Bel and the Dragon

Wycliffe Bible

¹ And king Astyages was put to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia took his realm. [And king Astyages is put to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia received the kingdom of him.]

² Forsooth Daniel ate with the king, and was honoured above all the friends of him. [Forsooth Daniel was meat-frère of the king, and honoured above all the friends of him.]

³ Also an idol, Bel by name, was at Babylon, and twelve measures of clean flour, of which measures each contained three bushels, and forty sheep, and six measures of wine, that be called amphoras, were spended in it (or were spent upon it) each day. [And an idol, Bel by name, was with (the) men of Babylon, and there were spended in it by all days twelve measures artabis, and one contained three bushels of flour, and forty sheep, and of wine six amphoras.]

⁴ And the king worshipped that Bel, and went each day to honour him; certainly Daniel worshipped his God. And the king said to him, Why worshippest thou not Bel? [And the king worshipped him, and went by all days for to honour it; forsooth Daniel honoured his God. And the king said to him, Why honourest thou not Bel?]

⁵ Which answered, and said to him, For I worship not idols made by hand, but God living, that made (out) of nought heaven and earth, and hath power of (or over) each flesh. [Which answering saith to him, For I worship not idols made by hand, but (the) living God, that made of nought heaven and earth, and hath power of each flesh.]

⁶ And the king said to him, Whether it seemeth not to thee, that Bel is a living god? whether thou seest not, how great things he eateth and drinketh each day? [And the king said to him, Whether Bel is not seen to thee a living God? whether thou seest not, how many things he eateth and drinketh each day?]

⁷ And Daniel said laughing, King, err thou not; for why this Bel is (made) of clay within, and of brass withoutforth, and eateth not, (neither drinketh), any time. [And Daniel laughing saith, King, err thou not; this is withinforth of clay, and withoutforth of brass, neither eateth any time, neither drinketh.]

⁸ And the king was wroth, and called the priests thereof, and said to them, If ye say not to me, who it is that eateth these costs, either expenses, ye shall die. [And the king wroth called the priests of him, and said to them, No but ye shall say to me, who eateth these gifts, ye shall die.]

⁹ Forsooth if ye show that Bel eateth these things, Daniel shall die, for he blasphemed Bel. And Daniel said to the king, Be it done by thy word. [Forsooth if ye shall show for Bel eateth these, Daniel shall die, for he blasphemed Bel. And Daniel said to the king, Be it done after thy word.]

¹⁰ Forsooth the priests of Bel were seventy, besides (their) wives, and little children, either servants, and sons. And the king came with Daniel into the temple of Bel. [Forsooth there were of Bel seventy priests, besides wives, and little children, and sons. And the king with Daniel came into the temple of Bel.]

¹¹ And the priests of Bel said, Lo! We shall go out, and thou, king, set (forth) (the) meats, and meddle (or mix) (the) wine, and close thou the door, and aseal it with thy ring. [And priests of Bel said, Lo! We shall go out, and thou, king, put meats, and mingle wine, and shut the door, and seal it with thy ring.]

¹² And when thou comest (in) early, if thou findest not all things eaten of (or by) Bel, we shall die by death, either Daniel shall die, that lied against us. [And when thou shalt come in early, no but thou shalt find all things eaten of Bel, by death we shall die, or Daniel, that lied against us.]

¹³ Soothly they trusted, for they had made a privy entering under the board (or And they were confident, for they had made a secret entrance under the table), and by it they entered ever (or repeatedly), and devoured those things. [Forsooth they despised, or set at nought, (or thought nothing of it), for they had made an hid entering (or a hidden entrance) under the board, and thereby they entered (for)evermore, and devoured those things.]

¹⁴ Forsooth it was done, after that they went out, and the king setted (forth) (the) meats before Bel, Daniel commanded to his children (or to his servants), and they brought ashes, and he riddled (them) through(out) all the temple, before the king (alone). And (then) they went out, and closed the door, and asealed (it) with the ring of the king, and went forth. [Forsooth it is done, after that they went out, and the king putted meats before Bel, Daniel commanded his children, and they brought to ashes, and by all the temple he riddled before the king. And they gone out closed the door, and sealing with ring of the king went away.]

¹⁵ But the priests entered in the night, by their custom, and the wives, and (the) children of them, and ate and drank all things. [Soothly the priests went in in night, after their custom, and wives, and sons of them, and ate all the things, and drank.]

¹⁶ Forsooth the king rose most early, and Daniel with him. [Soothly the king rose in the highest spring of day, and Daniel with him.]

¹⁷ And the king said, Daniel, whether the seals be safe? And he answered, King, those (or they) be safe. [And the king saith, Daniel, whether the seals be safe? Which answered, King, safe.]

¹⁸ And anon (or at once) when they had opened the door, the king beheld the board (or he looked at the table), and he cried on high with a great (or with a loud) voice, Bel, thou art great, and no guile is at thee. [And anon when they had opened the door, the king beheld the board, and he cried with great voice, Great art thou, Bel, and no guile is with thee.]

¹⁹ And Daniel laughed, and he held the king, (so) that he entered not within. And Daniel said, Lo! the pavement, perceive thou whose steps these be. [And Daniel laughed, and he held the king, lest he entered withinforth; and said, Lo! the pavement, perceive whose steps these be.]

²⁰ And the king said, I see (the) steps of men, and of women, and of young children. And the king was wroth. [And the king said, I see steps of men, and women, and young children. And the king is wroth.]

²¹ Then the king took (hold of) the priests, and the wives, and (the) children of them; and they showed to him (the) little privy doors, by which they entered, and wasted those things that were on the board (and they showed him the secret doors, by which they entered, and consumed those things that were on the table). [Then the king caught the priests, and wives, and sons of them; and they showed to him (the) small doors hid(den), by whom they entered, and wasted what things were on the board.]

²² Therefore the king killed them, and betook Bel into the power of Daniel, which destroyed that Bel, and his temple. [Therefore the king slew them, and betook Bel into power of Daniel, which destroyed him, and his temple.]

²³ And a great dragon (or a large snake) was (also) in that place, and (the) Babylonians worshipped it. [And a great dragon was in that place, and men of Babylonia worshipped him.]

²⁴ And the king said to Daniel, Lo! now thou mayest not say, that this is not a quick (or a living) god; therefore worship thou him. [And the king said to Daniel, Lo! now thou mayest not say, that this is not god living; therefore worship him.]

²⁵ And Daniel said to the king, I worship my Lord God, for he is God living. [And Daniel said to the king, I worship the Lord my God, for he is (the) living God.]

²⁶ But thou, king, give power to me, and I shall slay the dragon (or I will kill the snake), without sword or staff. And the king said, I give (leave) to thee. [Thou forsooth, king, give to me power, that I slay the dragon, without sword and staff. And the king saith, I give to thee.]

²⁷ Therefore Daniel took pitch, and tallow, and hairs, and seethed (them) together; and he made gobbets, and gave (them) into the mouth of the dragon, and the dragon was all-broken. And Daniel said, Lo! whom ye worship. (And so Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and boiled it all up, and he made lumps of it, and put it into the mouth of the snake, and the snake burst apart. And Daniel said, Behold! whom or what ye worship.) [Therefore Daniel took pitch, and fatness, and hairs, and seethed together; and he made gobbets, and gave into the mouth of the dragon, and the dragon is burst. And Daniel said, Lo! whom ye worship.]

²⁸ And when (the) Babylonians had heard this thing, they had indignation greatly; and they were gathered (together) against the king, and said, The king is made a Jew; he destroyed Bel, and killed the dragon (or the snake), and slew the priests. [Which thing when men of Babylonia heard, they had indignation greatly; and they be gathered against the king, and said, The king is made a Jew; he destroyed Bel, and slew the dragon, and killed priests.]

²⁹ And they said, when they were come to the king, Betake thou to us Daniel, that destroyed Bel, and killed the dragon (or the snake); (or) else we shall slay thee, and thine house. [And they said, when they came to the king, Give to us Daniel, that destroyed Bel, and slew the dragon; else we shall slay thee, and thine house.]

³⁰ Therefore the king saw, that they fell in on him greatly; and he was compelled by need, and he betook Daniel to them. [Therefore the king saw, that they fell into him greatly; and by need he constrained, gave to them Daniel.]

³¹ Which sent him into the pit of lions, and he was there (for) seven days. [Which sent him into the lake of lions, and he was there seven days.]

³² Certainly seven lions were in the pit, and two bodies and two sheep were given to them each day. And then those were not given to them, (so) that they should devour Daniel. [Forsooth in the lake were seven lions, and each day two bodies and two sheep were given to them. And then they were not given to them, that they should devour Daniel.]

³³ Forsooth Habakkuk, the prophet, was in Judea, and he had sodden pottage, and had set in loaves in a little pannier, (and had put some loaves in a little basket or bowl); and he went into the field, to bear (it) to (the) reapers. [Forsooth Habakkuk was a prophet in Judea, and he had sodden pottage, and had set in loaves in a little vessel, and went into the field, for to bear to reapers.]

³⁴ And the angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, Bear thou the meat (or Take the meal), which thou hast, into Babylon, to Daniel, which is in the pit of (the) lions. [And an angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, Bear thou the meat, that thou hast, into Babylon, to Daniel, that is in the lake of lions.]

³⁵ And Habakkuk said, Lord, I saw not Babylon, and I knew not (where) the pit (is). [And Habakkuk said, Lord, I saw not Babylon, and I know not the lake.]

³⁶ And the angel of the Lord took him by his top, and bare him by the hair of his head; and set him (down) in Babylon, on (or above) the pit, in the fierceness of his spirit. [And the angel of the Lord took him in the poll of him, and put him in Babylon, on the lake, in birr of his spirit.]

³⁷ And Habakkuk cried, and said, Daniel, the servant of God, take thou the meat (or the meal), that God hath sent to thee. [And Habakkuk cried, saying, Daniel, servant of God, take thou the meat, that God sent to thee.]

³⁸ And Daniel said, Lord God, thou hast mind on me, and hast not forsaken them that love thee. [And Daniel saith, Lord God, thou hast mind of me, and forsakest not men loving thee.]

³⁹ And Daniel rose, and ate; certainly the angel of the Lord restored Habakkuk anon (or at once) in his (own) place (again). [And Daniel rising ate; forsooth the angel of the Lord restored anon Habakkuk in his place.]

⁴⁰ Therefore the king came in (or on) the seventh day to bewail Daniel; and he came to the pit, and looked in, and lo! Daniel (was) sitting in the midst of (the) lions. [Therefore the king came in the seventh day for to wail Daniel; and he came to the lake, and looked within, and lo! Daniel sitting in the middle of lions.]

⁴¹ (And) The king cried on high with (a) great (or with a loud) voice, and said, Lord God of Daniel, thou art great; [And the king cried with (a) great voice, saying, Great art thou, Lord God of Daniel;]

⁴² and the king drew him out of the pit. Certainly he sent into the pit them, that were (the) cause of his perdition, and they were devoured in a moment before him. [and drew out him of the lake. Forsooth he sent into the lake them, that were cause of his perdition, and they be devoured in a moment before him.]

⁴³ Then the king said, They that dwell in all the earth, dread the God of Daniel, for he is God living into worlds (or he is the living God forevermore); he is (the) deliverer, and (the) Saviour, doing miracles and marvels in heaven and in earth, that delivered Daniel from the pit of (the) lions. [Then the king saith, Men dwelling in all earth, dread the God of Daniel; for he is deliverer, and saver, doing signs and miracles in heaven and in earth, that delivered Daniel of the lake of lions.]