Young men in whom was no blemish, but handsome, and skilful in all wisdom, and gifted in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.

And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's food, and of the wine which he drank: so training them three years, that at the end of that time they might stand before the king.

Thus Melzar took away the portion of their food, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them vegetables.

And the king spoke with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to show the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it.

And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

And as you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the descendants of men: but they shall not hold one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and incense unto him.

Then the satraps, the administrators, and governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

They spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever.

There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded you: they serve not your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods.

Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me its interpretation.

That they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen, and they shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

And since they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; your kingdom shall be sure unto you, after you shall have known that the heavens do rule.

And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make you to eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his lords, his wives, and his concubines, drank from them.

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king its interpretation.

And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me its interpretation: but they could not show the interpretation of the thing:

But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it whomever he will.

But have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine in them; and you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, have you not glorified:

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Then the presidents and satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault; because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree; have you not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not.

Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regards not you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.

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

Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of harm was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

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

And behold another beast, a second, like a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

But the court shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

O Lord, righteousness belongs unto you, but unto us shame of face, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries where you have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you.

Yea, all Israel have transgressed your law, even by departing, that they might not obey your voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.

And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great trembling fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

And at the end of some years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of her authority; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.

And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the violent men of your people shall exalt themselves to fulfill the vision; but they shall fall.

And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of royalty: but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by flatteries.

And with the force of a flood shall they be swept away from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall devise plans against him.

Yea, they that feed of the portion of his rich food shall destroy him, and his army shall be swept away: and many shall fall down slain.

And both these kings' hearts shall be to do evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper: for the end shall yet be at the time appointed.

And forces shall appear on his part, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.

And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by plunder, many days.

Now when they shall fall, they shall be aided with a little help: but many shall join to them with flattery.

And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.