fruite thereof much, and in it was meate for all: it made a shadow vnder it for the beastes of the fielde, and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the boughes thereof, and all flesh fedde of it.
(The boughs thereof were fair and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: it made a shadow under it for the beasts/animals of the field, and the fowls/birds of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh fed of it. )

Cvdl O Balthasar, thou prynce of saythsayers: For so moch as I knowe, that thou hast the sprete of the holy goddes, and no secrete is hyd from the: tel me therfore, what ye visio of my dreame (yt I haue sene) maye signifie.
(Oh Balthasar, thou/you prince of saith/sayssayers: For so much as I know, that thou/you hast the spirit of the holy gods, and no secret is hid from them: tell me therefore, what ye/you_all visio of my dream (yt I have sene) may signifie.)

Wycl The leeuys therof weren ful faire, and the fruyt therof was ful myche, and the mete of alle was in it; beestis and wielde beestis dwelliden vndur it, and briddis of the eir lyuyden in the braunchis therof, and ech man ete of it.
(The leaves thereof were full fair, and the fruit thereof was full much, and the meet of all was in it; beasts/animals and wild beasts/animals dwelled/dwelt under it, and birds of the heir lyuyden in the branches thereof, and each man eat of it.)

Luth Seine Äste waren schön und trugen viel Früchte, davon alles zu essen hatte. Alle Tiere auf dem Felde fanden Schatten unter ihm, und die Vögel unter dem Himmel saßen auf seinen Ästen, und alles Fleisch nährete sich von ihm.
(His Äste were beautiful and wore many fruit, of_that all/everything to/for eat had. All animals on/in/to to_him field found shadow/shade under him, and the birds under to_him heaven sat on/in/to his branches, and all/everything flesh nourishes/feedse itself/yourself/themselves from him.)

ClVg Folia ejus pulcherrima, et fructus ejus nimius: et esca universorum in ea. Subter eam habitabant animalia et bestiæ, et in ramis ejus conversabantur volucres cæli: et ex ea vescebatur omnis caro.
(Folia his beautifulrima, and fruit his nimius: and food in_the_universerum in/into/on them. Subter her they_lived animals and beasts/animals, and in/into/on branches his conversabantur birds heavens: and from them was_fed everyone flesh/meat. )

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 4:8–9

Daniel went before the king in order to tell him the meaning of his dream.

4:9a

“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians,

¶ I said, “Belteshazzar, you are the chief of my expert advisers.
¶ Then I said to him, “Belteshazzar, I have appointed you as the head of my counselors.

Belteshazzar: The king addressed Daniel by his Babylonian name.

chief of the magicians: In 2:48c, the king appointed Daniel to be in charge of all the wise men of Babylon. In this verse, the king addressed Daniel as chief of the magicians. Probably the Aramaic word that the BSB translates as magicians is being used here in a general way to refer to the royal advisers and experts.The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as magicians is the same word as in 1:20b; 2:2a; and the first word in the list in 4:7a. Here it probably has a more general meaning. You may be able to translate this as:

chief of the royal advisers

leading counselor

chief: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as chief here refers to someone with authority over others. Other ways to translate it include:

head (GW)

the most important (NCV)

4:9b

I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you

I know that the spirit of the holy gods lives in you
I realize that the sacred gods/deities have given you their spirit of special power/ability

In the Aramaic text this verse begins with a connector that the RSV translates as “because.” In this context it introduces the reason or grounds for the king’s request in 4:9d. Translate this relation in the most natural way in your language. See the General Comment on 4:9b–d.

I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you: See the Notes at 4:8c. Now the king told Daniel his thoughts about him. In some languages it may be natural to translate the king’s thoughts as direct speech. For example:

I understand this: ‘The spirit of the holy gods is in you…’

4:9c

and that no mystery baffles you.

so no mystery is too difficult for you to understand.
to understand/solve even the deepest/hardest mysteries.

and that no mystery baffles you: This is a second thing that the king knew or understood about Daniel. There was no mystery that he could not solve or explain. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this expression as a positive clause. For example:

you understand all mysteries (GNT)

you are able to solve the most difficult mysteries

mystery: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as mystery is only used here and in Daniel 2. It refers to a secret, something that only God could reveal. Use the word that you used in 2:18a and see the note there.

baffles you: The Aramaic verb that the BSB translates baffles normally means “oppress.” The king used the word in a figurative way to emphasize that Daniel had great abilities. No mystery was too hard for him to solve and explain. Other ways to translate this include:

is too difficult for you (NIV)

puzzles you

too great for you to solve (NLT)

Translate this idea in a way that is natural in your language.

4:9d

So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation.

This is my dream: tell me its meaning.
So explain to me what this dream of mine means.

So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation: Scholars disagree on the original wording and meaning of this verse part. The expression is more literally: “the visions of my dream which I saw and its interpretation tell.” However, the king did not ask Daniel to tell him the content of his dream as he had in chapter 2. He himself told Daniel what he had dreamed. As a result, some versions supply implied information or suggest changes to the Aramaic text. There are four possibilities:

The text originally said, “Here is my dream; tell me its interpretation.” For example:
This is my dream. Tell me what it means. (GNT) (NIV, RSV, NJB, GNT, NCV)
The text originally said, “Hear/Consider my dream and interpret it. For example:
Hear the dream that I saw; tell me its interpretation. (NRSV) (NRSV, REB, NET, CEV)
The Aramaic conjunction that the BSB translates as and here means “even” or “that is.”See Benjamin Davidson, The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, p. 233, meaning VIII. So the text means, “Tell/Explain my dream, that is, its interpretation.” For example:
Tell me the meaning of the visions I had in my dream. (GW) (BSB, GW, NLT)
The text originally said, “Tell me the visions of my dream which I saw and tell me its interpretation.” This represents the Aramaic text as we have it now. For example:
tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and its interpretation (ESV) (NASB, KJV, ESV)

Either (1), (2), or (3) is possible. You may wish to follow your local majority-language version here. Interpretation (4) is unlikely because the king proceeded to tell the dream himself.

General Comment on 4:9b–d

In some languages it may be natural to indicate that 4:9b–c give the grounds of the king’s request in 4:9d by following the CEV:

^9bthe holy gods have given you special powers ^9cto solve the most difficult mysteries. ^9dSo listen to what I dreamed and tell me what it means:… (CEV)

In some languages it may be natural to reorder the verse parts and translate the request (4:9d) before the grounds for that request (4:9b–c). For example:

^9aI said “Belteshazzar, chief of my expert advisers! ^9dTell me the meaning of my dream! ^9bFor the holy gods have given you a spirit ^9cthat understands all such mysteries.