1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, that they might be over the kingdom.

2 And over them were three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, so that the satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no loss.

3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king was thinking to set him over all the kingdom.

4 Then the presidents and satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no occasion or fault because he was trustworthy. And no error or fault was found in him.

5 Then these men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.

6 Then these presidents and satraps gathered together to the king and said this to him, King Darius, live forever.

7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the officials and the governors, have planned together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except from you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions.

8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the document, so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away.

9 So, King Darius signed the document and the decree.

10 And when he had learned that the document was signed, Daniel went to his house. And in his roof room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt on his knees three times a day, and prayed and praised before his God, as he did before.

11 Then these men conspired together and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree, saying, Have you not signed a decree that every man who shall ask of any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, that he shall be thrown into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is certain, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away.

13 Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, who is of the sons of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard to you, O king, or the decree that you have signed, but he makes his petition three times a day.

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased with himself, and he set his heart on Daniel, to deliver him. And he labored until the going down of the sun to deliver him.

15 Then these men met before the king and said to the king, O king, know that the law of the Medes and Persians is that no decree or law which the king establishes may be changed.

16 And the king commanded. And they brought Daniel, and they threw him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually will deliver you.

17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den. And the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his nobles, that the matter concerning Daniel might not be changed.

18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king rose up at dawn, at daybreak, and hurried to the den of lions.

20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a grieving voice to Daniel. The king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you always serve, is He able to deliver you from the lions?

21 Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever!

22 My God has sent His Angel, and He has shut the mouths of the lions. And they have not harmed me, because in His sight innocence was found in me. And also before you, O king, I have done no harm.

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad over him. And he commanded to bring up Daniel from the den. And Daniel was brought out of the den, and no harm was found on him, because he trusted in his God.

24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel. And they threw them into the den of lions, them, their sons and their wives. And the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones before they ever reached the bottom of the den.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, the nations, and the languages who were living in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

26 I make a decree, that in every domain of my kingdom there shall be trembling and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God and endures forever, and His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed. And His rule shall be to the end.

27 He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, He who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel was made to prosper in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

1 Dario achou por bem nomear cento e vinte sátrapas para governarem todo o reino;

2 e colocou três supervisores sobre eles, um dos quais era Daniel. Os sátrapas tinham que prestar contas a eles para que o rei não sofresse nenhuma perda.

3 Ora, Daniel se destacou tanto entre os supervisores e os sátrapas por suas grandes qualidades, que o rei planejava colocá-lo à frente do governo de todo o império.

4 Diante disso, os supervisores e os sátrapas procuraram motivos para acusar Daniel em sua administração governamental, mas nada conseguiram. Não puderam achar falta alguma nele, pois ele era fiel; não era desonesto nem negligente.

5 Finalmente esses homens disseram: "Jamais encontraremos algum motivo para acusar esse Daniel, a menos que seja algo relacionado com a lei do Deus dele".

6 E assim os supervisores e os sátrapas de comum acordo foram falar com o rei: "Ó rei Dario, vive para sempre!

7 Todos os supervisores reais, os prefeitos, os sátrapas, os conselheiros e os governadores concordaram em que o rei deve emitir um decreto ordenando que todo aquele que orar a qualquer deus ou a qualquer homem nos próximos trinta dias, exceto a ti, ó rei, seja atirado na cova dos leões.

8 Agora, ó rei, emite o decreto e assina-o para que não seja alterado, conforme a lei dos medos e dos persas, que não pode ser revogada".

9 E o rei Dario assinou o decreto.

10 Quando Daniel soube que o decreto tinha sido publicado, foi para casa, para o seu quarto, no andar de cima, onde as janelas davam para Jerusalém. Três vezes por dia ele se ajoelhava e orava, agradecendo ao seu Deus, como costumava fazer.

11 Então aqueles homens foram ver e encontraram Daniel orando, pedindo ajuda a Deus.

12 Assim foram falar com o rei acerca do decreto real: "Tu não publicaste um decreto ordenando que nos próximos trinta dias todo aquele que fizesse algum pedido a qualquer deus ou a qualquer homem, exceto a ti, ó rei, seria lançado na cova dos leões? " O rei respondeu: "O decreto está em vigor, conforme a lei dos medos e dos persas, que não pode ser revogada".

13 Então disseram ao rei: "Daniel, um dos exilados de Judá, não te dá ouvidos, ó rei, nem ao decreto que assinaste. Ele continua orando três vezes por dia".

14 Quando o rei ouviu isso, ficou muito contrariado, e como estava decidido a salvar Daniel, até o pôr-do-sol fez todo o esforço que pôde para livrá-lo.

15 Mas os homens lhe disseram: "Lembra-te, ó rei, que, conforme a lei dos medos e dos persas, nenhum decreto ou edito do rei pode ser modificado".

16 Então o rei deu ordens, e eles trouxeram Daniel e o jogaram na cova dos leões. O rei, porém, disse a Daniel: "Que o seu Deus, a quem você serve continuamente, o livre! "

17 Taparam a cova com uma pedra, e o rei a selou com o seu próprio anel-selo e com os anéis dos seus nobres, para que a situação de Daniel não se modificasse.

18 Tendo voltado ao palácio, o rei passou a noite sem comer e não aceitou nenhum divertimento em sua presença. Além disso, não conseguiu dormir.

19 Logo ao alvorecer, o rei se levantou e correu para a cova dos leões.

20 Quando ia se aproximando da cova, chamou Daniel com voz aflita: "Daniel, servo do Deus vivo, será que o seu Deus, a quem você serve continuamente, pôde livrá-lo dos leões? "

21 Daniel respondeu: "Ó rei, vive para sempre!

22 O meu Deus enviou o seu anjo, que fechou a boca dos leões. Eles não me fizeram mal algum, pois fui considerado inocente à vista de Deus. Também contra ti não cometi mal algum, ó rei".

23 O rei muito se alegrou e ordenou que tirassem Daniel da cova. Quando o tiraram da cova, viram que não havia nele nenhum ferimento, pois ele tinha confiado no seu Deus.

24 E por ordem do rei, os homens que tinham acusado Daniel foram atirados na cova dos leões, juntamente com as suas mulheres e os seus filhos. E, antes de chegarem ao fundo, os leões os atacaram e despedaçaram todos os seus ossos.

25 Então o rei Dario escreveu aos homens de todas as nações, povos e línguas de toda a terra: "Paz e prosperidade!

26 "Estou editando um decreto para que nos domínios do império os homens temam e reverenciem o Deus de Daniel. "Pois ele é o Deus vivo e permanece para sempre; o seu reino não será destruído, o seu domínio jamais acabará.

27 Ele livra e salva; faz sinais e maravilhas nos céus e na terra. Ele livrou Daniel do poder dos leões".

28 Assim Daniel prosperou durante os reinados de Dario e de Ciro, o persa.