Beginning

4 Nebuchadnezzar, the king, writeth thus to all peoples, [folks,] and languages, that dwell in all earth, peace be multiplied to you. (King Nebuchadnezzar writeth this to all the peoples, and nations, of every language, who live on all the earth, peace be multiplied to you.)

² (The) High God made at me miracles and marvels; therefore it pleased me to preach his miracles, (The Most High God made miracles and marvels before me; and so it pleased me to preach about his miracles,)

³ for those be great, and his marvels, for those be strong; and his realm is an everlasting realm, and his power is into generation and into generation. (for they be great, and his marvels, for they be overwhelming; and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power is forever and ever.)

⁴ I, Nebuchadnezzar, was restful in mine house (was comfortable in my house), and flourishing in my palace;

⁵ I saw a dream that made me afeared; and my thoughts in my bed, and the sights of mine head, disturbed me. (I had a dream that made me afraid; and my thoughts on my bed, and the sights in my head, greatly disturbed me.)

⁶ And a decree was set forth by me, that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought in before my sight, and that they should show to me the solving of the dream (and that they should tell me the dream’s interpretation).

⁷ Then false diviners, astronomers, Chaldees, and beholders of altars entered; and I told the dream in the sight of them, and they showed not to me the solving thereof, (Then the fortunetellers, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the beholders on altars entered; and I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation,)

⁸ till the fellow in office, Daniel, to whom the name was Belteshazzar, by the name of my god, entered in my sight, the which Daniel hath the spirit of (the) holy gods in himself; and I spake the dream before him. (And I said,)

⁹ Belteshazzar, prince of (false) diviners, whom I know, that thou hast in thee the spirit of holy gods, and each sacrament, either private, is not impossible to thee, tell thou to me the visions of my dreams which I saw, and the solving of those. (O Belteshazzar, the chief of the fortunetellers, whom I know, that thou hast in thee the spirit of the holy gods, and every secret, or mystery, or hidden truth, is not impossible to thee, listen thou to me about the vision of my dream which I saw, and then tell me its interpretation.)

¹⁰ This is the vision of mine head in my bed. I saw, and lo! a tree was in the midst of (the) earth, and the highness thereof was full great. (This is the vision that I had in my head on my bed. I saw, and lo! a tree was in the midst of the earth, and its height was very great.)

¹¹ And the tree was great and strong, and the height thereof touched heaven (and its height touched the heavens, or the sky), and the beholding thereof was unto the ends of all (the) earth.

¹² The leaves thereof were full fair, and the fruit thereof was full much, and the meat of all was in it; beasts and wild beasts dwelled under it, and birds of the air lived in the branches thereof, and each man ate of it. (Its leaves were beautiful, and its fruit was bountiful, and there was food on it for all; the wild beasts lived under it, and the birds of the air lived in its branches, and all who were alive ate from it.)

¹³ Thus I saw in the vision of mine head, on my bed. And lo! a waker, and holy came down from heaven, (This I saw in the vision in my head, on my bed. And lo! a watcher, yea, a holy one, came down from heaven,)

¹⁴ and he cried (out) strongly, and said thus, Hew ye down the tree, and cut ye down the boughs thereof, and shake ye away the leaves thereof, and scatter ye abroad the fruits thereof; beasts flee away, that be under it, and birds from the boughs thereof. (and he cried out loudly, and said this, Cut ye down the tree, and cut ye off its branches, and shake ye away its leaves, and scatter ye abroad its fruits; let the beasts flee away, that be under it, and the birds fly away from its branches.)

¹⁵ Nevertheless suffer ye the seed of the roots thereof in [the] earth, and be he bound with a band of iron and of brass, in herbs that be withoutforth; and in the dew of heaven be he dyed, and his part be with wild beasts in the herb of the earth. (But allow ye the stump of the tree, with its roots, to remain in the ground, and be it bound with a band of iron and of bronze, amidst the herbs that be outside; and let the man be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and his part be with the wild beasts amidst the herbs, or upon the pastures, of the land.)

¹⁶ His heart be changed from man’s heart, and the heart of a wild beast be given to him, and seven times be changed on him. (And let his heart be changed from a man’s heart, and the heart of a wild beast be given to him, and then let seven years pass over him.)

¹⁷ In the sentence of wakers it is deemed, and it is the word and asking of saints, till living men know, that [the] high God is Lord in the realm of men; and he shall give it to whomever he will, and he shall ordain on it the meekest man. (In the decision of the watchers so it is determined, and it is the word and the asking of the saints, until all those living know, that the Most High God is Lord over the kingdom of people; and he shall give it to whomever he will, and he may ordain upon it even the most humble person.)

¹⁸ I, Nebuchadnezzar, the king, saw this dream. Therefore thou, Belteshazzar, tell hastily the interpreting, for all the wise men of my realm be not able to say to me the solving; but thou mayest, for the spirit of [the] holy gods is in thee. (I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had this dream. And so, O Belteshazzar, quickly tell me its interpretation, for all the wise men of my kingdom cannot tell me its interpretation; but I know that thou can, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.)

¹⁹ Then Daniel, to whom the name was Belteshazzar, began to think privily within himself, as in one hour, and his thoughts disturbed him. Forsooth the king answered, and said, Belteshazzar, the dream and the interpreting thereof, disturb not thee. Belteshazzar answered, and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpreting thereof be to thine enemies. (Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, began to think privately within himself, for one hour, and his thoughts disturbed him. And the king said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream, or its interpretation, disturb thee. And Belteshazzar answered, My lord, I wish that the dream was for those who hate thee, and its interpretation was for thy enemies, and not for thee.)

²⁰ The tree which thou sawest high and strong, whose height stretched till to heaven (whose height stretched unto the heavens, or up to the sky), and the beholding thereof into each land,

²¹ and the fairest branches thereof, and the fruit thereof full much, and the meat of all in it, and (the) beasts of the field dwelling under it, and the birds of the air dwelling in the boughs thereof, (and its beautiful branches, and its bountiful fruit, and the food on it for all, and the beasts of the field living under it, and the birds of the air living in its branches,)

²² thou art, king, that art magnified, and waxedest strong, and thy greatness increased, and came till to heaven, and thy power into the ends of all earth. (thou art it, O king, who was magnified, and grewest strong, and thy greatness increased, and came unto the heavens, or up to the sky, and thy power unto the ends of all the earth.)

²³ Soothly that the king saw a waker and holy come down from heaven, and say, Hew ye down the tree, and destroy ye it, nevertheless leave ye the seed of (the) roots thereof in (the) earth, and be he bound with iron and brass, in herbs withoutforth; and be he besprinkled with the dew of heaven, and his meat be with wild beasts, till seven times be changed on him; (Truly that the king saw a watcher, yea, a holy one, come down from heaven, and say, Cut ye down the tree, and destroy ye it, but leave ye the stump of the tree, with its roots, in the ground, and be it bound with a band of iron and of bronze, amidst the herbs that be outside; and let the man be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and his food be with the wild beasts, until seven years pass over him;)

²⁴ this is the interpreting of the sentence of the Highest, which sentence is come on my lord, the king. (this is the interpretation of the decree from the Most High God, which decree is come upon my lord, the king.)

²⁵ They shall cast thee out from men, and thy dwelling shall be with beasts and wild beasts, and thou shalt eat hay, as an ox doeth, but also thou shalt be beshed with the dew of heaven, also seven times shall be changed on thee, till thou know that [the] high God is Lord over the realm of men, and giveth it to whomever he will. (They shall throw thee out from among people, and thy habitation shall be with the beasts and the wild beasts, and thou shalt eat grass, like an ox doeth, but also thou shalt be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and seven years shall pass over thee, until thou knoweth, or thou acknowledgeth, that the Most High God is Lord over the kingdom of people, and giveth it to whomever he will.)

²⁶ Forsooth that he commanded that the seed of (the) roots thereof, that is, of the tree, should be left, thy realm shall (still) dwell to thee, after that thou knowest that the power is of heaven. (And that he commanded that the stump of the tree, with its roots, should be left, so thy kingdom shall still remain with thee, after that thou knowest, or thou acknowledgest, that the power is from heaven.)

²⁷ Wherefore, king, my counsel please thee, and again-buy thy sins with alms-deeds, and again-buy thy wickednesses with mercies of poor men; in hap God shall forgive thy trespasses. (And so, O king, let my counsel please thee, and redeem thy sins with alms-deeds, and redeem thy wickednesses with mercies for the poor; perhaps God shall forgive thy trespasses.)

²⁸ All these things came on Nebuchadnezzar, the king. (And indeed all these things came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.)

²⁹ After the end of twelve months he walked in the hall (of the palace) of Babylon; (Yea, after twelve months, when he walked in the hall of the palace in Babylon;)

³⁰ and the king answered, and said, Whether this is not Babylon, the great city, which I builded into the house of (the) realm, in the might of my strength, and in the glory of my fairness? (and the king said to himself, Is this not Babylon, the great city, which I have built into the capital of my kingdom, or of my empire, by the might of my strength, and in the glory of my beauty?)

³¹ When the word was yet in the mouth of the king, a voice fell down from heaven, (and said,) Nebuchadnezzar, king, it is said to thee, Thy realm is passed from thee, (And when these words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven, and said, King Nebuchadnezzar, it is said to thee, Thy kingdom hath now passed from thee/Thy kingdom is now taken away from thee,)

³² and they shall cast thee out from men, and thy dwelling shall be with beasts and wild beasts; thou shalt eat hay, as an ox doeth, and seven times shall be changed on thee, till thou know that [the] high God is Lord in the realm of men, and giveth it to whomever he will. (and they shall throw thee out from among people, and thy habitation shall be with the beasts and the wild beasts; thou shalt eat grass, like an ox doeth, and seven years shall pass over thee, until thou knowest, or thou acknowledgest, that the Most High God is the Lord over the kingdom of people, and giveth it to whomever he will.)

³³ In the same hour the word was fulfilled [up]on Nebuchadnezzar, and he was cast out from men, and he ate hay, as an ox doeth, and his body was coloured with the dew of heaven, till his hairs waxed at the likeness of eagles’ (feathers), and his nails as the nails, [or (the) claws,] of birds. (In that same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was thrown out from among people, and he ate grass, like an ox doeth, and his body was sprinkled with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew into the likeness of eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.)

³⁴ Therefore after the end of days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised mine eyes to heaven, and my wit was yielded to me; and I blessed the Highest, and I praised, and glorified him that liveth without end; for why his power is everlasting power, and his realm is in generation and into generation. (And so at the end of these days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised up my eyes to heaven, and my mind, or my sanity, was restored to me; and I blessed the Most High God, and I praised, and glorified him who liveth forever; because his power is everlasting power, and his kingdom is forever and ever.)

³⁵ And all the dwellers of earth be areckoned into nought at him; for by his will he doeth, both in the hosts of heaven, and in the dwellers of earth, and none is that (may) against-standeth his hand, and saith to him, Why didest thou so? (And all the inhabitants of the earth be reckoned as nothing by him; for he doeth by his will, both to the armies of heaven, and to the inhabitants of the earth, and there is no one who can stand against his power, and can say to him, Why didest thou so?)

³⁶ In that time my wit turned again to me, and I came fully to the honour and fairness of my realm, and my figure turned again to me (At that time my mind, or my sanity, returned to me, and I was fully restored to the honour and beauty and glory of my kingdom); and my best men and my magistrates sought me (out), and I was set in my realm, and my great doing was increased (even) greater to me.

³⁷ Now therefore I Nebuchadnezzar praise, and magnify, and glorify the King of heaven; for all his works be true, and all his ways be dooms; and he may make meek, [or (make) low,] them that go in pride. (And so now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, and magnify, and glorify the King of heaven; for all his works be true, and all his ways be right and just; and he can humble, or make low, all those who go in pride.)

5 (Years later,) Belshazzar, the king, made a great feast to his best men a thousand, and each man drank after his age. (Years later, King Belshazzar had a great feast for a thousand of his best men, and they all drank together.)

² Forsooth the king, then drunken, commanded that the golden and silveren vessels should be brought forth, which Nebuchadnezzar, his father^[a], had borne out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, (so) that the king, and his best men, his wives, and his concubines, should drink in those vessels. (And then the king, now drunk, commanded that the gold and silver vessels should be brought forth, which Nebuchadnezzar, his predecessor, had carried out of the Temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king, and his best men, and his wives, and his concubines, could drink out of those vessels.)

³ Then the golden vessels and silveren, which he had borne out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, were brought forth; and the king, and his best men, and his wives, and his concubines, drank in those vessels. (Then the gold and silver vessels, which had been carried out of the Temple that was in Jerusalem, were brought forth; and the king, and his best men, and his wives, and his concubines, drank from those vessels.)

⁴ They drank wine, and praised their gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, and of iron, and of tree, and of stone. (They drank wine, and praised their gods made of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and wood, and stone.)

⁵ In the same hour fingers appeared, as of the hand of a man, writing (over) against the candlestick, in the plain part of the wall of the king’s hall; and the king beheld the fingers of the hand (that was) writing. (In the same hour fingers appeared, like a man’s hand, writing opposite the lamp, on the plain part of the wall of the king’s hall; and the king watched the fingers of the hand that was writing.)

⁶ Then the face of the king was changed, and his thoughts disturbed him; and the jointures of his reins were loosed, and his knees were hurtled to themselves together. (Then the king’s face went pale, and his thoughts disturbed him; and his joints became loose, and his knees were hurtled together against themselves.)

⁷ Therefore the king cried strongly, that they should bring in (the) astronomers, Chaldees, and diviners by looking of altars. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this scripture, and maketh open the interpreting thereof to me, shall be clothed in purple, and he shall have a golden band in the neck, and he shall be the third in my realm. (And so the king loudly cried out, that they should bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners by looking on altars. And then the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and maketh open to me its interpretation, shall be clothed in purple, and he shall have a gold band around his neck, and he shall be the third in power in my kingdom.)

⁸ Then all the wise men of the king entered, and might not read the scripture, neither show to the king the interpreting thereof. (Then all the wise men of the king entered, but they could not read the writing, nor could they tell the king its interpretation.)

⁹ Wherefore king Belshazzar was disturbed enough, and his cheer was changed, but also his best men were disturbed. (And so King Belshazzar was greatly disturbed, and his face was pale, and also his best men were disturbed.)

¹⁰ Forsooth the queen entered into the house of feast, for the thing that had befelled to the king, and (his) best men; and she spake, and said, (O) King, live thou without end. Thy thoughts disturb not thee, and thy face be not changed (Let not thy thoughts disturb thee, and thy face be so pale).

¹¹ A man is in thy realm, that hath the spirit of holy gods in himself, and in the days of thy father knowing and wisdom were found in him; for why and Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, made him prince of astronomers, of enchanters, of Chaldees, and of diviners by looking on altars; soothly thy father, thou king, did this; (There is a man in thy kingdom, who hath the spirit of the holy gods in himself, and in the days of thy predecessor, knowledge and wisdom were found in him; because of this, Nebuchadnezzar, thy predecessor, made him the chief of the astrologers, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners by looking on altars; truly thy predecessor, O king, did this;)

¹² for [the] more spirit, and more prudent, and understanding, and interpreting of dreams, and showing of privates, and solving of bound things were found in him, that is, in Daniel, to whom the king putted the name Belteshazzar. Now therefore Daniel be called, and he shall tell the interpreting. (for great ability, and much prudence, or wisdom, and understanding, and the interpreting of dreams, and the revealing of mysteries, or of secrets, and the solving of bound things were found in him, that is, in Daniel, to whom the king gave the name Belteshazzar. And so now let Daniel be called, and he shall tell thee the interpretation.)

¹³ Therefore Daniel was brought in before the king. To whom the foresaid king said, Art thou Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom my father, the king (whom my predecessor, the king), brought from Judah?

¹⁴ I have heard of thee, that thou hast in thee the spirit of (the) gods, and (that) more knowing, and understanding, and wisdom be found in thee.

¹⁵ And now wise men, astronomers, entered in my sight, to read this scripture, and to show to me the interpreting thereof; and they might not say to me the understanding of this word. (And now wise men, yea, the astrologers, have come before me, to read this writing, and to tell me its interpretation; but they could not say to me the understanding, or the meaning, of these words.)

¹⁶ Certainly I have heard of thee, that thou mayest interpret dark things, and unbind bound things; therefore if thou mayest read the scripture, and show to me the interpreting thereof, thou shalt be clothed in purple, and thou shalt have a golden band about thy neck, and thou shalt be the third prince in my realm. (Certainly I have heard of thee, that thou can interpret secret, or hidden, things, and unbind bound things; and so if thou can read this writing, and tell me its interpretation, thou shalt be clothed in purple, and thou shalt have a gold band around thy neck, and thou shalt be the third in power in all my kingdom.)

¹⁷ To which things Daniel answered, and said before the king, Thy gifts be to thee, and give thou to another man the gifts of thine house; forsooth, king, I shall read the scripture to thee, and I shall show to thee the interpreting thereof. (To which Daniel answered, and said to the king, Let thy gifts be to thee, and give thou to someone else the gifts of thy house; but, O king, I shall read this writing to thee, and I shall tell thee its interpretation.)

¹⁸ O! thou king, [the] highest God gave realm, and great worship, and glory, and honour, to Nebuchadnezzar, thy father. (O! thou king, the Most High God gave kingdom, and great worship, and glory, and honour, to Nebuchadnezzar, thy predecessor.)

¹⁹ And for [the] great worship which he had given to that Nebuchadnezzar, all peoples, lineages, and languages, trembled and dreaded him; he killed which he would, and he smote which he would, and he enhanced which he would, and he made low which he would. (And for the great power which he gave to that Nebuchadnezzar, all the peoples, and the tribes, or the nations, of every language, trembled and feared him; he killed whom he would, and he struck down whom he would, and he exalted, or he lifted up, whom he would, and he made low whom he would.)

²⁰ Forsooth when his heart was raised [up], and his spirit was made obstinate in pride, he was put down off the seat of his realm (he was taken down off the throne of his kingdom); and his glory was taken away,

²¹ and he was cast out from the sons of men; but also his heart was set with beasts, and his dwelling was with wild asses; also he ate hay as an ox doeth, and his body was coloured with the dew of heaven, till he knew, that the Highest hath power in the realm of men, and he shall raise on it whomever he will. (and he was thrown out from among people; and his mind became like that of the beasts, and his habitation was with the wild donkeys, or with the wild beasts; and he ate grass, like an ox doeth, and his body was sprinkled with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged, that the Most High God hath power over the kingdom of people, and that he shall raise upon it whomever he will.)

²² And thou, Belshazzar, the son of him, meekedest not thine heart, when thou knewest all these things; (And thou, Belshazzar, his successor, hast not humbled, or made meek, thy heart, even though thou knewest all these things;)

²³ but thou were raised [up] against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his house were brought before thee, and thou, and thy best men, and thy wives, and thy concubines, drank wine in those vessels; and thou praisedest gods of silver, and of gold, and of brass, and of iron, and of tree, and of stone, that see not, neither hear, neither feel; certainly thou glorifiedest not God, that hath thy blast, and all thy ways in his hand. (but thou were raised up against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his House were brought before thee, and thou, and thy best men, and thy wives, and thy concubines, drank wine from those vessels; and thou praisedest gods made of silver, and gold, and bronze, and iron, and wood, and stone, that see not, neither hear, nor feel; certainly thou glorifiedest not God, who hath thy breath, and all thy ways, in his hands.)

²⁴ Therefore the finger of the hand was sent of him, which hand wrote this thing that is written. (And so the fingers of this hand were sent from him, which hand wrote this thing that is written.)

²⁵ Soothly this is the scripture which is described, Mene, Tekel, Peres. (Truly this is the writing that is written there, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.)

²⁶ And this is the interpreting of the word. Mene, God hath numbered thy realm, and hath [ful]filled it; (And this is the interpretation of the words. Mene, God hath numbered the days of thy kingdom, and hath finished, or hath ended, it;)

²⁷ Tekel, thou art weighed in a balance, and thou art found having less; (Tekel, thou art weighed in a balance, and thou art found wanting;)

²⁸ Peres, thy realm is parted, and is given to Medes and Persians. (Peres, thy kingdom is parted, or divided, and it is given to the Medes and the Persians.)

²⁹ Then, for the king commanded, Daniel was clothed in purple, and a golden band was given about his neck; and it was preached of him, that he had power, and was the third in the realm. (Then, for the king commanded, Daniel was clothed in purple, and a gold band was put around his neck; and it was preached of him, that he had power, and was the third in the kingdom.)

³⁰ In the same night, Belshazzar, the king of Chaldees, was slain; (On that same night, Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, was killed;)

³¹ and Darius of Media/and Darius of Medes was successor to the realm, and he was two and sixty years eld. (and Darius the Mede was his successor in the realm/and Darius the Mede took his kingdom, and he was sixty-two years old.)

6 It pleased Darius, and he ordained sixscore dukes over the realm, that they should be in all his realm. (And it pleased Darius, and he ordained one hundred and twenty governors over the kingdom, and that they should be throughout all his kingdom.)

² And over them he ordained three princes, of which Daniel was one; that the dukes should yield reason to them, and that the king should not suffer any dis-ease. (And over them he ordained three princes, of whom Daniel was one; so that the governors could report to them, and so that the king need not suffer any distress.)

³ Therefore Daniel overcame all the princes and dukes, for [the] more spirit of God was in him. Certainly the king thought to ordain him on all the realm. (And soon Daniel outshone the other princes, and the governors, for he had more God-given ability than any of the others. And the king decided to ordain him over all the kingdom.)

⁴ Wherefore (the) princes and dukes, either prefects, sought to find occasion to Daniel, of the side of the king; and they might find no cause and suspicion, for he was faithful, and no blame and suspicion was found in him. (And so the other princes, and the governors, or the prefects, sought to find occasion against Daniel, who stood at the king’s side; but they could find no cause, or reason, for suspicion about him, for he was faithful, and so no blame or suspicion was found in him.)

⁵ Therefore those men said, We shall not find any occasion to this Daniel, no but in hap in the law of his God. (And so those men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except perhaps in regard to the Law of his God.)

⁶ Then the princes and dukes made false suggestion to the king, and spake thus to him, King Darius, live thou without end. (And then the princes and the governors made a sly suggestion to the king, and they said to him, King Darius, may thou live forever!)

⁷ All the princes of thy realm, and magistrates, and dukes, senators, and judges, have made a counsel, that a decree and commandment of the emperor go out, that each man that asketh any asking of whatever god and man, till to thirty days, no but of thee, thou king, he be sent into the pit of lions. (All the princes of thy kingdom, and the magistrates, and governors, and senators, and judges, have taken counsel, and agree that a decree and a command, or an order, of the emperor should go out, that for thirty days, anyone who asketh anything of any god or any man, except of thee, O king, that that person should be sent into the lions’ pit.)

⁸ Now therefore, king, confirm thou the sentence, and write thou the decree, that this that is ordained of Medes and Persians be not changed, neither be it leaveful to any man to break. (And so now, O king, confirm thou the matter, and write thou the decree, that what is ordained by the Medes and the Persians be not changed, nor be it lawful for anyone to break it.)

⁹ Forsooth Darius, the king, setted forth, and confirmed the decree. (And so King Darius put forth, and confirmed the decree.)

¹⁰ And when Daniel had found (out) this thing, that is, (that) the law (was) ordained, he entered into his house; and the while the windows were open in his solar against Jerusalem, in three times in the day he bowed his knees, and worshipped, and acknowledged before his God, as he was wont to do before. (And when Daniel had learned about this, that is, that the law was ordained, he entered into his house; and at the windows in his solarium that were open toward Jerusalem, three times a day he bowed his knees, and worshipped, and acknowledged his God, as he was wont to do before the decree had been issued.)

¹¹ Therefore those men inquired full busily, and found Daniel praying, and beseeching his God.

¹² And they nighed and spake to the king of the commandment, (and said,) King, whether thou ordainedest not, that each man that asked any (asking) of gods and of men, till to thirty days, no but (of) thee, thou king, he should be sent into the pit of lions? To which men the king answered, and said, The word is sooth, by the decree of Medes and Persians, which it is not leaveful to break. (And they came and spoke to the king about his command, or his order, and said, O king, did thou not ordain, that for thirty days, anyone who asked anything of gods or of men, except of thee, O king, that that person should be sent into the lions’ pit? To whom the king answered, and said, The word is true, by the decree of the Medes and Persians, which it is not lawful to break.)

¹³ Then they answered, and said before the king, Daniel, of the sons of (the) captivity of Judah, reckoned not of thy law, and of the commandment which thou ordainedest, but three times by the day he prayeth in his beseeching. (Then they answered, and said to the king, Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, hath not reckoned of thy law, and of the command, or the order, which thou hast ordained, but three times each day he prayeth in his beseeching to his God.)

¹⁴ And when the king had heard this word, he was sorry enough, and he setted the heart for Daniel, for to deliver him (and he set his heart, to try to save Daniel); and till to the going down of the sun he travailed for to deliver him.

¹⁵ But those men understood the king, and said to him, Know thou, king, that it is the law of Medes and of Persians, that it is not leaveful that any decree be changed, which the king ordaineth. (But those men understood what the king was trying to do, and said to him, O king, thou knowest, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians, that it is not lawful that any decree be changed which the king hath ordained.)

¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and sent him into the pit of lions. And the king said to Daniel, Thy God, whom thou worshippest ever[more], he shall deliver thee. (Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and sent him down into the lions’ pit. And the king said to Daniel, Thy God, whom thou worshippest forevermore, he shall rescue thee.)

¹⁷ And one stone was brought, and was put on the mouth of the pit, which the king asealed with his ring, and with the ring(s) of his best men, lest anything were done against Daniel.

¹⁸ Then the king went into his house, and slept without supper, and meats were not brought before him; furthermore and sleep went away from him. (Then the king went back to his palace, and went to bed without any supper, yea, no food was brought before him; but all sleep went away from him.)

¹⁹ Then the king rose in the first (of the) morrowtide, and went hastily to the pit of lions; (Then the king rose early in the morning, and went hastily to the lions’ pit;)

²⁰ and he nighed to the pit, and cried on Daniel with [a] weeping voice, and spake to him, Daniel, the servant of God living, guessest thou, whether thy God, whom thou servest ever[more], might deliver thee from the lions? (and he came near to the pit, and called down to Daniel with a weeping voice, and spoke to him, and said, Daniel, the servant of the living God, knowest thou now/tellest thou me, whether thy God, whom thou servest forevermore, hath saved thee from the lions?)

²¹ And Daniel answered the king, and said, King, live thou without end. (And Daniel answered the king, and said, O king, may thou live forever!)

²² My God sent his angel, and closed together the mouths of (the) lions, and they harmed not me, for rightfulness is found in me before him; but also, thou king, I did no trespass before thee. (My God sent his angel, and closed up the lions’ mouths, and they did not harm me, for rightfulness, or innocence, is found in me before him; and also, O king, I did no trespass against thee.)

²³ Then the king made joy greatly on him, and commanded Daniel to be led out of the pit. And Daniel was led out of the pit, and none hurting was found in him, for he believed to his God. (Then the king greatly rejoiced, and commanded that Daniel should be lifted up out of the pit. And Daniel was lifted up out of the pit, and there was no hurt, or injury, found on him, for he had believed in his God.)

²⁴ Forsooth the king commanded, and those men, that accused Daniel, were brought [forth], and were sent into the pit of lions, they, and the sons of them, and the wives of them; and they came not unto the pavement of the pit, till the lions ravished them, and all-brake all the bones of them. (And the king commanded, and those men, who had accused Daniel, were brought forth, and were sent down into the lions’ pit, yea, they, and their sons, and their wives; and they had not even come to the pavement, or the floor, of the pit, when the lions sprang upon them, and broke all their bones, and they all died.)

²⁵ Then Darius, the king, wrote to all peoples, lineages, and languages, dwelling in all earth, (and said,) Peace be multiplied to you. (Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, and the tribes, or the nations, in every language, living on all the earth, and said, Peace be multiplied to you.)

²⁶ Therefore a decree is ordained of me, (which is,) That in all mine empire and realm men tremble, and dread the God of Daniel; for he is God living, and everlasting into worlds, and his realm shall not be destroyed, and his power is till into without end. (And so a decree is ordained by me, which is, That in all my empire and kingdom, people tremble before, and fear the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, everlasting and forever, and his kingdom, or his reign, shall never be destroyed, and his power shall last forever.)

²⁷ He is deliverer and saviour, making miracles and marvels in heaven and in earth, which delivered Daniel from the pit of lions. (He is the Deliverer and the Saviour, making miracles and marvels in heaven and on earth, who rescued Daniel from the lions’ pit.)

²⁸ Certainly Daniel dwelled stably till to the realm of Darius, and till to the realm of Cyrus of Persia. (Certainly Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, and also during the reign of Cyrus of Persia.)