< Daniel 1 >

1 IN THE third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
בִּשְׁנַת שָׁלוֹשׁ לְמַלְכוּת יְהוֹיָקִים מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה בָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם וַיָּצַר עָלֶֽיהָ׃
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god, and the vessels he brought into the treasure-house of his god.
וַיִּתֵּן אֲדֹנָי בְּיָדוֹ אֶת־יְהוֹיָקִים מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה וּמִקְצָת כְּלֵי בֵית־הָֽאֱלֹהִים וַיְבִיאֵם אֶֽרֶץ־שִׁנְעָר בֵּית אֱלֹהָיו וְאֶת־הַכֵּלִים הֵבִיא בֵּית אוֹצַר אֱלֹהָֽיו׃
3 And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz his chief officer, that he should bring in certain of the children of Israel, and of the seed royal, and of the nobles,
וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְאַשְׁפְּנַז רַב סָרִיסָיו לְהָבִיא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִזֶּרַע הַמְּלוּכָה וּמִן־הַֽפַּרְתְּמִֽים׃
4 youths in whom was no blemish, but fair to look on, and skilful in all wisdom, and skilful in knowledge, and discerning in thought, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
יְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר אֵֽין־בָּהֶם כָּל־מאום מוּם וְטוֹבֵי מַרְאֶה וּמַשְׂכִּילִים בְּכָל־חָכְמָה וְיֹדְעֵי דַעַת וּמְבִינֵי מַדָּע וַאֲשֶׁר כֹּחַ בָּהֶם לַעֲמֹד בְּהֵיכַל הַמֶּלֶךְ וּֽלֲלַמְּדָם סֵפֶר וּלְשׁוֹן כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃
5 And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's food, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
וַיְמַן לָהֶם הַמֶּלֶךְ דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ מִפַּת־בַּג הַמֶּלֶךְ וּמִיֵּין מִשְׁתָּיו וּֽלְגַדְּלָם שָׁנִים שָׁלוֹשׁ וּמִקְצָתָם יַֽעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
6 Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
וַיְהִי בָהֶם מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה דָּנִיֵּאל חֲנַנְיָה מִֽישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָֽה׃
7 And the chief of the officers gave names unto them: unto Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
וַיָּשֶׂם לָהֶם שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים שֵׁמוֹת וַיָּשֶׂם לְדָֽנִיֵּאל בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר וְלַֽחֲנַנְיָה שַׁדְרַךְ וּלְמִֽישָׁאֵל מֵישַׁךְ וְלַעֲזַרְיָה עֲבֵד נְגֽוֹ׃
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's food, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the officers that he might not defile himself.
וַיָּשֶׂם דָּנִיֵּאל עַל־לִבּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יִתְגָּאַל בְּפַתְבַּג הַמֶּלֶךְ וּבְיֵין מִשְׁתָּיו וַיְבַקֵּשׁ מִשַּׂר הַסָּרִיסִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִתְגָּאָֽל׃
9 And God granted Daniel mercy and compassion in the sight of the chief of the officers.
וַיִּתֵּן הָֽאֱלֹהִים אֶת־דָּנִיֵּאל לְחֶסֶד וּֽלְרַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִֽים׃
10 And the chief of the officers said unto Daniel: 'I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces sad in comparison with the youths that are of your own age? so would ye endanger my head with the king.'
וַיֹּאמֶר שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים לְדָנִיֵּאל יָרֵא אֲנִי אֶת־אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר מִנָּה אֶת־מַאֲכַלְכֶם וְאֶת־מִשְׁתֵּיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לָמָּה יִרְאֶה אֶת־פְּנֵיכֶם זֹֽעֲפִים מִן־הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר כְּגִֽילְכֶם וְחִיַּבְתֶּם אֶת־רֹאשִׁי לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
11 Then said Daniel to the steward, whom the chief of the officers had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּנִיֵּאל אֶל־הַמֶּלְצַר אֲשֶׁר מִנָּה שַׂר הַסָּֽרִיסִים עַל־דָּנִיֵּאל חֲנַנְיָה מִֽישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָֽה׃
12 'Try thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
נַס־נָא אֶת־עֲבָדֶיךָ יָמִים עֲשָׂרָה וְיִתְּנוּ־לָנוּ מִן־הַזֵּרֹעִים וְנֹאכְלָה וּמַיִם וְנִשְׁתֶּֽה׃
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of the king's food; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.'
וְיֵרָאוּ לְפָנֶיךָ מַרְאֵינוּ וּמַרְאֵה הַיְלָדִים הָאֹכְלִים אֵת פַּתְבַּג הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֵה עֲשֵׂה עִם־עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃
14 So he hearkened unto them in this matter, and tried them ten days.
וַיִּשְׁמַע לָהֶם לַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיְנַסֵּם יָמִים עֲשָׂרָֽה׃
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths that did eat of the king's food.
וּמִקְצָת יָמִים עֲשָׂרָה נִרְאָה מַרְאֵיהֶם טוֹב וּבְרִיאֵי בָּשָׂר מִן־כָּל־הַיְלָדִים הָאֹכְלִים אֵת פַּתְבַּג הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
16 So the steward took away their food, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.
וַיְהִי הַמֶּלְצַר נֹשֵׂא אֶת־פַּתְבָּגָם וְיֵין מִשְׁתֵּיהֶם וְנֹתֵן לָהֶם זֵרְעֹנִֽים׃
17 Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
וְהַיְלָדִים הָאֵלֶּה אַרְבַּעְתָּם נָתַן לָהֶם הָֽאֱלֹהִים מַדָּע וְהַשְׂכֵּל בְּכָל־סֵפֶר וְחָכְמָה וְדָנִיֵּאל הֵבִין בְּכָל־חָזוֹן וַחֲלֹמֽוֹת׃
18 And at the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the chief of the officers brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
וּלְמִקְצָת הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר־אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לַהֲבִיאָם וַיְבִיאֵם שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים לִפְנֵי נְבֻכַדְנֶצַּֽר׃
19 And the king spoke with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore stood they before the king.
וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם הַמֶּלֶךְ וְלֹא נִמְצָא מִכֻּלָּם כְּדָנִיֵּאל חֲנַנְיָה מִֽישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm.
וְכֹל דְּבַר חָכְמַת בִּינָה אֲשֶׁר־בִּקֵּשׁ מֵהֶם הַמֶּלֶךְ וַֽיִּמְצָאֵם עֶשֶׂר יָדוֹת עַל כָּל־הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים הָֽאַשָּׁפִים אֲשֶׁר בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
וַֽיְהִי דָּֽנִיֵּאל עַד־שְׁנַת אַחַת לְכוֹרֶשׁ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

< Daniel 1 >