Daniel 6
1 It pleased Darius to appoint over the kingdom 120 provincial governors who would rule over all the kingdom.
It was pleasing before Darius, that he should set up over the kingdom, a hundred and twenty satraps, —that they should be over all the kingdom;
2 Over them there were three chief administrators, and Daniel was one of them. These chief administrators were appointed so that they might supervise the provincial governors, so that the king should suffer no loss.
and, over these, three confidential ministers, of whom, Daniel, was first, —that, to them, these satraps should render an account, and, the king, not be suffering loss.
3 Daniel was distinguished above the other chief administrators and the provincial governors because he had an extraordinary spirit. The king was planning to put him over the whole kingdom.
Then, this Daniel, signalised himself, above the ministers and the satraps, because, a distinguished spirit, was in him, and, the king, thought to set him up over all the kingdom,
4 Then the other chief administrators and the provincial governors looked for mistakes in the work Daniel did for the kingdom, but they could find no corruption or failure in his duty because he was faithful. No mistakes or negligence was found in him.
Then, the ministers and the satraps, began seeking to find, occasion, against Daniel, in respect of the kingdom, —but, no occasion nor wickedness, could they find, inasmuch as, faithful, was he, and, neither error nor wickedness, could be found against him.
5 Then these men said, “We cannot find any reason to complain against this Daniel unless we find something against him regarding the law of his God.”
Then, these men, were saying, We shall not find against this Daniel, any occasion; unless we find it against him in respect of the law of his God.
6 Then these administrators and governors brought a plan before the king. They said to him, “King Darius, may you live forever!
Then, these ministers and satraps, crowded together unto the king, —and, thus, were saying to him, O Darius the king! for ages, live!
7 All the chief administrators of the kingdom, the regional governors, and the provincial governors, the advisors, and the governors have consulted together and decided that you, the king, should issue a decree and should enforce it, so that whoever makes a petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, king, that person must be thrown into the den of lions.
All the ministers of the kingdom, the nobles and satraps, the near friends and the pashas, have consulted together, to establish a royal statute, and to confirm an interdict, —That, whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, King, issue a decree and sign the document so that it may not be changed, as directed by the laws of the Medes and Persians, so it cannot be repealed.”
Now, O king! wilt thou establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it may not be changed—according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished,
9 So king Darius signed the document making the decree into a law.
Wherefore, King Darius, signed the writing and the interdict.
10 When Daniel learned that the document had been signed into law, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his upper room toward Jerusalem), and he got down on his knees, as he did three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done before.
But, Daniel, when he knew that the writing, was signed, went to his own house, and, the windows being opened to him, in his chamber, toward Jerusalem, three times a day, was he kneeling upon his knees, and praying and giving thanks before his God, in like manner as he had been doing aforetime.
11 Then these men who had formed the plot together saw Daniel make requests and seek help from God.
Then, these men, crowded together, and found Daniel, —praying and making supplication, before his God.
12 Then they approached the king and spoke with him about his decree: “Did you not make a decree that everyone who makes a petition to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, king, must be throw into the den of lions?” The king answered, “The matter is settled, as directed by the law of the Medes and Persians; it cannot be repealed.”
Then drew they near, and began to speak before the king, concerning the royal interdict, Didst thou not sign, an interdict, that, any man who should petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee, O king, should be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, Certain is the thing—according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished.
13 Then they replied to the king, “That person Daniel, who is one of the people of the exile from Judah, pays no attention to you, king, or to the decree that you have signed. He prays to his God three times a day.”
Then answered they and were saying before the king, Daniel, who is of the sons of the exile of Judah, hath made thee, O king, of none account, also the interdict which thou hast signed, —but, three times a day, is asking his petition.
14 When the king heard this, he was terribly distressed, and he applied his mind to rescue Daniel from this ruling. He labored until sunset to try to save Daniel.
Then, the king, when he heard, the matter, was sorely displeased with himself, and, upon Daniel, set his heart, to deliver him, —and, until the going in of the sun, was striving to rescue him.
15 Then these men who had formed the plot gathered together with the king and said to him, “Know, king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree or statute that the king issues can be changed.”
Then, these men, crowded unto the king, —and were saying to the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that, no interdict nor statute which the king establisheth, may be changed.
16 Then the king gave an order, and they brought in Daniel, and they threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you.”
Then, the king, gave word, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spake and said to Daniel, —Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, he, will deliver thee.
17 A stone was brought over the entrance to the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
And there was brought a certain stone, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet-ring, and with the signet-ring of his nobles, that nothing might be changed, as to Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace and he went through the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
Then the king departed to his palace, and spent the night fasting, and no, table, was brought in before him, —and, his sleep, fled from him.
19 Then at daybreak the king got up and he quickly went to the lions' den.
Then the king rose early, with the dawn, —and, hastily—unto the den of lions, departed;
20 As he came near to the den, he called out to Daniel in a sad voice, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to save you from the lions?”
and, when he drew near to the den, unto Daniel, with distressed voice, made he outcry, —the king spake and said unto Daniel, O Daniel! servant of the Living God! Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, hath he been able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then said Daniel to the king, “King, live forever!
Then, Daniel, with the king, spake, —O king! for ages, live!
22 My God has sent his messenger and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me. For I was found blameless before him and also before you, king, and I have done you no harm.”
My God, hath sent his messenger, and hath shut the mouth of the lions, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as, before him, rectitude was found in me, moreover also, before thee, O king, no, crime, had I committed.
23 Then the king was very happy. He gave an order that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den. No harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Then, the king, was exceedingly glad concerning him, and gave word to take up, Daniel, out of the den. So Daniel, was taken up, out of the den, and, no manner of hurt, was found in him, for that he had trusted in his God.
24 The king gave an order, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel and threw them into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the floor, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones to pieces.
And the king, gave word, that they should bring those men who had accused Daniel, and, into the den of lions, they cast them—them, their children, and their wives, —and, they had not reached the bottom of the den, when the lions, seized them, and, all their bones, brake they in pieces.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that live in all the earth: “May peace increase for you.
Then, Darius the king, wrote to all the peoples, the races, and the tongues who were dwelling in all the earth, Your prosperity abound!
26 I hereby 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 lives forever, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed; his dominion shall be to the end.
From before me, is appointed a decree that, throughout every dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and withdraw falteringly from before the God of Daniel, —for that, he, is the Living God, and abiding for ages, and, his kingdom, that which shall not be destroyed, and, his dominion, is unto the end:
27 He makes us safe and rescues us, and he does signs and wonders in heaven and in earth; he has kept Daniel safe from the strength of the lions.”
who delivereth and rescueth and worketh signs and wonders, in the heavens, and in the earth, —for that he hath delivered Daniel out of the power of the lions.
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
And, this Daniel, prospered in the reign of Darius, —and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.:
