Daniel 1
1 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.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has come to Jerusalem, and lays siege against it;
2 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.
and the Lord gives into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the house of God, and he brings them in [to] the land of Shinar, [to] the house of his god, and the vessels he has brought in [to] the treasure-house of his god.
3 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—
And the king says, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs),
4 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.
boys in whom there is no blemish, and of good appearance, and skillful in all wisdom, and possessing knowledge, and teaching thought, and who have ability to stand in the palace of the king, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
5 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.
And the king appoints for them a rate, day by day, of the king’s portion of food, and of the wine of his drinking, so as to nourish them three years, that at the end thereof they may stand before the king.
6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, some of the people of Judah.
And there are among them out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
7 The chief official gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
and the chief of the eunuchs sets names on them, and he sets on Daniel, Belteshazzar; and on Hananiah, Shadrach; and on Mishael, Meshach; and on Azariah, Abed-Nego.
8 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.
And Daniel purposes in his heart that he will not defile himself with the king’s portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeks of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not defile himself.
9 Now God gave Daniel favor and compassion through the respect that the chief official had for him.
And God gives Daniel for kindness and for mercies before the chief of the eunuchs;
10 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.”
and the chief of the eunuchs says to Daniel, “I am fearing my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink, for why does he see your faces sadder than [those of] the boys which [are] of your circle? Then you have made my head indebted to the king,”
11 Then Daniel spoke to the steward whom the chief official had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
And Daniel says to the Meltzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs has appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 He said, “Please test us, your servants, for ten days. Give us only some vegetables to eat and water to drink.
“Please try your servants [for] ten days; and they give to us from the vegetables and we eat, and water, and we drink;
13 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.”
and our appearance is seen before you, and the appearance of the boys who are eating the king’s portion of food, and as you see—deal with your servants.”
14 So the steward agreed with him to do this, and he tested them for ten days.
And he listens to them, to this word, and tries them ten days:
15 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.
and at the end of ten days their appearance has appeared better and fatter in flesh then any of the boys who are eating the king’s portion of food.
16 So the steward took away their delicacies and their wine and gave them only vegetables.
And the Meltzar is taking away their portion of food, and the wine of their drink, and is giving to them vegetables.
17 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.
As for these four boys, God has given to them knowledge and understanding in every [kind of] literature, and wisdom; and Daniel has given instruction about every [kind of] vision and dreams.
18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
And at the end of the days that the king had said to bring them in, the chief of the eunuchs brings them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 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.
And the king speaks with them, and there has not been found among them all like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and they stand before the king;
20 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.
and [in] any matter of wisdom [and] understanding that the king has sought of them, he finds them ten hands above all the enchanters, the conjurers, who [are] in all his kingdom.
21 Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
And Daniel is to the first year of Cyrus the king.
