Daniel (image)

Hand colored stencil print on washi 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.

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: RuthAnna 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

Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Daniel from the 18th century (found in the Transfiguration Church, Kizhi Monastery, Karelia, Russia).

 
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

Translation commentary on Daniel 5:29

Then: see comments on this same transition word in verse 13. Here Good News Translation translates “Immediately.”

Commanded …: since many languages will require an object following this verb, it will be good to follow the model of Good News Translation and clearly say “his servants.”

Was clothed: if “servants” have been clearly mentioned as the object of the previous verb, the pronoun “they” can be used as the subject of this one and will refer back to the servants: “and they dressed Daniel…”; or in other cases the Good News Translation use of the infinitive may be a good model.

Purple, a chain of gold: see verses 7 and 16.

Proclamation was made: the implied agent of this action is clearly King Belshazzar. Where necessary this may be made explicit. Since the king has already been mentioned by name in the verse, a simple pronoun, or possibly “the king” (without the proper name), will be adequate in most languages.

The discrepancy between Daniel’s statement that he would not accept the rewards (verse 17) and his eventual acceptance of them can probably be explained by the insistence of King Belshazzar. But this should not concern the translator.

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 .