但以理書 1
1 猶大王約雅敬在位第三年，巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來到耶路撒冷，將城圍困。
During the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem and surrounded it.
2 主將猶大王約雅敬，並上帝殿中器皿的幾分交付他手。他就把這器皿帶到示拿地，收入他神的廟裏，放在他神的庫中。
The Lord allowed him to defeat King Jehoiakim, and also to remove some of the objects used in the Temple of God. He took them back to Babylon, to the house of his god, placing them in the treasury of his god.
3 王吩咐太監長亞施毗拿，從以色列人的宗室和貴冑中帶進幾個人來，
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to take charge of some of the captured Israelites from the royal and noble families,
4 就是年少沒有殘疾、相貌俊美、通達各樣學問、知識聰明俱備、足能侍立在王宮裏的，要教他們迦勒底的文字言語。
“They are to be young men without any physical defect who are good-looking,” he said. “They must be well-educated, quick to learn, have good insight, and be well able to serve in the king's palace and be taught the literature and language of Babylon.”
5 王派定將自己所用的膳和所飲的酒，每日賜他們一分，養他們三年。滿了三年，好叫他們在王面前侍立。
The king also provided them with a daily allowance of the same kind of rich food and wine he was served. At the end of their three years of education they would enter the king's service.
6 他們中間有猶大族的人：但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅。
Among those chosen were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah.
7 太監長給他們起名：稱但以理為伯提沙撒，稱哈拿尼雅為沙得拉，稱米沙利為米煞，稱亞撒利雅為亞伯尼歌。
The chief eunuch gave them new names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
8 但以理卻立志不以王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己，所以求太監長容他不玷污自己。
However, Daniel made up his mind not to make himself impure by eating the king's rich food and wine. He asked the chief eunuch to allow him not to make himself impure.
9 上帝使但以理在太監長眼前蒙恩惠，受憐憫。
God had helped Daniel to be viewed with kindness and sympathy by the chief eunuch.
10 太監長對但以理說：「我懼怕我主我王，他已經派定你們的飲食，倘若他見你們的面貌比你們同歲的少年人肌瘦，怎麼好呢？這樣，你們就使我的頭在王那裏難保。」
But the chief eunuch told Daniel, “I'm afraid of what my lord the king would do to me. He's the one who decided what you should eat and drink. What if he were to see you looking pale and sickly compared to the other young men of your age. Because of you the king would have my head!”
11 但以理對太監長所派管理但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅的委辦說：
Daniel then spoke with the guard that the chief eunuch had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
12 「求你試試僕人們十天，給我們素菜吃，白水喝，
“Please put us, your servants, to the test and just give us vegetables to eat and water to drink for ten days,” Daniel told him.
13 然後看看我們的面貌和用王膳那少年人的面貌，就照你所看的待僕人吧！」
“After that, compare us with those young men who ate the king's rich food. Then decide on the basis of what you see.”
14 委辦便允准他們這件事，試看他們十天。
The guard agreed to the proposal they made and tested them for ten days.
15 過了十天，見他們的面貌比用王膳的一切少年人更加俊美肥胖。
When the ten days were up they looked healthier and better fed than all the young men who had eaten the king's rich food.
16 於是委辦撤去派他們用的膳，飲的酒，給他們素菜吃。
After that the guard didn't give them the rich food and wine, just vegetables.
17 這四個少年人，上帝在各樣文字學問上賜給他們聰明知識；但以理又明白各樣的異象和夢兆。
God gave these four young men the ability to learn and understand in all areas of literature and knowledge, while Daniel was also given the gift of interpreting all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 尼布甲尼撒王預定帶進少年人來的日期滿了，太監長就把他們帶到王面前。
When their time of education ordered by the king was over, the chief eunuch brought all the young men before King Nebuchadnezzar.
19 王與他們談論，見少年人中無一人能比但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅，所以留他們在王面前侍立。
The king talked with them and none could compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king's service.
20 王考問他們一切事，就見他們的智慧聰明比通國的術士和用法術的勝過十倍。
Whatever subject the king asked them about, everything that required wisdom of understanding, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
21 到塞魯士王元年，但以理還在。
Daniel remained in this position until the first year of King Cyrus' reign.
