complete verse (Daniel 10:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 10:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “I have come to show you what is going to happen in future. I want to help you know what is going to happen to your people in the days to come.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I have come to tell you what will happen later to the people of your nation. This vision concerns the future."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, I (am) here so-that to let- you (sing.) -understand what will-happen to your (sing.) fellow Israelinhon in the future, for your (sing.) vision (was) about the future.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I have come here to enable you to understand what will happen to the Israeli people in the future. Do not forget that the vision that you saw is about things that will happen in the distant future, not about things that will happen very soon.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 10:14

Note that in Revised Standard Version this is a continuation of the sentence started in verse 13. But it will probably be better to begin a new sentence, as in Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and others.

Came: or “have come” (New Revised Standard Version), or “now I am here” (Moffatt and Knox).

To make you understand: that is, “to help you to comprehend” or “to enable you to know.” There is no thought of forcing Daniel against his will to understand.

In the latter days: this phrase and the one that follows in the next sentence, for days yet to come, both refer to the future. The word translated yet in Revised Standard Version has been revised in New Revised Standard Version to “a further vision.” It is understood as meaning “new” in New Jerusalem Bible: “This is a new vision about those days.” New American Bible has similarly followed this interpretation, applying the word yet to the verb rather than to the noun days. The result is “for there is yet a vision concerning those days.” This interpretation is probably to be preferred.

The rendering of this verse may be compared with Hab 2.3, from which it is thought by some scholars to be borrowed.

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 .