1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss.3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.5 Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: "May King Darius live forever!7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den.8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered —in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions' den?" The king answered, "The decree stands —in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."13 Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day."14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, "Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed."16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed.18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den.20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"21 Daniel answered, "May the king live forever!22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty."23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.24 At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: "May you prosper greatly!26 "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus "the Persian.

1 حسن عند داريوس ان يولي على المملكة مئة وعشرين مرزبانا يكونون على المملكة كلها.2 وعلى هؤلاء ثلاثة وزراء احدهم دانيال لتؤدي المرازبة اليهم الحساب فلا تصيب الملك خسارة.3 ففاق دانيال هذا على الوزراء والمرازبة لان فيه روحا فاضلة وفكر الملك في ان يوليه على المملكة كلها.4 ثم ان الوزراء والمرازبة كانوا يطلبون علّة يجدونها على دانيال من جهة المملكة فلم يقدروا ان يجدوا علّة ولا ذنبا لانه كان امينا ولم يوجد فيه خطأ ولا ذنب.5 فقال هؤلاء الرجال لا نجد على دانيال هذا علّة الا ان نجدها من جهة شريعة الهه.6 حينئذ اجتمع هؤلاء الوزراء والمرازبة عند الملك وقالوا له هكذا ايها الملك داريوس عش الى الابد.7 ان جميع وزراء المملكة والشحن والمرازبة والمشيرين والولاة قد تشاوروا على ان يضعوا أمرا ملكيا ويشددوا نهيا بان كل من يطلب طلبة حتى ثلاثين يوما من اله او انسان الا منك ايها الملك يطرح في جب الأسود.8 فثبّت الآن النهي ايها الملك وامض الكتابة لكي لا تتغيّر كشريعة مادي وفارس التي لا تنسخ.9 لاجل ذلك امضى الملك داريوس الكتابة والنهي10 فلما علم دانيال بامضاء الكتابة ذهب الى بيته وكواه مفتوحة في عليته نحو اورشليم فجثا على ركبتيه ثلاث مرات في اليوم وصلّى وحمد قدام الهه كما كان يفعل قبل ذلك.11 فاجتمع جميع حينئذ هؤلاء الرجال فوجدوا دانيال يطلب ويتضرع قدام الهه.12 فتقدموا وتكلموا قدام الملك في نهي الملك. ألم تمض ايها الملك نهيا بان كل انسان يطلب من اله او انسان حتى ثلاثين يوما الا منك ايها الملك يطرح في جب الأسود. فاجاب الملك وقال الامر صحيح كشريعة مادي وفارس التي لا تنسخ.13 حينئذ اجابوا وقالوا قدام الملك ان دانيال الذي من بني سبي يهوذا لم يجعل لك ايها الملك اعتبارا ولا للنهي الذي امضيته بل ثلاث مرات في اليوم يطلب طلبته.14 فلما سمع الملك هذا الكلام اغتاظ على نفسه جدا وجعل قلبه على دانيال لينجيه واجتهد الى غروب الشمس لينقذه.15 فاجتمع اولئك الرجال الى الملك وقالوا للملك اعلم ايها الملك ان شريعة مادي وفارس هي ان كل نهي اوامر يضعه الملك لا يتغيّر.16 حينئذ امر الملك فاحضروا دانيال وطرحوه في جب الأسود. اجاب الملك وقال لدانيال ان الهك الذي تعبده دائما هو ينجيك.17 وأتي بحجر ووضع على فم الجب وختمه الملك بخاتمه وخاتم عظمائه لئلا يتغيّر القصد في دانيال18 حينئذ مضى الملك الى قصره وبات صائما ولم يؤت قدامه بسراريه وطار عنه نومه.19 ثم قام الملك باكرا عند الفجر وذهب مسرعا الى جب الأسود.20 فلما اقترب الى الجب نادى دانيال بصوت اسيف. اجاب الملك وقال لدانيال يا دانيال عبد الله الحي هل الهك الذي تعبده دائما قدر على ان ينجيك من الأسود.21 فتكلم دانيال مع الملك يا ايها الملك عش الى الابد.22 الهي ارسل ملاكه وسدّ افواه الأسود فلم تضرّني لاني وجدت بريئا قدامه وقدامك ايضا ايها الملك لم افعل ذنبا.23 حينئذ فرح الملك به وامر بان يصعد دانيال من الجب فأصعد دانيال من الجب ولم يوجد فيه ضرر لانه آمن بالهه.24 فامر الملك فاحضروا اولئك الرجال الذين اشتكوا على دانيال وطرحوهم في جب الأسود هم واولادهم ونساءهم. ولم يصلوا الى اسفل الجب حتى بطشت بهم الأسود وسحقت كل عظامهم25 ثم كتب الملك داريوس الى كل الشعوب والامم والألسنة الساكنين في الارض كلها. ليكثر سلامكم.26 من قبلي صدر امر بانه في كل سلطان مملكتي يرتعدون ويخافون قدام اله دانيال لانه هو الاله الحي القيوم الى الابد وملكوته لن يزول وسلطانه الى المنتهى27 هو ينجي وينقذ ويعمل الآيات والعجائب في السموات وفي الارض. هو الذي نجى دانيال من يد الأسود28 فنجح دانيال هذا في ملك داريوس وفي ملك كورش الفارسي