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 Jehoyakim the king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon unto 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 gave up into his hand Yehoyakim the king of Judah, with part of the vessels of the house of God: and he brought them into the land of Shin'ar into the house of his god, namely, he brought the vessels into the treasure-house 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,
And the king said unto Ashpenas, the chief of his eunuchs, that he should bring out of the children of Israel, and of the royal seed, and of the nobles,
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.
[Certain] lads in whom there should be no kind of blemish, but who should be handsome in appearance, and intelligent in all wisdom, and acquainted with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as should have the ability to serve in the king's palace, and that these should be taught the learning and the language 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.
And the king ordered for them a daily provision for its day of the king's food, and of the wine which he drank, and to educate them three years, so that at the end thereof they should serve before the king.
6 Therfor Danyel, Ananye, Myzael, and Azarie, of the sones of Juda, weren among hem.
Now there were among these of the children of Judah, Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah.
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.
And the chief of the eunuchs assigned them names; and he assigned to Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Chananyah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to 'Azaryah, of 'Abed-nego.
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 resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself with the food of the king, nor with the wine which he drank: and therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not need to defile himself.
9 Forsothe God yaf grace and merci to Daniel, in the siyt of the prince of onest seruauntis and chast.
And God gave Daniel kindness and mercy before the chief of the eunuchs.
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.
And the chief of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath ordered your food and your drink; for why should he see your face sadder looking than that of the lads who are of your age? and ye would thus endanger my head with 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 said Daniel to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had given charge over Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah,
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,
Prove, I beseech thee, thy servants, ten days; and let them give us 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.
And then let our countenances be looked at before thee, and the countenance of the lads that eat the food of the king: and as thou mayest see [fitting], so deal with thy servants.
14 And whanne he herde siche a word, he asaiede hem bi ten daies.
And he hearkened unto them in this matter, and proved them 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 their countenances appeared better and fuller in flesh than [that of] all the lads who ate the food of the king.
16 Certis Malazar took the metis, and the wyn of the drynk of hem, and yaf to hem potagis.
And the steward took away their [apportioned] food, and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
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.
But as regardeth all these four lads, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all 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.
And at the end of the days [after] which the king had said that they should be presented, the chief of the eunuchs presented them before 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 there was not found among them all any one like Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah: and so they served before the king.
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.
And in every matter of wise understanding, which the king required of them, he found them ten times superior above all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his kingdom.
21 Forsothe Danyel was til to the firste yeer of king Cyrus.
And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
