complete verse (Daniel 3:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 3:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then the fire covered/enveloped them while tied up.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In this way the three men who had been tied up fell into the kiln which was blazing with fire.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “And they three who were-tied-up fell/landed in the blazing furnace.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the roaring flames.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 3:23

And: it will probably be better in many languages to use something other than the simple connector And here. New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation, and Moffatt translate “But,” since what follows is somewhat contrary to the reader’s expectations that they would also be consumed immediately by the fire. Good News Translation, however, prefers a time transition, “Then.”

These three men: the use of this expression as well as the names of the young men may be too much repetition for some languages. In those cases it will be quite adequate to use either the names or this expression, but not both.

Fell: the verb used here should not be one that is used for an accidental fall, but rather one that clearly indicates that the men were very intentionally dropped into the fire by other people. The use of this verb (compare 2.46) confirms the way in which the condemned men were thrown into the furnace, that is, from the top.

Bound: this emphasizes that the three young men were still tied up.

Following the end of verse 23, the Greek versions of Daniel include sixty-six verses not found in the Aramaic text. These verses include the passages commonly referred to as “The Song (or Prayer) of Azariah” and “The Song of the Three Young Men.” They can be found in the text of New Jerusalem Bible or New American Bible and in some editions of New Revised Standard Version. Comments on these verses may eventually be included in a Handbook on the Deuterocanonical portions of the Old Testament. But they will not be dealt with in this volume.

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 .