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 kings 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 It pleside Darius, and he ordeynede sixe score duykis ouer the rewme, that thei schulden be in al his rewme.2 And ouer hem he ordeynede thre princes, of whiche Danyel was oon; that the duykis schulden yelde resoun to hem, and that the kyng schulde not suffre ony disese.3 Therfor Danyel ouercam alle the princes and duikis, for more spirit of God was in hym.4 Certis the kyng thouyte to ordeyne hym on al the rewme. Wherfor princes and duikis souyten to fynde occasioun to Danyel, of the side of the kyng; and thei miyten fynde no cause and suspicioun, for he was feithful, and no blame and suspicioun was foundun in hym.5 Therfor tho men seiden, We schulen not fynde ony occasioun to this Danyel, no but in hap in the lawe of his God.6 Thanne the princes and duykis maden fals suggestioun to the kyng, and spaken thus to hym, Kyng Darius, lyue thou with onten ende.7 Alle the princes of thi rewme, and magistratis, and duykis, senatours, and iugis, han maad a counsel, that a decree and comaundement of the emperour go out, that ech man that axith ony axyng of what euer god and man, til to thretti daies, no but of thee, thou kyng, he be sent in to the lake of liouns.8 Now therfor, kyng, conferme thou the sentence, and write thou the decree, that this that is ordeyned of Medeis and Perseis be not chaungid, nethir be it leueful to ony man to breke.9 Forsothe Darius, the kyng, settide forth, and confermyde the decree.10 And whanne Danyel hadde founde this thing, that is, the lawe ordeyned, he entride in to his hous; and the while the wyndows weren open in his soler ayens Jerusalem, in thre tymes in the dai he bowide hise knees, and worschipide, and knoulechide bifore his God, as he was wont to do bifore.11 Therfor tho men enqueriden ful bisili, and founden Danyel preiynge, and bisechynge his God.12 And thei neiyiden and spaken to the kyng of the comaundement, Kyng, whether thou ordeynedist not, that ech man that axide ony of goddis and of men, til to thretti daies, no but thee, thou kyng, he schulde be sent in to the lake of liouns? To whiche men the kyng answeride, and seide, The word is soth, bi the decree of Medeis and Perseis, which it is not leueful to breke.13 Thanne thei answeriden, and seiden bifore the kyng, Danyel, of the sones of caitifte of Juda, reckide not of thi lawe, and of the comaundement, which thou ordeynedist, but thre tymes bi the dai he preieth in his bisechyng.14 And whanne the kyng hadde herd this word, he was sori ynow, and he settide the herte for Danyel, for to do delyuere hym; and til to the goyng doun of the sunne he trauelide for to do delyuere hym.15 But tho men vndurstoden the kyng, and seiden to hym, Wite thou, kyng, that it is the lawe of Medeis and of Perseis, that it is not leueful that ony decree be chaungid,16 which the kyng ordeyneth. Thanne the kyng comaundide, and thei brouyten Danyel, and senten hym in to the lake of liouns. And the kyng seide to Danyel, Thi God, whom thou worschipist euere, he schal delyuere thee.17 And o stoon was brouyt, and was put on the mouth of the lake, which the kyng aselide with his ryng, and with the ryng of hise beste men, lest ony thing were don ayens Danyel.18 Thanne the kyng yede in to his hous, and slepte with out soper, and metis weren not brouyte bifore hym; ferthermore and sleep yede awei fro hym.19 Thanne the kyng roos in the firste morewtid, and yede hastili to the lake of liouns;20 and he neiyide to the lake, and criede on Danyel with wepynge vois, and spak to hym, Danyel, the seruaunt of God lyuynge, gessist thou, whether thi God, whom thou seruest euere, miyte delyuere thee fro liouns?21 And Danyel answeride the kyng, and seide, King, lyue thou with outen ende.22 My God sente his aungel, and closide togidere the mouthis of liouns, and tho noieden not me, for riytfulnesse is foundun in me bifore hym; but also, thou kyng, Y dide no trespas bifore thee.23 Thanne the kyng made ioie greetli on hym, and comaundide Danyel to be led out of the lake. And Danyel was led out of the lake, and noon hirtyng was foundun in hym, for he bileuede to his God.24 Forsothe the kyng comaundide, tho men, that accusiden Danyel, weren brouyt, and weren sent in to the lake of liouns, thei, and the sones of hem, and the wyues of hem; and thei camen not `til to the pawment of the lake, til the liouns rauyschiden hem, and al to-braken alle the boonys of hem.25 Thanne Darius, the kyng, wroot to alle puplis, lynagis, and langagis, dwellynge in al erthe, Pees be multiplied to you.26 Therfor a decree is ordeyned of me, that in al myn empire and rewme men tremble, and drede the God of Danyel; for he is God lyuynge, and euerlastynge in to worldis, and his rewme schal not be distried, and his power is `til in to with outen ende.27 He is delyuerer and sauyour, makynge myraclis and merueils in heuene and in erthe, which delyuerede Danyel fro the lake of liouns.28 Certis Danyel dwellide stabli `til to the rewme of Darius, and `til to the rewme of Sirus of Persey.