youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and endowed with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.

The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? So would you endanger my head with the king."

Then said Daniel to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

Then let our faces be looked on before you, and the face of the youths who eat of the king's royal food; and as you see, deal with your servants."

At the end of ten days their faces appeared better and fatter than all the youths who ate of the king's royal food.

In every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.

The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, "There is not a man on the earth who can show the king's matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.

It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."

Then Daniel returned an answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon;

He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding;

I thank you, and praise you, God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and has now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king's matter."

Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said this to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation."

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him, "I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation."

but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:

as for you, O king, your thoughts came into your mind on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what shall happen.

You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;

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

Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if you do not worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?"

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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

Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be reduced to rubble; because there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."

"Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying,

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, Belteshazzar, "Do not let the dream, or the interpretation, trouble you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, the dream concerns those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.

"At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever. For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble."

There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, I say, your father, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners;

because an extraordinary spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and explaining riddles, and solving problems, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel, who are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

And because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would he killed, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;

and over them three administrators, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.

Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree. "Haven't you signed a decree, that every man who shall make 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 is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed."

Then they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn't regard 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 to Daniel, "Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you."

When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God. Is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?"

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 came to the bottom of the den.

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

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

I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the true meaning concerning all this. So he told me, and revealed to me the interpretation of these things.

These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who shall arise out of the earth.

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

I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and struck the ram, and broke his two horns. And there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he threw him down to the ground and trampled on him, and there was no one who could deliver the ram from his power.

Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression that makes desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled?"

It came about when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me someone who appeared to be a man.

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans?

I prayed to the LORD my God, and made this confession, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments.

Neither have we listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, who are near, and who are far off, through all the countries where you have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds that they have committed against you.

He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing on us a great calamity; for under the whole heaven such has not been done as has been done on Jerusalem.

"And now, Lord our God, who has brought your people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, even to this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

Lord, according to all your righteousness, let your anger and please let your wrath be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a reproach to all who are around us.

while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, came to me in my weariness about the time of the evening sacrifice.

After the sixty-two weeks an anointed one shall be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and his end shall come with a flood, and until the end there shall be war; desolations are decreed.

He shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who destroys, and even until a complete destruction, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys."

I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great trembling fell on them, and they fled to hide themselves.

And behold, one in the likeness of a human touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who stood before me, "My lord, it is because of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have no strength.

But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the Book of Truth. And there is no one who contends with me against them except Michael, your prince."

And a powerful king shall arise, who shall rule an extensive empire, and do as he pleases.

At the end of years they shall join themselves together; and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain her power; neither shall his strength endure; but she shall be surrendered, and her attendants, and he who became the father of her, and he who supported her in those times.

But out of a shoot from her roots shall arise in his place, who shall come against the army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail.

But he who comes against him shall do as he pleases, and no one shall be able to withstand him. And he shall stand in the beautiful land, and destruction will be within his power.

Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute to pass through the kingdom to maintain its glory; but within few days he shall be destroyed, though not in anger nor in battle.

In his place shall arise a despicable person, to whom the honor of kingship had not been given, but he shall come in a time of prosperity, and shall obtain the kingdom through deceit.

Yes, those who eat of his royal food shall seek to destroy him, and his army shall be swept away; and many shall fall slain.

For ships from Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be intimidated, and shall turn back, and be enraged against the holy covenant, and shall take action. He shall turn back, and show regard to those who forsake the holy covenant.

And those who act wickedly toward the covenant he shall corrupt by smooth words; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and take action.

And those who are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for some time.

Some of those who are wise shall fall, to be refined, purified and cleansed until the time of the end; for the appointed time is still to come.

But instead he shall honor the god of fortresses; a god whom his fathers did not know shall he honor with gold and silver, and with valuable stones, and costly gifts.

"At that time shall Michael arise, the great prince who watches over the children of your people. And there shall be a time of distress unparalleled since the beginning of the nation until that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book.

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.

And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall it be till these wonders take place?"

I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Many shall be purified, cleansed and refined; but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.