CHAPTER 6
1 It pleased Darius, and he ordained sixscore dukes over the realm, that they should be in all his realm.
2 And over them he ordained three princes, of which Daniel was one; that the dukes should yield reason to them, and that the king should not suffer any dis-ease.
3 Therefore Daniel overcame all the princes and dukes, for [the] more spirit of God was in him. Certainly the king thought to ordain him on all the realm.
4 Wherefore princes and dukes, either prefects, sought to find occasion to Daniel, of the side of the king; and they might find no cause and suspicion, for he was faithful, and no blame and suspicion was found in him.
5 Therefore those men said, We shall not find any occasion to this Daniel, no but in hap in the law of his God.
6 Then the princes and dukes made false suggestion to the king, and spake thus to him, King Darius, live thou without end.
7 All the princes of thy realm, and magistrates, and dukes, senators, and judges, have made a counsel, that a decree and commandment of the emperor go out, that each man that asketh any asking of whatever god and man, till to thirty days, no but of thee, thou king, he be sent into the pit of lions.
8 Now therefore, king, confirm thou the sentence, and write thou the decree, that this that is ordained of Medes and Persians be not changed, neither be it leaveful to any man to break.
9 Forsooth Darius, the king, setted [or put] forth, and confirmed the decree.
10 And when Daniel had found out this thing, that is, the law ordained, he entered into his house; and the while the windows were open in his solar against Jerusalem, in three times in the day he bowed his knees, and worshipped, and acknowledged before his God, as he was wont to do before.
11 Therefore those men inquired full busily, and found Daniel praying, and beseeching his God.
12 And they nighed and spake to the king of the commandment, King, whether thou ordainedest not, that each man that asked any asking of gods and of men, till to thirty days, no but of thee, thou king, he should be sent into the pit of lions? To which men the king answered, and said, The word is sooth, by the decree of Medes and Persians, which it is not leaveful to break.
13 Then they answered, and said before the king, Daniel, of the sons of captivity of Judah, reckoned not of thy law, and of the commandment which thou ordainedest, but three times by the day he prayeth in his beseeching.
14 And when the king had heard this word, he was sorry enough, and he setted the heart for Daniel, for to deliver him; and till to the going down of the sun he travailed for to deliver him.
15 But those men understood the king, and said to him, Know thou, king, that it is the law of Medes and of Persians, that it is not leaveful that any decree be changed, which the king ordaineth.
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and sent him into the pit of lions. And the king said to Daniel, Thy God, whom thou worshippest ever[more], he shall deliver thee.
17 And one stone was brought, and was put on the mouth of the pit, which the king asealed with his ring, and with the rings of his best men, lest anything were done against Daniel.
18 Then the king went into his house, and slept without supper, and meats were not brought before him; further-more and sleep went away from him.
19 Then the king rose in the first of the morrowtide, and went hastily to the pit of lions;
20 and he nighed to the pit, and cried on Daniel with [a] weeping voice, and spake to him, Daniel, the servant of God living [or the living God], guessest thou, whether thy God, whom thou servest ever[more], might deliver thee from the lions?
21 And Daniel answered the king, and said, King, live thou without end.
22 My God sent his angel, and closed altogether the mouths of lions, and they annoyed not me, for rightfulness [or rightwiseness] is found in me before him; but also, thou king, I did no trespass before thee.
23 Then the king made joy greatly on him, and commanded Daniel to be led out of the pit. And Daniel was led out of the pit, and none hurting was found in him, for he believed to his God.
24 Forsooth the king commanded, and those men, that accused Daniel, were brought [forth], and were sent into the pit of lions, they, and the sons of them, and the wives of them; and they came not unto the pavement of the pit, till the lions ravished them, and all-brake all the bones of them.
25 Then Darius, the king, wrote to all peoples, lineages, and languages, dwelling in all earth, Peace be multiplied to you.
26 Therefore a decree is ordained of me, That in all mine empire and realm men tremble, and dread the God of Daniel; for he is God living [or living God], and everlasting into worlds, and his realm shall not be destroyed, and his power is till into without end.
27 He is deliverer and saviour, making miracles and marvels in heaven and in earth, which delivered Daniel from the pit of lions.
28 Certainly Daniel dwelled stably till to the realm of Darius, and till to the realm of Cyrus of Persia.