Then did the king give word to Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, - that he should bring in, of the sons of Israel, even of the seed royal, and of the nobles,

“Please, test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink.

And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine from their diet and gave them a diet of vegetables instead.

Now, at the end of the days after which the king had given word to bring them in, then did the ruler of the eunuchs bring them in, before Nebuchadnezzar.

When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king's service.

he began to speak and said to Arioch the king's captain, - For what cause, is the decree raging forth from before the king? Then did Arioch make the matter known unto Daniel.

So Daniel went in and asked the king to appoint a date and give him time, so that he might reveal to the king the interpretation of the dream.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense.

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

Then did Nebuchadnezzar, draw near, to the door of the burning furnace of fire, he spake and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, step forth and come hither. Then stepped forth Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, out of the midst of the fire.

And the satraps, the prefects, the governors and the advisors of the king [were] assembling, [and] they saw these men, that the fire had no power over their bodies, and the hair of their heads was not singed, and their garments were not harmed, and the smell of fire did not come from them.

Nebuchadnezzar {responded}, saying, "Blessed be their God, [the God] of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him, and the command of the king they disobeyed, and they gave their bodies so that they [did] not serve and [did] not worship any god except their God.

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 the interpretation thereof.

whose leaves were fair, and the fruit much; under the which the beasts of the field had their habitation, and upon whose branches the fowls of the air did sit.

The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

And, at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, mine eyes unto the heavens, did uplift, and, mine understanding, unto me, returned, and, the Most High, I blessed, and, to him that liveth age-abidingly, I rendered praise and honour, - whose dominion, is an age-abiding dominion, and, his kingdom, lasteth from generation to generation;

All who live on the earth are nothing compared to him. He does what he wishes with the heavenly armies and with those who live on earth. No one can hold back his power or say to him, "What did you do?'

At the same time, mine understanding, returned unto me, and, for the dignity of my kingdom, my majesty and my brightness, returned unto me, and, unto me, my nearest friends and my nobles, did seek, - and, over my kingdom, was I restored, and, surpassing greatness, was added unto me.

Then did I, Nebuchadnezzar, love, magnify and praise the King of heaven: for all his works are true, and his ways right. As for those that go on proudly, he is able to bring them down.

Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.

There is a man in your kingdom {who has the spirit of the holy gods in him}. And in the days of your {predecessor}, enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him; and, O king, Nebuchadnezzar your {predecessor} appointed him [as] chief of the magicians, the conjurers, the {astrologers}, [and] the diviners. Your {predecessor} the king [did this]

did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and perception, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems. Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation.”

Then this Daniel did his work better than the chief rulers and the captains, because there was a special spirit in him; and it was the king's purpose to put him over all the kingdom.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Then they approached {and spoke with the king} concerning the edict of the king, "{Did you not sign an edict} that any person who would seek [anything] from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into {the lion pit}?" The king answered and said, "The matter [as you have just stated] is certain according to [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked."

My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not hurt me, {because} before him {I was found} blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done [any] wrong."

The king gave another order, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions' den -- they, their children, and their wives. They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

So this Daniel did well in the kingdom of Darius and in the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, greatly did my thoughts terrify me, and, my bright looks, were changed upon me, but, the matter - in mine own heart, I kept.

I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

And as I was watching, behold, a he-goat came from the west, over the face of the all earth, and did not touch the ground. And the he goat had an outstanding horn between his eyes.

It grew up to the host of heaven, whereof it did cast some down to the ground, and of the stars also, and trod them under feet.

And the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.

And strong his power, and not in his power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and he prospered, and did, and he destroyed the strong ones and the holy people.

And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

We sinned, and we did iniquity, and were evil, and rebelled, and departing from thy commands and from thy judgments.

O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us the shame of our faces, as it is today to the men of Judah and to the people of Jerusalem, and to all Israel who are near and who are afar off, through all the countries where You have driven them because of their sin which they have sinned against You.

As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this evil has come on us. Yet we did not make our prayer before Jehovah our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand Your truth.

Therefore Jehovah has watched over the evil, and has brought it on us. For Jehovah our God is righteous in all His works which He does; for we did not obey His voice.

And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have brought fame to Yourself, as it is today, we have sinned, we have done wrong.

I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision [of this heavenly being], for the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great panic overwhelmed them, so they ran away to hide themselves.

And I myself, Daniel, alone saw this great vision, and [as a result] {no strength was left in me} and {my complexion grew deathly pale}, and I did not retain any strength.

I listened to his voice, and as I did so I fell into a trance-like sleep with my face to the ground.

Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words.

And a strong king stood up, and he ruled from much dominion, and he did according to his will.

And there stood up from the shoot of her roots as he, and he shall come to the strength, and he shall come into the fortress of the king of the north, and he did against them, and was strong:

And he shall set up his face to come with the power of all his kingdom, and the upright with him; and he did: and he will give to him the daughter of women, to corrupt her: and she shall not stand, and shall not be for him.

so that he that came upon him and did him violence, shall stand in his place, and have a pleasant kingdom: and after few days he shall be destroyed: and that neither in wrath, nor in battle.

Peaceably even into the fertile places of the province He cometh, and he hath done that which his fathers did not, nor his fathers' fathers; prey, and spoil, and substance, to them he scattereth, and against fenced places he deviseth his devices, even for a time.

And he shall turn back to his land with great property; and his heart against the holy covenant; and he did, and turned back to his land.

At an appointed time he will again invade the south, but this latter visit will not turn out the way the former one did.

And the inhabitants of the desert, the Chittims came against him: and he was dejected, and he turned back, and was angry against the holy covenant: and he did, and turned back; and he shall understand for those forsaking the holy covenant

And the king did according to his will; and he shall exalt himself and magnify himself over every god; and against the God of gods he shall speak wonderful things,, and he prospered even till anger was finished: for that being determined was done.

But {instead} he will honor the god of fortresses, a god whom his ancestors did not know. He will honor [him] with gold, and with silver, and with precious stones and with costly gifts.

And he did to the strong fortifications with a strange god whom he recognized, he shall multiply honor: and he caused them to rule over many, and he will divide the land for a price.

As for me, I heard, but I did not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”

And many shall be separated and become white, and be tried; and the unjust did evil: and all the unjust shall not understand; and the intelligent shall understand.