Daniel 6
1 King Darius decided to divide his kingdom into 120 provinces. He appointed a governor to rule each province.
It was pleasing before Darius, that he should set up over the kingdom, a hundred and twenty satraps, —that they should be over all the kingdom;
2 He also appointed me and two other men to be administrators, to supervise the governors and to be sure that they did the king’s work [properly], in order that the king would not have to worry about anything.
and, over these, three confidential ministers, of whom, Daniel, was first, —that, to them, these satraps should render an account, and, the king, not be suffering loss.
3 I soon showed that I was (more capable/able to do the work better) than all the other administrators and the governors. Because of that, the king planned to appoint me to be in charge of the entire empire.
Then, this Daniel, signalised himself, above the ministers and the satraps, because, a distinguished spirit, was in him, and, the king, thought to set him up over all the kingdom,
4 Then, the [other] administrators and the governors [became jealous. So they began to] try to find something that they could criticize about the way I was working for the king. But I always did my work faithfully and honestly, and was never lazy. So they could not find anything to criticize.
Then, the ministers and the satraps, began seeking to find, occasion, against Daniel, in respect of the kingdom, —but, no occasion nor wickedness, could they find, inasmuch as, faithful, was he, and, neither error nor wickedness, could be found against him.
5 They concluded, “The only way we can find something for which we can criticize Daniel will be something concerning the laws that his god [his given him].”
Then, these men, were saying, We shall not find against this Daniel, any occasion; unless we find it against him in respect of the law of his God.
6 So the administrators and governors went as one group to the king and said, “(Your Majesty/O king), we wish that you will live a long time!
Then, these ministers and satraps, crowded together unto the king, —and, thus, were saying to him, O Darius the king! for ages, live!
7 [We] administrators and governors and district governors and advisors and other officials have all agreed that you should make a law that everyone must obey. We want you to command that for the next thirty days people may pray only to you. If anyone prays to anyone else, either to a human or to a god, he must be thrown into [a pit of] lions.
All the ministers of the kingdom, the nobles and satraps, the near friends and the pashas, have consulted together, to establish a royal statute, and to confirm an interdict, —That, whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 And because laws made by [our governments of] Media and Persia cannot be changed, [we want] you, [the head of our government], to sign it.”
Now, O king! wilt thou establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it may not be changed—according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished,
9 So King Darius [wrote] the law and signed it.
Wherefore, King Darius, signed the writing and the interdict.
10 But when I found out that [the king] had [written and] signed that law, I went home. I knelt down in my upstairs room and prayed. I looked toward Jerusalem, and the windows were open [with the result that everyone could see me while I was praying]. I prayed three times each day, just as I always did, thanking God.
But, Daniel, when he knew that the writing, was signed, went to his own house, and, the windows being opened to him, in his chamber, toward Jerusalem, three times a day, was he kneeling upon his knees, and praying and giving thanks before his God, in like manner as he had been doing aforetime.
11 The officials went together [to my house] and they saw me praying and requesting God to help me.
Then, these men, crowded together, and found Daniel, —praying and making supplication, before his God.
12 So they returned to the king and said to him, “[Do you remember] that you wrote a law stating that for the next thirty days people may pray only to you, and if anyone prays to anyone else, either to a human or to a god, he will be thrown into [a pit of] lions?” The king replied, “[Yes, that is the law that I wrote]. It is a law of [our governments of] Media and Persia, which cannot be canceled.”
Then drew they near, and began to speak before the king, concerning the royal interdict, Didst thou not sign, an interdict, that, any man who should petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee, O king, should be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, Certain is the thing—according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished.
13 Then they said to the king, “Well, that [man] Daniel, one of the men who were brought from Judah, is not paying any attention to you or the law that you [signed]. He prays [to his god] three times each day!”
Then answered they and were saying before the king, Daniel, who is of the sons of the exile of Judah, hath made thee, O king, of none account, also the interdict which thou hast signed, —but, three times a day, is asking his petition.
14 When the king heard that, he was very distressed. He tried to find a way to save me. All the rest of that day he tried to think of a way to rescue me.
Then, the king, when he heard, the matter, was sorely displeased with himself, and, upon Daniel, set his heart, to deliver him, —and, until the going in of the sun, was striving to rescue him.
15 [In the evening, many of] [HYP] the officials went together to the king and said, “(Your Majesty/O king), you know that [our governments of] Media and Persia have declared that no law that the king signs can be canceled/changed. [So Daniel must be thrown to the lions!]”
Then, these men, crowded unto the king, —and were saying to the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that, no interdict nor statute which the king establisheth, may be changed.
16 So the king gave the order, and his servants brought me and threw me into a pit where the lions [were]. [Before they threw me in], the king said to me, “I hope/wish that your God, whom you worship regularly, will rescue you!”
Then, the king, gave word, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spake and said to Daniel, —Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, he, will deliver thee.
17 They rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the pit. Then the king [fastened a string across the entrance and put wax at each end, and stamped the wax with] the seal from his [ring] and the seals [of the rings] of his officials, in order that no one could [secretly] rescue me.
And there was brought a certain stone, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet-ring, and with the signet-ring of his nobles, that nothing might be changed, as to Daniel.
18 Then the king returned to his palace. That night he refused to eat any food. He would not allow anyone to entertain him [because he did not want to be happy, with the result that he would forget about me. And that night] he was unable to sleep [because he was worried about me].
Then the king departed to his palace, and spent the night fasting, and no, table, was brought in before him, —and, his sleep, fled from him.
19 At dawn the next morning, the king got up and went quickly to the pit where the lions were.
Then the king rose early, with the dawn, —and, hastily—unto the den of lions, departed;
20 When he came near it, he was very worried. He called out, “Daniel, you who serve the all-powerful God! Was your God, whom you worship regularly, able to save you from the lions?”
and, when he drew near to the den, unto Daniel, with distressed voice, made he outcry, —the king spake and said unto Daniel, O Daniel! servant of the Living God! Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, hath he been able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 I answered, “(Your Majesty/O king), I hope that you will live a long time!
Then, Daniel, with the king, spake, —O king! for ages, live!
22 [Yes], my God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths, in order that they would not harm me! [He did that] because [he knows that] I have done nothing that he thinks is wrong. And, (Your Majesty/O king), I never did anything wrong to you!”
My God, hath sent his messenger, and hath shut the mouth of the lions, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as, before him, rectitude was found in me, moreover also, before thee, O king, no, crime, had I committed.
23 The king was extremely happy, and he commanded [his servants] to lift me out of the pit. [When they did that, they] saw that the lions had not wounded me at all. [God had protected me] because I trusted in him.
Then, the king, was exceedingly glad concerning him, and gave word to take up, Daniel, out of the den. So Daniel, was taken up, out of the den, and, no manner of hurt, was found in him, for that he had trusted in his God.
24 Then the king commanded that the men who had accused me should be seized and be thrown, along with their wives and children, into the pit where the lions were. [When they were thrown into the pit], the lions leaped on them and crushed their bones before they fell onto the bottom of the pit!
And the king, gave word, that they should bring those men who had accused Daniel, and, into the den of lions, they cast them—them, their children, and their wives, —and, they had not reached the bottom of the den, when the lions, seized them, and, all their bones, brake they in pieces.
25 Then King Darius wrote [this message and sent it throughout his kingdom] to the people of every people-group and nation and from all language groups: “I wish/hope that everything is going very well with you!
Then, Darius the king, wrote to all the peoples, the races, and the tongues who were dwelling in all the earth, Your prosperity abound!
26 I command that everyone in my kingdom should fear and revere the God that Daniel [worships]. He is the all-powerful God, and he will live forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed; he will rule forever.
From before me, is appointed a decree that, throughout every dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and withdraw falteringly from before the God of Daniel, —for that, he, is the Living God, and abiding for ages, and, his kingdom, that which shall not be destroyed, and, his dominion, is unto the end:
27 He rescues and saves [his people]. He performs all kinds of miracles in heaven and on the earth. He rescued Daniel from the power of the lions!”
who delivereth and rescueth and worketh signs and wonders, in the heavens, and in the earth, —for that he hath delivered Daniel out of the power of the lions.
28 So I was successful [all] during the time that Darius ruled and during the time that Cyrus, [the King] of Persia, ruled.
And, this Daniel, prospered in the reign of Darius, —and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.:
