1 Forsothe Danyel eet with the kyng, and was onourid aboue alle the frendis of hym.

2 Also an idol, Bel bi name, was at Babiloyne, and twelue mesuris of cleene flour, of whiche mesuris eche conteynede thre buyschels, and fourti scheep, and sixe mesuris of wyn, that ben clepid amfris, weren spendid in it ech day.

3 And the kyng worschipede that Beel, and yede ech dai to onoure hym; certis Danyel worschipide his God. And the kyng seide to hym, Whi worschipist thou not Beel?

4 Which answeride, and seide to him, For Y worschipe not idols maad bi hond, but God lyuynge, that made of nouyt heuene and erthe, and hath power of ech fleisch.

5 And the kyng seide to hym, Whether it semeth not to thee, that Bel is a lyuynge god? whether thou seest not, hou grete thingis he etith and drynkith ech dai?

6 And Daniel seide leiyinge, Kyng, erre thou not; for whi this Bel is of clei with ynne, and of bras withoutforth, and etith not ony tyme.

7 And the king was wroth, and clepide the preestis therof, and seide to hem, If ye seien not to me, who it is that etith these costis, ye schulen die.

8 Forsothe if ye schewen that Bel etith these thingis, Daniel schal die, for he blasfemede Bel. And Daniel seide to the king, Be it don bi thi word.

9 Forsothe the prestis of Bel weren seuenti, outakun wyues, and litle children, ether seruauntis, and sones. And the kyng cam with Daniel in to the temple of Bel.

10 And the preestis of Bel seiden, Lo! we schulen go out, and thou, kyng, sette meetis, and meddle wyn, and close thou the dore, and aseele it with thi ryng.

11 And whanne thou entrist eerli, if thou fyndist not alle thingis etun of Bel, we schulen die bi deth, ether Daniel schal die, that liede ayens vs.

12 Sotheli thei tristiden, for thei hadden maad a priuy entryng vndur the boord, and bi it thei entriden euere, and deuouriden tho thingis.

13 Forsothe it was don, aftir that thei yeden out, and the king settide metis bifor Bel, Daniel comaundide to hise children, and thei brouyten aischis, and he riddlide thorouy al the temple bifor the kyng. And thei yeden out, and closiden the dore, and aseeliden with the ryng of the kyng, and yeden forth.

14 But the preestis entriden in niyt, bi her custom, and the wyues, and children of hem, and eeten and drunken alle thingis.

15 Forsothe the kyng roos moost eerli, and Daniel with hym.

16 And the kyng seide, Daniel, whether the seelis ben saaf? And he answeride, King, tho ben saaf.

17 And anoon whanne thei hadden openyd the dore, the king biheelde the boord, and he criede an hiy with a greet vois, Bel, thou art greet, and no gile is at thee.

18 And Daniel leiyede, and he helde the kyng, that he entride not with ynne. And Daniel seide, Lo! the pawment, perseyue thou whos steppis these ben.

19 And the kyng seide, Y se steppis of men, and of wymmen, and of yonge children. And the kyng was wrooth.

20 Thanne the kyng took the preestis, and the wyues, and children of hem; and thei schewiden to hym litle priuy doris, bi whiche thei entriden, and wastiden tho thingis that weren on the boord.

21 Therfor the kyng killide hem, and bitook Bel in to the power of Daniel, which distriede thilke Bel, and his temple.

22 And a greet dragoun was in that place, and Babiloyns worschipiden it.

23 And the kyng seide to Daniel, Lo! now thou maist not seie, that this is not a quik god; therfor worschipe thou hym.

24 And Daniel seide to the kyng, Y worschipe my Lord God, for he is God lyuynge.

25 But thou, kyng, yyue power to me, and Y schal sle the dragoun, with out swerd and staf. And the kyng seide, Y yyue to thee.

26 Therfor Daniel took pitch, and talow, and heeris, and sethide togidere; and he made gobetis, and yaf in to the mouth of the dragun; and the dragun was al to-brokun. And Daniel seide, Lo! whom ye worschipiden.

27 And whanne Babiloynes hadden herd this thing, thei hadden indignacioun greetli; and thei weren gaderid ayens the king, and seiden, The king is maad a Jew; he distriede Bel, and killide the dragun, and slow the preestis.

28 And thei seiden, whanne thei weren comun to the kyng, Bitake thou to vs Daniel, that distriede Bel, and killide the dragun; ellis we schulen sle thee, and thin hous.

29 Therfor the kyng siy, that thei fellen in on hym greetli; and he was compellid bi nede, and he bitook Daniel to hem.

30 Whiche senten hym in to the lake of liouns, and he was there seuene daies.

31 Certis seuene liouns weren in the lake, and twei bodies and twei scheep weren youun to hem ech dai. And thanne tho weren not youun to hem, that thei schulden deuoure Daniel.

32 Forsothe Abacuk, the profete, was in Judee, and he hadde soden potage, and hadde set in looues in a litil panyere; and he yede in to the feeld, to bere to reperis.

33 And the aungel of the Lord seide to Abacuk, Bere thou the mete, which thou hast, in to Babiloyne, to Daniel, which is in the lake of liouns.

34 And Abacuk seide, Lord, Y siy not Babiloyne, and Y knew not the lake.

35 And the aungel of the Lord took hym bi his top, and bar hym bi the heer of his heed; and he `settide thilke Abacuk in Babiloyne, on the lake, in the fersnesse of his spirit.

36 And Abacuk criede, and seide, Daniel, the seruaunt of God, take thou the mete, that God hath sent to thee.

37 And Daniel seide, Lord God, thou hast mynde on me, and hast not forsake hem that louen thee.

38 And Daniel roos, and eet; certis the aungel of the Lord restoride Abacuk anoon in his place.

39 Therfor the kyng cam in the seuenthe dai to biweile Danyel; and he cam to the lake, and lokide in, and lo! Daniel sittynge in the myddis of liouns.

40 The kyng criede an hiy with greet vois, and seide, Lord God of Daniel, thou art greet; and the kyng drow hym out of the lake.

41 Certis he sente in to the lake hem, that weren cause of his perdicioun, and thei weren deuourid in a moment bifor him.

42 Thanne the kyng seide, Thei that dwellen in al erthe, drede the God of Daniel, for he is God lyuynge in to worldis; he is delyuerere, and sauyour, doynge myraclis and meruels in heuene and in erthe, that delyuerede Daniel fro the lake of liouns.