And: since what follows is contrary to what people expect of such a great ruler, Good News Translation prefers to render the conjunction by the English “But.” So also Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Anchor Bible. This may be the most natural rendering in a number of other languages.

When he has arisen: the verb is again “stand up” as in verses 2 and 3, but here it conveys the idea of being firmly “established” (Revised English Bible) or “grown strong” (An American Translation). A slightly modified meaning is given in New Revised Standard Version, which interprets the verb tense differently: “while still rising in power.” But this is less likely.

Shall be broken and divided: Moffatt renders these two verbs “shattered and scattered,” while New Jerusalem Bible has “broken up and parcelled out.” The passive forms may be rendered actively as “his kingdom shall break up and divide” or, using an indefinite agent, “they (or someone) will destroy and separate his kingdom.”

Toward the four winds of heaven: this Hebrew metaphor may be rendered less figuratively as “in the four directions under heaven” (New American Bible) or “split up north, south, east, and west” (New English Bible). But given the difficulty in translating the points of the compass in many languages, it is possible to say simply “in all directions” or “on all sides.” See comments on 8.8, 22. Some writers see the number four as significant enough to be retained here, in view of 7.4-7, where the same number is used: note Good News Translation “into four parts.” The empire of Alexander the Great was, in fact, divided into four sections after his death.

Not to his posterity: in some languages the expression “who are not his children (or grandchildren)” or “whom he did not produce” will be appropriate here, since the term “children” or “grandchildren” will be understood in the broad sense of any descendant. The words not to relate back to the verb divided and indicate those who will (or will not in this case) receive the parts into which the empire will be split. Anchor Bible translates “… but not among his descendants”; New International Version says “It will not go to his descendants,” Revised English Bible “It will not pass to….” Good News Translation takes this phrase with what follows: “Kings not descended from him will rule in his place.”

Nor according to the dominion with which he ruled: literally “and not as the ruling which he ruled.” Compare “ruled with great dominion” in the previous verse. This indicates that the successors’ kingdom would be unlike that of the “warrior king” (Alexander the Great). In some languages it may be necessary to state in what way future kingdoms will be unlike that of the great king. If this is the case, it is probably better to focus on the manner of ruling: “it will not be ruled as he ruled it” (New Jerusalem Bible). To be more precise, it has to do with the degree of power: “nor will its power be comparable to his” (Revised English Bible); “nor shall it be so powerful as it was in his hands” (Moffatt).

Shall be plucked up: while the basic meaning of the verb here is “rooted up,” the meaning in this context is probably “torn to pieces” (New American Bible) or “torn up” (Moffatt), although a number of versions maintain the more literal translation “uprooted” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, and New Revised Standard Version). Once again, if the passive has to be made active, it is probably best to use an indefinite agent as subject. Note that Good News Translation omits this last part of the verse as being a repetition of the same idea expressed in the beginning.

Others besides these: the demonstrative pronoun these refers to the descendants of Alexander the Great. It therefore has the same meaning as not to his posterity. For this reason it may be unnecessary to translate the idea twice (compare Good News Translation). When Alexander the Great died, he was succeeded by his military leaders rather than by his sons.

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 .