< Daniel 6 >

1 Darius deemed it proper, and he set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty lieutenants, who should be over all the kingdom;
It hath been good before Darius, and he hath established over the kingdom satraps — a hundred and twenty — that they may be throughout the whole kingdom,
2 And over these, three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these lieutenants should give accounts unto them, so that the king might suffer no damage.
and higher than they three presidents, of whom Daniel [is] first, that these satraps may give to them an account, and the king have no loss.
3 Then did this Daniel excel [all] the presidents and lieutenants, because a superior spirit was in him: and the king thought to appoint him over the whole kingdom.
Then this Daniel hath been overseer over the presidents and satraps, because that an excellent spirit [is] in him, and the king hath thought to establish him over the whole kingdom.
4 Then sought the presidents and lieutenants to find a pretext against Daniel on account of the management of the kingdom; but they were not able to find any pretext or fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, and no kind of error or fault was to be found on him.
Then the presidents and satraps have been seeking to find a cause of complaint against Daniel concerning the kingdom, and any cause of complaint and corruption they are not able to find, because that he [is] faithful, and any error and corruption have not been found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any pretext against this Daniel, except we find it against him in the law of his God.
Then these men are saying, 'We do not find against this Daniel any cause of complaint, except we have found [it] against him in the law of his God.'
6 Then came these presidents and lieutenants tumultuously to the king, and thus said they unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
Then these presidents and satraps have assembled near the king, and thus they are saying to him: 'O king Darius, to the ages live!
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the superintendents, and the lieutenants, the counsellors, and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm prohibition, that whosoever will ask any thing by prayer of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
Taken counsel have all the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors, to establish a royal statute, and to strengthen an interdict, that any who seeketh a petition from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the prohibition, and sign the writing, that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which is not to be repealed.
Now, O king, thou dost establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'
9 In view of this king Darius signed the writing and the prohibition.
Therefore king Darius hath signed the writing and interdict.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went up unto his house, where he had open windows in his upper chamber in the direction of Jerusalem; and three times every day he kneeled upon his knees, and prayed, and offered thanks before his God, as he had been doing before that time.
And Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing [it] before this.
11 Then came in these men tumultuously, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
Then these men have assembled, and found Daniel praying and entreating grace before his God;
12 Then came they near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's prohibition, Hast thou not signed a prohibition, that every man that will pray [for aught] of any God or man, within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is certainly so, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot he repealed.
then they have come near, yea, they are saying before the king concerning the king's interdict: 'Hast thou not signed an interdict, that any man who seeketh from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions?' Answered hath the king, and said, 'The thing [is] certain as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the exiles of Judah, hath paid no regard to thee, O king, nor to the prohibition which thou hast signed; but three times every day he offereth up his prayer.
Then they have answered, yea, they are saying before the king, that, 'Daniel, who [is] of the sons of the Removed of Judah, hath not placed on thee, O king, [any] regard, nor on the interdict that thou hast signed, and three times in a day he is seeking his petition.'
14 Then the king, when he heard this matter, felt very much distressed within himself, and on account of Daniel he sought an excuse to deliver him; and till the going down of the sun he strove hard to rescue him.
Then the king, when he hath heard the matter, is greatly displeased at himself, and on Daniel he hath set the heart to deliver him, and till the going up of the sun he was arranging to deliver him.
15 Then came these men tumultuously unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians. That every prohibition and statute which the king hath established is not to be changed.
Then these men have assembled near the king, and are saying to the king, 'know, O king, that the law of Media and Persia [is]: That any interdict and statute that the king doth establish is not to be changed.'
16 Then gave the king the order, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king commenced and said unto Daniel, May thy God whom thou worshippest continually, truly deliver thee.
Then the king hath said, and they have brought Daniel, and have cast [him] into a den of lions. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, 'Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, Himself doth deliver thee.'
17 And a stone was brought, and placed upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet-ring, and with the signet-ring of his lords, that nothing should be changed in the purpose concerning Daniel.
And a stone hath been brought and placed at the mouth of the den, and the king hath sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his great men, that the purpose be not changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then went the king to his palace, and passed the night fasting: and no food was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Then hath the king gone to his palace, and he hath passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been brought up before him, and his sleep hath fled [from] off him.
19 Then arose the king by the morning-dawn, as soon as it was light, and went in great haste unto the den of lions.
Then doth the king rise in the early morning, at the light, and in haste to the den of lions he hath gone;
20 And when he came near to the den, he cried with a mournful voice unto Daniel: the king commenced and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, hath thy God, whom thou worshippest continually, been able to deliver thee from the lions!
and at his coming near to the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice, he crieth. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God, whom thou art serving continually, is He able to deliver thee from the lions?'
21 Then spoke Daniel with the king, O king, live for ever.
Then Daniel hath spoken with the king: 'O king, to the ages live:
22 My God sent his angel, and locked up the mouths of the lions, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, had I done nothing injurious.
my God hath sent His messenger, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not injured me: because that before Him purity hath been found in me; and also before thee, O king, injury I have not done.'
23 Then was the king exceedingly glad within himself, and concerning Daniel he ordered to bring him up out of the den. So was Daniel brought up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God.
Then was the king very glad for him, and he hath commanded Daniel to be taken up out of the den, and Daniel hath been taken up out of the den, and no injury hath been found in him, because he hath believed in his God.
24 And the king gave the order, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel treacherously, and they cast into the den of lions them, their children, and their wives; and they had not yet touched the bottom of the den when the lions had the mastery over them, and ground up all their bones.
And the king hath said, and they have brought those men who had accused Daniel, and to the den of lions they have cast them, they, their sons, and their wives; and they have not come to the lower part of the den till that the lions have power over them, and all their bones they have broken small.
25 Then wrote king Darius unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell on all the earth, May your welfare increase.
Then Darius the king hath written to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who are dwelling in all the land: 'Your peace be great!
26 From me is it decreed, That in all the dominion of my kingdom men shall tremble and have fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and endureth for ever, and it is his kingdom which will not be destroyed, and his dominion will be unto the end [of things].
From before me is made a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom they are trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for He [is] the living God, and abiding to the ages, and His kingdom that which [is] not destroyed, and His dominion [is] unto the end.
27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he displayeth sings and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
A deliverer, and rescuer, and doer of signs and wonders in the heavens and in earth [is] He who hath delivered Daniel from the paw of the lions.'
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
And this Daniel hath prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

< Daniel 6 >