4:17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;
this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,
so that 1 those who are alive may understand
that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, 2
and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.
He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. 3
He does as he wishes with the army of heaven
and with those who inhabit the earth.
No one slaps 4 his hand
and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
1 tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (’al-divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (’ad-divrat, “until”).
2 tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”
3 tc The present translation reads כְּלָא (kÿla’), with many medieval Hebrew
4 tn Aram “strikes against.”