< Daniel 6 >

1 It pleased Daryavesh to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole 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 them three administrators, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.
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 this Daniel was distinguished above the administrators and the satraps, because an extraordinary spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
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 the administrators and the satraps sought to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful. Neither was there any error or fault found in 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 these men said, "We will not find any charge against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning 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 these administrators and satraps assembled together to the king, and said this to him, "King Daryavesh, live forever.
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 administrators 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 decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he 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 decree, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed."
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 Therefore king Daryavesh signed the writing and the decree.
Therefore king Darius hath signed the writing and interdict.
10 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 kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.
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 these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and petition before his God.
Then these men have assembled, and found Daniel praying and entreating grace before his God;
12 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree. "Haven't you signed a decree, that every man who shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed."
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 they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn't regard you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."
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 these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored until the going down of the sun 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 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 decree nor statute which the king establishes may 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 the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you."
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 A stone was brought, and placed on the opening 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 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 the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music 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 the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to 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 When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God. Is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you 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 said Daniel to the king, "O king, live forever.
Then Daniel hath spoken with the king: 'O king, to the ages live:
22 My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; because before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, have I done no wrong."
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, 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 hurt was found on 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 The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.
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 king Daryavesh wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: "Peace be multiplied to you.
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 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. His kingdom shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be to the end.
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 delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has 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 Daryavesh, and in the reign of Koresh the Persian.
And this Daniel hath prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

< Daniel 6 >