Turn his face back: this reflects exactly the same words found at the beginning of the previous verse, but the context requires the addition of the word back. It will be more natural in many languages to use a verb like “return” (Good News Translation), “retreat” (Revised English Bible), or “retire” (Moffatt). New English Bible uses an English expression having a military sense (“fall back”), which is appropriate in this context.

The fortresses of his own land: or “the well-protected cities in his country,” or “the strong, walled cities of his own country” (New Century Version).

Stumble and fall: if these verbs may be understood in their literal sense by some readers, translators should replace them with an expression indicating defeat in battle. The first verb is the same as the one translated “fail” in verse 14.

Shall not be found: this is a veiled reference to death. The passive construction may have to be rendered actively as “he will disappear.” But if such an expression will be understood literally, then it will be better to look for a euphemism that unquestionably refers to death.

Antiochus III, deprived of his eastern conquests (Asia Minor and Greece) and condemned to pay an enormous tax to Rome, returned to his own land, where the inhabitants turned against him and assassinated him in 187 B.C., when he tried to pillage the temple of one of their gods.

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 .