DAN 5:6 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) he was very frightened and the colour drained from his face. His legs felt weak and his knees started knocking together,

5:6 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

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 Then the color of the king changed, and his thoughts frightened him; the joints of his hips loosened, and his knees knocked together.

UST He became very frightened, and his face became pale. His knees started shaking, and his legs became very weak, with the result that he could not stand up.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE Then the king’s face was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Then all the color drained from the king’s face and he became alarmed. The joints of his hips gave way, and his knees began knocking together.

LSV then the king’s countenance has changed, and his thoughts trouble him, and the joints of his loins are loosed, and his knees are striking against one another.

FBV His face turned pale,[fn] and he became very frightened. His legs gave way and his knees knocked together.

5:6 “His face turned pale”: literally “his face changed.”

T4T He became very frightened, and his face became pale/white. His knees started shaking, and his legs became very weak, with the result that he could not stand up.

LEB Then his face changed and his thoughts terrified him, and _⌊his hip joints gave way_⌋[fn] and _⌊his knees knocked together_⌋.[fn]

5:6 Literally “the limbs of his hip became loose”

5:6 Literally “his knees this to this they knocked together”

BBE Then the colour went from the king's face, and he was troubled by his thoughts; strength went from his body, and his knees were shaking.

Moff and the king’s fresh colour paled, his thoughts alarmed him, the muscles of his thighs relaxed, and his knees struck one against another.

JPS Then the king's countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts affrighted him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

ASV Then the king’s countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

DRA Then was the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him: and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one against the other.

YLT then the king's countenance hath changed, and his thoughts do trouble him, and the joints of his loins are loosed, and his knees are smiting one against another.

Drby Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

RV Then the king’s countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
(Then the king’s countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed/released, and his knees smote one against another. )

SLT The king’s brightnesses changing, and his thoughts will terrify him, and the knots of his loins breaking forth, and his knees knocked this upon that.

Wbstr Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

KJB-1769 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.[fn][fn][fn]
(Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed/released, and his knees smote one against another. )

5.6 countenance: Chaldee, brightnesses

5.6 was changed: Chaldee, changed it

5.6 joints: or, girdles: Chaldee, bindings, or, knots

KJB-1611 [fn][fn][fn]Then the kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the ioints of his loines were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

5:6 Cald. brightnesses.

5:6 Cald. changed it.

5:6 Or, girdles. Cald. bindings or knots.

Bshps Then chaunged the king his countenaunce, & his thoughtes troubled hym, so that the ioyntes of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other.
(Then changed the king his countenance, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed/released, and his knees smote one against the other.)

Gnva Then the Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughtes troubled him, so that the ioynts of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other.
(Then the Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed/released, and his knees smote one against the other. )

Cvdl Then chaunged the kynge his countenaunce, and his thoughtes troubled him: so that the ioyntes off his body shoke, and his knees smote one agaynst the other.
(Then changed the king his countenance, and his thoughts troubled him: so that the joints off his body shook, and his knees smote one against the other.)

Wycl Thanne the face of the kyng was chaungid, and hise thouytis disturbliden hym; and the ioyncturis of hise reynes weren loosid, and hise knees weren hurtlid to hem silf togidere.
(Then the face of the king was changed, and his thoughts disturbedn him; and the junctures of his reins were loosed/released, and his knees were hurtlid to himself together.)

Luth Da entfärbte sich der König, und seine Gedanken erschreckten ihn, daß ihm die Lenden schütterten und die Beine zitterten.
(So entfärbte itself/yourself/themselves the/of_the king, and his mind/thoughts frighteneden him/it, that him the lumbar pourrten and the legs trembledn.)

ClVg Tunc facies regis commutata est, et cogitationes ejus conturbabant eum: et compages renum ejus solvebantur, et genua ejus ad se invicem collidebantur.
(Then faces king commutata it_is, and thoughts his conturbabant him: and compages renum his solvebantur, and knees his to himself each_other neckdebantur. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–31: God judged King Belshazzar

The author continued to write in the Aramaic language. He wrote about how King Belshazzar gave a big banquet and made use of the sacred treasures from the Jerusalem temple. Belshazzar saw a hand writing a mysterious message on the wall. Only Daniel was able to explain the message, that God was about to punish Belshazzar. That same night an army of Medes and Persians conquered the city and killed Belshazzar.

English versions give different headings to Daniel 5. These include:

The Handwriting on the Wall (GW)

The Writing on the Wall (NIV)

King Belshazzar’s Banquet (CEV)

In some languages it may be more natural to write the heading in the form of a clause. For example, you could say:

King Belshazzar saw a hand write on the wall.

King Belshazzar had/gave a banquet/feast.

Some versions give headings to the subsections of Daniel 5. For example, the NLT has two headings:

The Writing on the Wall (5:1)

Daniel explains the writing (5:13)

The NRSV has three headings:

Belshazzar’s Feast (5:1)

The Writing on the Wall (5:5)

The Writing on the Wall Interpreted (5:13)

You should decide the number of headings that is best in your translation. The purpose of headings is to help readers to follow the events of the story. Headings also help the reader understand the relationships between the different parts of the story. You should try not to have more headings than necessary.

Historical Background:

Nabonidus was the king of Babylon from 556 to 539 B.C. Historical records indicate that he married Nitocris, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, and that Belshazzar was their oldest son.See the ancient Greek historian Herodotus and the Nabonidus Chronicles. While Nabonidus was absent from Babylon during the last ten years of his reign, Belshazzar acted as king in his place.

Daniel 5 describes the last night of the Babylonian empire. From other historic sources we know that Cyrus, the king of Persia, attacked the Babylonian army during the 7th month of the year 539 B.C. On the 15th day of that month, they attacked the town of Sippar and King Nabonidus fled. The next day Cyrus’ army entered the city of Babylon without any battle and killed its ruler, Belshazzar. Daniel 5 describes what Belshazzar was doing on the last day of the Babylonian empire.

Paragraph 5:5–6

The king suddenly saw a hand, writing a message on the wall.

5:6a

his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that

Then his face changed color and he became very afraid.
He became so frightened that his face turned white.

The Aramaic text connects 5:6a to 5:5d with a conjunction that the RSV translates as “then.” It introduces a new stage of the action in an emphatic way. The BSB does not explicitly translate it. You should introduce what happened in response to the appearance of the hand in a way that is natural in your language.

his face grew pale: The Aramaic phrase that the BSB translates as his face grew pale is more literally “his brightness changed.” See the Notes at 2:31; 4:36b. Here it refers to the king’s face. You should use an expression that describes the way a person’s face changes when they receive a sudden shock and become afraid. For example:

Then the king’s face changed color.

His face turned white (NCV)

Languages may describe this change in different ways. It may be necessary to indicate why the king’s face changed color. See the General Comment on 5:6a–b for ways to do this by reversing or combining the information.

and his thoughts so alarmed him that: The Aramaic text that the BSB translates as his thoughts so alarmed him is more literally “his thoughts alarmed him.” Other ways to translate this include:

King Belshazzar was very frightened (NCV)

his thoughts terrified him (NRSV)

General Comment on 5:6a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 5:6a–b. For example:

^6bHe was so frightened that ^6ahis face turned pale (CEV)

In other languages it may be natural to combine 6a–b. For example:

^6a-bhis face turned pale with fright (NLT)

5:6b

his hips gave way

He lost his strength/control
He became weak in the legs,

his hips gave way: The Aramaic expression that the BSB translates as his hips gave way is literally “the knots of his loins/hips were loosened.” The word meaning “loins” or hips is often a metaphor for strength. So this probably indicates that the king lost strength and could no longer stand up. The expression implies that the king was very afraid. There are different ways to translate this. For example:

his legs gave way beneath him (NLT)

his legs became weak (CEV)

the strength went from his legs (REB)

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

5:6c

and his knees knocked together.

and his knees began to knock together.
and his knees began to shake/tremble.

and his knees knocked together: The Aramaic clause that the BSB translates as his knees knocked together indicates that the king’s legs were shaking from fear. His legs trembled and so his knees kept bumping or “knocking” together. This action symbolized that the king was very afraid. Translate this so that this is clear. Other ways to say this include:

His knees knocked together in fear (NLT)

his knees began to shake (GNT)

His knees trembled

In some languages, this action may not be natural and may not clearly imply that the king was afraid. If that is true in your language, you may translate more generally. For example:

He began to tremble/shake all overLa Bible du Semeur.

General Comment on 5:6

In some languages it may be natural to change the order of the clauses. For example:

^bKing Belshazzar was very frightened. ^aHis face turned pale, ^dhis knees knocked together, ^cand he could not stand up because his legs were too weak. (NCV)