< Daniel 6 >

1 It pleased Darius to set ouer the kingdome an hundreth and twentie gouernours, which should be ouer the whole kingdome,
It hath been good before Darius, and he hath established over the kingdom satraps — a hundred and twenty — that they may be throughout the whole kingdom,
2 And ouer these, three rulers (of whome Daniel was one) that the gouernours might giue accompts vnto them, and the King should haue no domage.
and higher than they three presidents, of whom Daniel [is] first, that these satraps may give to them an account, and the king have no loss.
3 Now this Daniel was preferred aboue the rulers and gouernours, because the spirit was excellent in him, and the King thought to set him ouer the whole realme.
Then this Daniel hath been overseer over the presidents and satraps, because that an excellent spirit [is] in him, and the king hath thought to establish him over the whole kingdom.
4 Wherefore the rulers and gouernours sought an occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdome: but they could finde none occasion nor fault: for he was so faithfull that there was no blame nor fault found in him.
Then the presidents and satraps have been seeking to find a cause of complaint against Daniel concerning the kingdom, and any cause of complaint and corruption they are not able to find, because that he [is] faithful, and any error and corruption have not been found in him.
5 Then sayd these men, We shall not finde an occasion against this Daniel, except we finde it against him concerning the Law of his God.
Then these men are saying, 'We do not find against this Daniel any cause of complaint, except we have found [it] against him in the law of his God.'
6 Therefore the rulers and these gouernours went together to the King, and sayde thus vnto him, King Darius, liue for euer.
Then these presidents and satraps have assembled near the king, and thus they are saying to him: 'O king Darius, to the ages live!
7 All the rulers of thy kingdome, the officers and gouernours, the counsellers, and dukes haue consulted together to make a decree for the King and to establish a statute, that whosoeuer shall aske a petition of any god or man for thirtie dayes saue of thee, O King, he shalbe cast into the denne of lyons.
Taken counsel have all the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors, to establish a royal statute, and to strengthen an interdict, that any who seeketh a petition from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions.
8 Nowe, O King, confirme the decree, and seale the writing, that it be not changed according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Now, O king, thou dost establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'
9 Wherefore King Darius sealed the writing and the decree.
Therefore king Darius hath signed the writing and interdict.
10 Now when Daniel vnderstood that he had sealed the writing, hee went into his house, and his window being open in his chamber toward Ierusalem, he kneeled vpon his knees three times a day, and prayed and praysed his God, as he did aforetime.
And Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing [it] before this.
11 Then these men assembled, and founde Daniel praying, and making supplication vnto his God.
Then these men have assembled, and found Daniel praying and entreating grace before his God;
12 So they came and, spake vnto the King concerning the Kings decree, Hast thou not sealed the decree, that euery man that shall make a request to any god or man within thirtie dayes, saue to thee, O King, shall be cast into the denne of lyons? The King answered, and sayd, The thing is true, according to the Lawe of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
then they have come near, yea, they are saying before the king concerning the king's interdict: 'Hast thou not signed an interdict, that any man who seeketh from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions?' Answered hath the king, and said, 'The thing [is] certain as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'
13 Then answered they, and sayd vnto the King, This Daniel which is of the children of the captiuitie of Iudah, regardeth not thee, O King, nor the decree, that thou hast sealed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
Then they have answered, yea, they are saying before the king, that, 'Daniel, who [is] of the sons of the Removed of Judah, hath not placed on thee, O king, [any] regard, nor on the interdict that thou hast signed, and three times in a day he is seeking his petition.'
14 When the King heard these wordes, hee was sore displeased with himselfe, and set his heart on Daniel, to deliuer him: and he laboured till the sunne went downe, to deliuer him.
Then the king, when he hath heard the matter, is greatly displeased at himself, and on Daniel he hath set the heart to deliver him, and till the going up of the sun he was arranging to deliver him.
15 Then these men assembled vnto the King, and sayde vnto ye King, Vnderstand, O King, that the lawe of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree nor statute which the King confirmeth, may be altered.
Then these men have assembled near the king, and are saying to the king, 'know, O king, that the law of Media and Persia [is]: That any interdict and statute that the king doth establish is not to be changed.'
16 Then the King commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the denne of lyons: now the King spake, and said vnto Daniel, Thy God, whome thou alway seruest, euen he will deliuer thee.
Then the king hath said, and they have brought Daniel, and have cast [him] into a den of lions. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, 'Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, Himself doth deliver thee.'
17 And a stone was brought, and layed vpon the mouth of the denne, and the King sealed it with his owne signet, and with the signet of his princes, that the purpose might not be changed, concerning Daniel.
And a stone hath been brought and placed at the mouth of the den, and the king hath sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his great men, that the purpose be not changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then the King went vnto his palace, and remained fasting, neither were the instruments of musike brought before him, and his sleepe went from him.
Then hath the king gone to his palace, and he hath passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been brought up before him, and his sleep hath fled [from] off him.
19 Then the King arose early in the morning, and went in all haste vnto the denne of lyons.
Then doth the king rise in the early morning, at the light, and in haste to the den of lions he hath gone;
20 And when he came to the denne, he cryed with a lamentable voyce vnto Daniel: and the King spake, and saide to Daniel, O Daniel, the seruant of ye liuing God, is not thy God (whom thou alway seruest) able to deliuer thee from the lyons?
and at his coming near to the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice, he crieth. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God, whom thou art serving continually, is He able to deliver thee from the lions?'
21 Then saide Daniel vnto the King, O King, liue for euer.
Then Daniel hath spoken with the king: 'O king, to the ages live:
22 My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the lyons mouthes, that they haue not hurt mee: for my iustice was founde out before him: and vnto thee, O King, I haue done no hurt.
my God hath sent His messenger, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not injured me: because that before Him purity hath been found in me; and also before thee, O king, injury I have not done.'
23 Then was the King exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel out of the denne: so Daniel was brought out of the denne, and no maner of hurt was found vpon him, because he beleeued in his God.
Then was the king very glad for him, and he hath commanded Daniel to be taken up out of the den, and Daniel hath been taken up out of the den, and no injury hath been found in him, because he hath believed in his God.
24 And by the commandement of the King these me which had accused Daniel, were brought, and were cast into the denne of lions, euen they, their children, and their wiues: and the lyons had the mastry of them, and brake all their bones a pieces, or euer they came at the groud of the denne.
And the king hath said, and they have brought those men who had accused Daniel, and to the den of lions they have cast them, they, their sons, and their wives; and they have not come to the lower part of the den till that the lions have power over them, and all their bones they have broken small.
25 Afterwarde King Darius wrote, Vnto all people, nations and languages, that dwel in all the world: Peace be multiplied vnto you.
Then Darius the king hath written to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who are dwelling in all the land: 'Your peace be great!
26 I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdome, men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel: for he is the liuing God, and remayneth for euer: and his kingdome shall not perish, and his dominion shalbe euerlasting.
From before me is made a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom they are trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for He [is] the living God, and abiding to the ages, and His kingdom that which [is] not destroyed, and His dominion [is] unto the end.
27 Hee rescueth and deliuereth, and hee worketh signes and wonders in heauen and in earth, who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the lyons.
A deliverer, and rescuer, and doer of signs and wonders in the heavens and in earth [is] He who hath delivered Daniel from the paw of the lions.'
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reigne of Darius and in the reigne of Cyrus of Persia.
And this Daniel hath prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

< Daniel 6 >