Daniel, 6

1. and Darius the Mede received the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.

1. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;

2. It pleased Darius to appoint a hundred and twenty satraps over his kingdom for the various parts,

2. and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.

3. and over them three presidents -- of whom Daniel was one -- to whom the satraps were to be responsible. This was to safeguard the king's interests.

3. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

4. This Daniel, by virtue of the marvellous spirit residing in him, was so evidently superior to the other presidents and satraps that the king considered appointing him to rule the whole kingdom.

4. Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom; but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.

5. The presidents and satraps, in consequence, started hunting for some affair of state by which they could discredit Daniel; but they could find nothing to his discredit, and no case of negligence; he was so punctilious that they could not find a single instance of maladministration or neglect.

5. Then these men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God."

6. These men then thought, 'We shall never find a way of discrediting Daniel unless we try something to do with the law of his God.'

6. Then these presidents and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, "O King Darius, live for ever!

7. The presidents and satraps then went in a body to the king. 'King Darius,' they said, 'live for ever!

7. All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an interdict, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

8. We are all agreed, presidents of the realm, magistrates, satraps, councillors and governors, that the king should issue an edict enforcing the following regulation: Whoever within the next thirty days prays to anyone, divine or human, other than to yourself, Your Majesty, is to be thrown into the lions' den.

8. Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked."

9. Your Majesty, ratify the edict at once by signing this document, making it unalterable, as befits the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.'

9. Therefore King Darius signed the document and interdict.

10. King Darius accordingly signed the document embodying the edict.

10. When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem; and he got down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

11. When Daniel heard that the document had been signed, he retired to his house. The windows of his upstairs room faced towards Jerusalem. Three times each day, he went down on his knees, praying and giving praise to God as he had always done.

11. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

12. These men came along in a body and found Daniel praying and pleading with God.

12. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the interdict, "O king! Did you not sign an interdict, that any man who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered, "The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked."

13. They then went to the king and reminded him of the royal edict, 'Have you not signed an edict forbidding anyone for the next thirty days to pray to anyone, divine or human, other than to yourself, Your Majesty, on pain of being thrown into the lions' den?' 'The decision stands' the king replied, ' as befits the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.'

13. Then they answered before the king, "That Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no heed to you, O king, or the interdict you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."

14. They then said to the king, 'Your Majesty, this man Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, disregards both you and the edict which you have signed: he is at his prayers three times each day.'

14. Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed, and set his mind to deliver Daniel; and he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.

15. When the king heard these words he was deeply distressed and determined to save Daniel; he racked his brains until sunset to find some way to save him.

15. Then these men came by agreement to the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no interdict or ordinance which the king establishes can be changed."

16. But the men kept pressing the king, 'Your Majesty, remember that in conformity with the law of the Medes and the Persians, no edict or decree can be altered when once issued by the king.'

16. Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!"

17. The king then ordered Daniel to be brought and thrown into the lion pit. The king said to Daniel, 'Your God, whom you have served so faithfully, will have to save you.'

17. And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

18. A stone was then brought and laid over the mouth of the pit; and the king sealed it with his own signet and with that of his noblemen, so that there could be no going back on the original decision about Daniel.

18. Then the king went to his palace, and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

19. The king returned to his palace, spent the night in fasting and refused to receive any of his concubines. Sleep eluded him,

19. Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.

20. and at the first sign of dawn he got up and hurried to the lion pit.

20. When he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

21. As he approached the pit he called in anguished tones to Daniel, 'Daniel, servant of the living God! Has your God, whom you serve so faithfully, been able to save you from the lions?'

21. Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live for ever!

22. Daniel answered the king, 'May Your Majesty live for ever!

22. My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong."

23. My God sent his angel who sealed the lions' jaws; they did me no harm, since in his sight I am blameless; neither have I ever done you any wrong, Your Majesty.'

23. Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God.

24. The king was overjoyed and ordered Daniel to be released from the pit. Daniel was released from the pit and found to be quite unhurt, because he had trusted in his God.

24. And the king commanded, and those men who had accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions -- they, their children, and their wives; and before they reached the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

25. The king then sent for the men who had accused Daniel and had them thrown into the lion pit, and their wives and children too; and before they reached the floor of the pit the lions had seized them and crushed their bones to pieces.

25. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: "Peace be multiplied to you.

26. King Darius then wrote to all nations, peoples and languages dwelling throughout the world: 'May you prosper more and more!

26. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring for ever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.

27. This is my decree: Throughout every dominion of my realm, let all tremble with fear before the God of Daniel: He is the living God, he endures for ever, his kingdom will never be destroyed and his empire never come to an end.

27. He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions."

28. He saves, sets free, and works signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth; he has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.'

28. So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

29. This Daniel flourished in the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

29.