Daniel 1
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, come hath Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and layeth siege against 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 giveth into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the house of God, and he bringeth them in [to] the land of Shinar, [to] the house of his god, and the vessels he hath brought in [to] the treasure-house 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 king saith, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel, (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs, )
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 lads in whom there is no blemish, and of good appearance, and skilful 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.
[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 doth appoint 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.
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 And there are among them out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Now there were among these of the children of Judah, Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah.
7 and the chief of the eunuchs setteth names on them, and he setteth on Daniel, Belteshazzar; and on Hananiah, Shadrach; and on Mishael, Meshach; and on Azariah, Abed-Nego.
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 And Daniel purposeth in his heart that he will not pollute himself with the king's portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeketh of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not pollute himself.
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 And God giveth Daniel for kindness and for mercies before the chief of the eunuchs;
And God gave Daniel kindness and mercy before the chief of the eunuchs.
10 and the chief of the eunuchs saith to Daniel, 'I am fearing my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink, for why doth he see your faces sadder than [those of] the lads which [are] of your circle? then ye have made my head indebted to the king,'
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 Daniel saith unto the Meltzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs hath appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Then said Daniel to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had given charge over Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah,
12 'Try, I pray thee, thy servants, ten days; and they give to us of the vegetables, and we eat, and water, and we drink;
Prove, I beseech thee, thy servants, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink;
13 and our appearance is seen before thee, and the appearance of the lads who are eating the king's portion of food, and as thou seest — deal with thy servants.'
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 he hearkeneth to them, to this word, and trieth them ten days:
And he hearkened unto them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 and at the end of ten days their appearance hath appeared better and fatter in flesh then any of the lads who are eating the king's portion of food.
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 And the Meltzar is taking away their portion of food, and the wine of their drink, and is giving to them vegetables.
And the steward took away their [apportioned] food, and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 As to these four lads, God hath given to them knowledge and understanding in every [kind of] literature, and wisdom; and Daniel hath given instruction about every [kind of] vision and dreams.
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 And at the end of the days that the king had said to bring them in, bring them in doth the chief of the eunuchs before Nebuchadnezzar.
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 the king speaketh with them, and there hath none been found among them all like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and they stand before 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 [in] any matter of wisdom [and] understanding that the king hath sought of them, he findeth them ten hands above all the scribes, the enchanters, who [are] in all his kingdom.
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 And Daniel is unto the first year of Cyrus the king.
And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
