但以理書 1
1 猶大王約雅金在位第三年，巴比倫王拿步高前來圍攻耶路撒冷，
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonia came to Jerusalem and surrounded the city to cut off all supplies to it.
2 上主將猶大王約雅金和天主殿內的一部分器皿，交在拿步高手中，他便將這些器皿帶到史納爾地方，存放在他神殿的庫房內。
The Lord gave Nebuchadnezzar victory over Jehoiakim king of Judah, and he gave him some of the sacred objects from the house of God. He brought them into the land of Babylonia, to the house of his god, and he placed the sacred objects in his god's treasury.
3 君王吩咐他的宦官長阿市培納次，要他由以色列子民中，選一些王室或貴族的青年，
The king spoke to Ashpenaz, his chief official, to bring in some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility—
4 他們應沒有缺陷，容貌俊美，足智多才，富有知識，明察事理，適合在王宮內充當侍從，應教給他們加色丁文字和語言。
young men without blemish, attractive in appearance, skillful in all wisdom, filled with knowledge and understanding, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the Babylonians' literature and language.
5 君王且給他們指定了，每天要吃君王所吃的食品和所飲的美酒，如此教養他們三年；期滿以後，他們便可侍立在君王左右。
The king counted out for them a daily portion of his delicacies and some of the wine that he drank. These young men were to be trained for three years, and after that, they would serve the king.
6 他們中為猶大後裔的，有達尼爾、阿納尼雅、米沙耳和阿匝黎雅。
Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, some of the people of Judah.
7 宦官長另給他們起了名字：給達尼爾起名叫貝特沙匝，阿納尼雅叫沙得辣客，米沙耳叫默沙客，阿匝黎雅叫阿貝得乃哥。
The chief official gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
8 但是阿尼爾心中早已拿定主意，決不讓自己為君王的食品和君王飲的美酒所玷污，所以他請求宦官長使自己免受玷污。
But Daniel intended in his mind that he would not pollute himself with the king's delicacies or with the wine that he drank. So he asked permission from the chief official that he might not pollute himself.
9 天主賞達尼爾在宦官長眼中獲得寵遇和同情。
Now God gave Daniel favor and compassion through the respect that the chief official had for him.
10 宦官長對達尼爾說：「我害怕我的主上君王，他原給你們指定了飲食，若見你們的面容比你們同年的青年消瘦，這樣你們豈不是將我的頭斷送給君王! 」
The chief official said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my master the king. He has commanded what food and drink you should have. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men of your own age? The king might have my head because of you.”
11 達尼爾對宦官長派來照管達尼爾、阿納尼雅、米沙耳和阿匝黎雅的人說：「
Then Daniel spoke to the steward whom the chief official had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
12 請你一連十天試一試你的僕人們，只給我們蔬菜吃，清水喝；
He said, “Please test us, your servants, for ten days. Give us only some vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 然後，你親自觀察我們的容貌，和那些吃君王食品的青年的容貌，就照你所觀察的，對待你的僕人們罷! 」
Then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the king's delicacies, and treat us, your servants, based on what you see.”
14 他答應了他們的要求，試驗了他們十天。
So the steward agreed with him to do this, and he tested them for ten days.
15 十天以後，他們的容貌比那些吃君王食品的青年顯得更為美麗，肌肉更為豐滿。
At the end of ten days their appearance was more healthy, and they were better nourished, than all the young men who ate the king's delicacies.
16 負責照管的人，遂將他們的食品和應喝的美酒撤去，祇給他們蔬菜。
So the steward took away their delicacies and their wine and gave them only vegetables.
17 至於這四個青年，天主賜給了他們精通各種文字和學問的才智與聰明，而且達尼爾還通曉各種神視和夢兆。
As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and insight in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 君王規定帶他們進宮的期限一滿，宦官長就領他們進見拿步高。
At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 君王和他們交談，發現其中沒有一個能及得上達尼爾、阿納尼雅、米沙耳和阿匝黎雅的，於是他們隨侍在君王前，
The king spoke with them, and among the whole group there were none to compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They stood before the king, ready to serve him.
20 君王無論詢問他們什麼智識和學問，發現他們都十倍於自己全國所有的巫師和術士。
In every question of wisdom and understanding that the king asked them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and those who claimed to speak with the dead, who were in his entire kingdom.
21 達尼爾就這樣一直到居魯士王元年。
Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
