Daniel

The term that is transliterated as “Daniel” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the sign for the letter D and for “lion,” referring to the story in Daniel 6. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Daniel” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “prayer” that illustrates Daniel’s close relationship with God.


“Daniel” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Following is a hand colored stencil print on washi of Daniel by Sadao Watanabe (1965):

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe. For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

The following is a stained glass window depicting Daniel by Endre Odon Hevezi and Gyula Bajo from 1965 for the Debre Libanos Monastery, Oromia, Ethiopia:

Photo by Timothy A. Gonsalves, hosted by Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )

See also Daniel.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Daniel in the Lions’ Den and Daniel .

complete verse (Daniel 6:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 6:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, Daniel got peace/prosperity during the reign of Darius and Cyrus of Persia.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In this way Daniel prospered during the time of King Darius and during the time of king Cyrus of Persia.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So I was successful all during the time that Darius ruled and during the time that Cyrus, the King of Persia, ruled.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 6:28

So: this translates the common, multipurpose conjunction in Aramaic that may be left untranslated as in Good News Translation. But other languages will require some kind of connecting word in this context, since what follows is a kind of conclusion to the story.

This Daniel: see verse 3.

Prospered: the translation of this verb should not focus on physical prosperity. As in 3.30, where the verb is translated “promoted,” the verb used here suggests the idea of Daniel’s political success. Bible en français courant translates “occupied an important position,” and New American Bible reads “fared well.”

During the reign: or “while Darius was ruling,” or “at the time when Darius was king.”

The reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian: the conjunction and in the Book of Daniel and elsewhere in the Old Testament may be used in the sense of “namely,” or “that is to say….” This has led some scholars to suggest that this phrase is really intended to show that Darius and Cyrus are one and the same person, as indicated in the New International Version footnote rendering, “Or Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus.” The point would then be to explain the identity of this otherwise unknown ruler. However, the repetition of the phrase during the reign of makes this somewhat less likely. In view of the uncertainty of this hypothesis, translators are advised to render the conjunction literally and, if required, a footnote may be added giving this other interpretation. However, many scholars consider the hypothesis too weak to merit a footnote.

Note that the whole verse is restructured by Revised English Bible as follows: “Prosperity attended Daniel during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.”

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 .