As it is written in the law of Moses: or “as the Law of Moses says.” Compare verse 11. Note that Good News Translation takes this clause and the next as the completion of the sentence begun in verse 12.
Calamity: as in the previous verse, “punishment.”
Yet: most languages will require a rather strong contrastive conjunction or expression here. In spite of the divine punishment, the people of Israel failed to respond properly. In addition to the Good News Translation model, translators may consider “even so” (New Jerusalem Bible), “nevertheless,” or “but in spite of that.”
We have not entreated the favor of: literally “we have not softened the face of,” meaning to appease, placate, or mollify. This phrase is used with either God or human beings as the object, and it occurs in Psa 119.58 and 2 Chr 33.12, among other places. Translators should look for a verb meaning “appeased” (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), or “sought the favor of” (New International Version), or “tried to please” (Good News Translation) in their language. The addition of the negation not indicates an intentional refusal. In some languages people speak of “cooling the heart” or “causing the heart to sit down.” But others may be able to retain the image of the face found in Hebrew, even though the expression may be something like “calming the face” or “brightening the face.”
Giving heed to thy truth: the verb used here evokes the idea of “concentrating one’s attention” to a particular object or task, or “examining with care.” The Hebrew noun translated truth has as its primary component of meaning the idea of firmness or solidness. The truth is a firm reality on which a person may count and which does not deceive. In this verse there is no question of abstract intellectual truth but of a firm decision made by God. New American Bible speaks of God’s “constancy,” and Anchor Bible of “his resoluteness.” Revised English Bible has “that you are true to your word.” It will be possible in some languages to translate “your will.” Some languages may require a restructuring of the last part of this verse along the following lines: “but we have not yet stopped committing sin. We still fail to acknowledge your firm attachment to the truth.” Or, as Revised English Bible has it, “we have neither repented of our wrongful deeds, nor remembered that you are true to your word.”
Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .