Chaldean

The name that is transliterated as “Chaldean” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with the sign that combines “Mesopotamia” (see here) and “spreading out,” since the Chaldeans originated in southern Mesopotamia and spread out from there. (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Chaldean” in Libras (source )

More information about Chaldea .

complete verse (Daniel 9:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 9:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then during the first year of the reign of Darius, the son Ahasuerus, (who came from Media), in the country of Babylon, I, Daniel was reading the books of God. The message that God told prophet Jeremiah was disturbing my mind. He told him about the defeat/destruction of Jerusalem that would stretch for seventy years.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus of the lineage of Medes who became king of Babylonia,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Darius the Medianhon child of Ahasuerus was the king of the whole Babylon at-that-time. During the first year of his reign, I learned from the Laws that Jerusalem would-remain ruined for a period/[lit. inside] of 70 years, as the LORD said to Prophet Jeremias.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Now I am going to tell you about what happened when Darius, who was from the Mede people-group and who was the son of Xerxes, ruled as the King of Babylonia.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Daniel 9:1

The first year of Darius: literally “in the year one of Darius.” It is understood that this is talking about the first year of the reign of Darius. Since this information is repeated at the beginning of verse 2, it may be left out in one of the two places. Good News Translation elects to omit it here and also slightly restructures the remaining elements. This may be a suitable model for other languages to follow.

According to some commentators the king already named in 5.31 and in chapter 6 is here distinguished from Darius Hystaspes, who began to rule in 522 B.C. and is mentioned in Ezra 4.24. Others point out that Darius may be an old Iranian title rather than a proper name. But the translator is required to translate the text as it stands.

Ahasuerus: this is the Hebrew equivalent of the better known Greek name “Xerxes.” The Greek form of the name is used in several modern translations including Good News Translation, New International Version, An American Translation, and Moffatt, as well as in the ancient Greek version. New Jerusalem Bible, however, has “Artaxerxes.” It is recommended that translators use the Greek form “Xerxes” as the basis for transliteration into other languages, since it is better known by people who have studied this history of the area.

Secular history indicates that King Xerxes of Persia was the son of Darius I of Persia. This has given rise to much speculation about the precise identification of the person referred to here. But translators need not try to solve all these problems of identification.

By birth a Mede: literally “of the race of the Medes.” These words stress the ethnic background of the Darius under discussion. And in most languages there should be little difficulty in finding a natural equivalent.

Became king: literally “was made king” as in New Jerusalem Bible. Revised English Bible has “was appointed ruler.” Because this is the only case in biblical Hebrew where this particular verb form is used, some scholars have felt that the text must be corrected to say became king, as in Revised Standard Version and most other versions. The essential meaning of the two forms is, however, the same. And in languages where the passive is impossible, translators will have to say “became king” in any case. Most translators should not worry about this slight difference.

The realm of the Chaldeans: as in 1.4; 3.8; 5.30, the term Chaldeans refers to the better-known “Babylonians” and should be so translated.

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 .