Daniel 6
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom,
It pleside Darius, and he ordeynede sixe score duykis ouer the rewme, that thei schulden be in al his rewme.
2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no damage.
And ouer hem he ordeynede thre princes, of whiche Danyel was oon; that the duykis schulden yelde resoun to hem, and that the kyng schulde not suffre ony disese.
3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Therfor Danyel ouercam alle the princes and duikis, for more spirit of God was in hym.
4 Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no occasion nor fault, inasmuch as he was faithful, nor was there any error or fault found in him.
Certis the kyng thouyte to ordeyne hym on al the rewme. Wherfor princes and duikis souyten to fynde occasioun to Danyel, of the side of the kyng; and thei miyten fynde no cause and suspicioun, for he was feithful, and no blame and suspicioun was foundun in hym.
5 Then these men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
Therfor tho men seiden, We schulen not fynde ony occasioun to this Danyel, no but in hap in the lawe of his God.
6 Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him: King Darius, live forever.
Thanne the princes and duykis maden fals suggestioun to the kyng, and spaken thus to hym, Kyng Darius, lyue thou with onten ende.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
Alle the princes of thi rewme, and magistratis, and duykis, senatours, and iugis, han maad a counsel, that a decree and comaundement of the emperour go out, that ech man that axith ony axyng of what euer god and man, til to thretti daies, no but of thee, thou kyng, he be sent in to the lake of liouns.
8 Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.
Now therfor, kyng, conferme thou the sentence, and write thou the decree, that this that is ordeyned of Medeis and Perseis be not chaungid, nethir be it leueful to ony man to breke.
9 Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the interdict.
Forsothe Darius, the kyng, settide forth, and confermyde the decree.
10 And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he knelt upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did formerly.
And whanne Danyel hadde founde this thing, that is, the lawe ordeyned, he entride in to his hous; and the while the wyndows weren open in his soler ayens Jerusalem, in thre tymes in the dai he bowide hise knees, and worschipide, and knoulechide bifore his God, as he was wont to do bifore.
11 Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
Therfor tho men enqueriden ful bisili, and founden Danyel preiynge, and bisechynge his God.
12 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's interdict. Have thou not signed an interdict, that every man who shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.
And thei neiyiden and spaken to the kyng of the comaundement, Kyng, whether thou ordeynedist not, that ech man that axide ony of goddis and of men, til to thretti daies, no but thee, thou kyng, he schulde be sent in to the lake of liouns? To whiche men the kyng answeride, and seide, The word is soth, bi the decree of Medeis and Perseis, which it is not leueful to breke.
13 Then they answered and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the sons of the captivity of Judah, does not regard thee, O king, nor the interdict that thou have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.
Thanne thei answeriden, and seiden bifore the kyng, Danyel, of the sones of caitifte of Juda, reckide not of thi lawe, and of the comaundement, which thou ordeynedist, but thre tymes bi the dai he preieth in his bisechyng.
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him.
And whanne the kyng hadde herd this word, he was sori ynow, and he settide the herte for Danyel, for to do delyuere hym; and til to the goyng doun of the sunne he trauelide for to do delyuere hym.
15 Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.
But tho men vndurstoden the kyng, and seiden to hym, Wite thou, kyng, that it is the lawe of Medeis and of Perseis, that it is not leueful that ony decree be chaungid,
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said to Daniel, Thy God whom thou serve continually, he will deliver thee.
which the kyng ordeyneth. Thanne the kyng comaundide, and thei brouyten Danyel, and senten hym in to the lake of liouns. And the kyng seide to Danyel, Thi God, whom thou worschipist euere, he schal delyuere thee.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den. And the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
And o stoon was brouyt, and was put on the mouth of the lake, which the kyng aselide with his ryng, and with the ryng of hise beste men, lest ony thing were don ayens Danyel.
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting, nor were instruments of music brought before him. And his sleep fled from him.
Thanne the kyng yede in to his hous, and slepte with out soper, and metis weren not brouyte bifore hym; ferthermore and sleep yede awei fro hym.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
Thanne the kyng roos in the firste morewtid, and yede hastili to the lake of liouns;
20 And when he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou serve continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
and he neiyide to the lake, and criede on Danyel with wepynge vois, and spak to hym, Danyel, the seruaunt of God lyuynge, gessist thou, whether thi God, whom thou seruest euere, miyte delyuere thee fro liouns?
21 Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever.
And Danyel answeride the kyng, and seide, King, lyue thou with outen ende.
22 My God has sent his agent, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me, inasmuch as before him innocence was found in me. And also before thee, O king, I have done no harm.
My God sente his aungel, and closide togidere the mouthis of liouns, and tho noieden not me, for riytfulnesse is foundun in me bifore hym; but also, thou kyng, Y dide no trespas bifore thee.
23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of harm was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God.
Thanne the kyng made ioie greetli on hym, and comaundide Danyel to be led out of the lake. And Danyel was led out of the lake, and noon hirtyng was foundun in hym, for he bileuede to his God.
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their sons, and their wives. And the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.
Forsothe the kyng comaundide, tho men, that accusiden Danyel, weren brouyt, and weren sent in to the lake of liouns, thei, and the sones of hem, and the wyues of hem; and thei camen not `til to the pawment of the lake, til the liouns rauyschiden hem, and al to-braken alle the boonys of hem.
25 Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
Thanne Darius, the kyng, wroot to alle puplis, lynagis, and langagis, dwellynge in al erthe, Pees be multiplied to you.
26 I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and steadfast forever. And his kingdom is that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even to the end.
Therfor a decree is ordeyned of me, that in al myn empire and rewme men tremble, and drede the God of Danyel; for he is God lyuynge, and euerlastynge in to worldis, and his rewme schal not be distried, and his power is `til in to with outen ende.
27 He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
He is delyuerer and sauyour, makynge myraclis and merueils in heuene and in erthe, which delyuerede Danyel fro the lake of liouns.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Certis Danyel dwellide stabli `til to the rewme of Darius, and `til to the rewme of Sirus of Persey.
