< Daniel 1 >

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
In the thridde yeer of the rewme of Joachym, king of Juda, Nabugodonosor, the kyng of Babiloyne, cam to Jerusalem, and bisegide it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god: and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
And the Lord bitook in his hond Joachym, the kyng of Juda, and he took a part of the vessels of the hous of God; and he bar out tho in to the lond of Sennaar, in to the hous of his god, and he took the vessels in to the hous of tresour of his god.
3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in [certain] of the children of Israel, even of the seed royal and of the nobles;
And the kyng seide to Asphaneth, souereyn of his onest seruauntis and chast, that he schulde brynge yn of the sones of Israel, and of the kyngis seed, and the children of tirauntis, in whiche weren no wem,
4 youths in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
faire in schap, and lerned in al wisdom, war in kunnyng, and tauyt in chastisyng, and that myyten stonde in the paleis of the kyng, that he schulde teche hem the lettris and langage of Caldeis.
5 And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
And the king ordeynede to hem lijflode bi ech dai of hise meetis, and of the wyn wherof he drank; that thei nurschid bi thre yeer, schulden stonde aftirward bifor the siyt of the kyng.
6 Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Therfor Danyel, Ananye, Myzael, and Azarie, of the sones of Juda, weren among hem.
7 And the prince of the eunuchs gave names unto them: unto Daniel he gave [the name of] Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, [of] Shadrach; and to Mishael, [of] Meshach; and to Azariah, [of] Abed-nego.
And the souereyn of onest seruauntis and chast puttide to hem names; to Danyel he puttide Balthasar; to Ananye, Sidrach; to Mysael, Misach; and to Azarie, Abdenago.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Forsothe Danyel purposide in his herte, that he schulde not be defoulid of the boord of the kyng, nether of the wyn of his drink; and he preiede the souereyn of onest seruauntis and chast, that he schulde not be defoulid.
9 Now God made Daniel to find favour and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs.
Forsothe God yaf grace and merci to Daniel, in the siyt of the prince of onest seruauntis and chast.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Darnel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the youths which are of your own age? so should ye endanger my head with the king.
And the prince of onest seruauntis and chast seide to Daniel, Y drede my lord the king, that ordeinede to you mete and drynk; and if he seeth youre faces lennere than othere yonge wexynge men, youre eueneeldis, ye schulen condempne myn heed to the kyng.
11 Then said Daniel to the steward, whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
And Danyel seide to Malazar, whom the prince of onest seruauntis and chast hadde ordeynede on Danyel, Ananye, Mysael, and Asarie,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
Y biseche, asaie thou vs thi seruauntis bi ten daies, and potagis be youun to vs to ete, and water to drynke; and biholde thou oure cheris,
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of the king’s meat; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
and the cheris of children that eten the kyngis mete; and as thou seest, so do thou with thi seruauntis.
14 So he hearkened unto them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
And whanne he herde siche a word, he asaiede hem bi ten daies.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths which did eat of the king’s meat.
Forsothe after ten daies the cheris of hem apperiden betere and fattere, than alle the children that eeten the kyngis mete.
16 So the steward took away their meat, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.
Certis Malazar took the metis, and the wyn of the drynk of hem, and yaf to hem potagis.
17 Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Forsothe to these children God yaf kunnyng and lernyng in ech book, and in al wisdom; but to Daniel God yaf vndurstondyng of alle visiouns and dremys.
18 And at the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
Therfor whanne the daies weren fillid, aftir whiche the kyng seide, that thei schulden be brouyt yn, the souereyn of onest seruauntis and chast brouyte in hem, in the siyt of Nabugodonosor.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
And whanne the kyng hadde spoke to hem, siche weren not foundun of alle, as Daniel, Ananye, Misael, and Azarie; and thei stoden in the siyt of the king.
20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm.
And ech word of wisdom and of vndurstondyng, which the king axide of hem, he foond in hem ten fold ouer alle false dyuynouris and astronomyens, that weren in al his rewme.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Forsothe Danyel was til to the firste yeer of king Cyrus.

< Daniel 1 >