Daniel 1
1 In the thridde yeer of the rewme of Joachym, king of Juda, Nabugodonosor, the kyng of Babiloyne, cam to Jerusalem, and bisegide it.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 And the Lord bitook in his hond Joachym, the kyng of Juda, and he took a part of the vessels of the hous of God; and he bar out tho in to the lond of Sennaar, in to the hous of his god, and he took the vessels in to the hous of tresour of his god.
And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.
3 And the kyng seide to Asphaneth, souereyn of his onest seruauntis and chast, that he schulde brynge yn of the sones of Israel, and of the kyngis seed, and the children of tirauntis, in whiche weren no wem,
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—
4 faire in schap, and lerned in al wisdom, war in kunnyng, and tauyt in chastisyng, and that myyten stonde in the paleis of the kyng, that he schulde teche hem the lettris and langage of Caldeis.
young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king ordeynede to hem lijflode bi ech dai of hise meetis, and of the wyn wherof he drank; that thei nurschid bi thre yeer, schulden stonde aftirward bifor the siyt of the kyng.
The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.
6 Therfor Danyel, Ananye, Myzael, and Azarie, of the sones of Juda, weren among hem.
Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7 And the souereyn of onest seruauntis and chast puttide to hem names; to Danyel he puttide Balthasar; to Ananye, Sidrach; to Mysael, Misach; and to Azarie, Abdenago.
The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 Forsothe Danyel purposide in his herte, that he schulde not be defoulid of the boord of the kyng, nether of the wyn of his drink; and he preiede the souereyn of onest seruauntis and chast, that he schulde not be defoulid.
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
9 Forsothe God yaf grace and merci to Daniel, in the siyt of the prince of onest seruauntis and chast.
Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,
10 And the prince of onest seruauntis and chast seide to Daniel, Y drede my lord the king, that ordeinede to you mete and drynk; and if he seeth youre faces lennere than othere yonge wexynge men, youre eueneeldis, ye schulen condempne myn heed to the kyng.
but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”
11 And Danyel seide to Malazar, whom the prince of onest seruauntis and chast hadde ordeynede on Danyel, Ananye, Mysael, and Asarie,
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Y biseche, asaie thou vs thi seruauntis bi ten daies, and potagis be youun to vs to ete, and water to drynke; and biholde thou oure cheris,
“Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 and the cheris of children that eten the kyngis mete; and as thou seest, so do thou with thi seruauntis.
Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
14 And whanne he herde siche a word, he asaiede hem bi ten daies.
So he consented to this and tested them for ten days.
15 Forsothe after ten daies the cheris of hem apperiden betere and fattere, than alle the children that eeten the kyngis mete.
And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food.
16 Certis Malazar took the metis, and the wyn of the drynk of hem, and yaf to hem potagis.
So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.
17 Forsothe to these children God yaf kunnyng and lernyng in ech book, and in al wisdom; but to Daniel God yaf vndurstondyng of alle visiouns and dremys.
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 Therfor whanne the daies weren fillid, aftir whiche the kyng seide, that thei schulden be brouyt yn, the souereyn of onest seruauntis and chast brouyte in hem, in the siyt of Nabugodonosor.
Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And whanne the kyng hadde spoke to hem, siche weren not foundun of alle, as Daniel, Ananye, Misael, and Azarie; and thei stoden in the siyt of the king.
And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.
20 And ech word of wisdom and of vndurstondyng, which the king axide of hem, he foond in hem ten fold ouer alle false dyuynouris and astronomyens, that weren in al his rewme.
In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
21 Forsothe Danyel was til to the firste yeer of king Cyrus.
And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
