Daniel Is Thrown Into a Den of Lions
1It pleased Darius to appoint 120 royal rulers over his entire kingdom. 2He placed three leaders over them. One of the leaders was Daniel. The royal rulers were made accountable to the three leaders. Then the king wouldn’t lose any of his wealth. 3Daniel did a better job than the other two leaders or any of the royal rulers. He was an unusually good and able man. So the king planned to put him in charge of the whole kingdom. 4But the other two leaders and the royal rulers heard about it. So they looked for a reason to bring charges against Daniel. They tried to find something wrong with the way he ran the government. But they weren’t able to. They couldn’t find any fault with his work. He could always be trusted. He never did anything wrong. And he always did what he was supposed to. 5Finally these men said, “We want to bring charges against this man Daniel. But it’s almost impossible for us to come up with a reason to do it. If we find a reason, it will have to be in connection with the law of his God.”
6So the two leaders and the royal rulers went as a group to the king. They said, “King Darius, may you live forever! 7All the royal leaders, high officials, royal rulers, advisers and governors want to make a suggestion. We’ve agreed that you should give an order. And you should make sure it’s obeyed. Your Majesty, here is the command you should make your people obey for the next 30 days. Don’t let any of your people pray to any god or human being except to you. If they do, throw them into the lions’ den. 8Now give the order. Write it down in the law of the Medes and Persians. Then it can’t be changed.” 9So King Darius put the order in writing.
10Daniel found out that the king had signed the order. In spite of that, he did just as he had always done before. He went home to his upstairs room. Its windows opened toward Jerusalem. He went to his room three times a day to pray. He got down on his knees and gave thanks to his God. 11Some of the other royal officials went to where Daniel was staying. They saw him praying and asking God for help. 12So they went to the king. They spoke to him about his royal order. They said, “Your Majesty, didn’t you sign an official order? It said that for the next 30 days your people could pray only to you. They could not pray to anyone else, whether god or human being. If they did, they would be thrown into the lions’ den.”
The king answered, “The order must still be obeyed. It’s what the law of the Medes and Persians requires. So it can’t be changed.”
13Then they spoke to the king again. They said, “Daniel is one of the prisoners from Judah. He doesn’t pay any attention to you, Your Majesty. He doesn’t obey the order you put in writing. He still prays to his God three times a day.” 14When the king heard this, he was very upset. He didn’t want Daniel to be harmed in any way. Until sunset, he did everything he could to save him.
15Then the men went as a group to King Darius. They said to him, “Your Majesty, remember that no order or command you give can be changed. That’s what the law of the Medes and Persians requires.”
16So the king gave the order. Daniel was brought out and thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to him, “You always serve your God faithfully. So may he save you!”
17A stone was brought and placed over the opening of the den. The king sealed it with his own special ring. He also sealed it with the rings of his nobles. Then nothing could be done to help Daniel. 18The king returned to his palace. He didn’t eat anything that night. He didn’t ask for anything to be brought to him for his enjoyment. And he couldn’t sleep.
19As soon as the sun began to rise, the king got up. He hurried to the lions’ den. 20When he got near it, he called out to Daniel. His voice was filled with great concern. He said, “Daniel! You serve the living God. You always serve him faithfully. So has he been able to save you from the lions?”
21Daniel answered, “Your Majesty, may you live forever! 22My God sent his angel. And his angel shut the mouths of the lions. They haven’t hurt me at all. That’s because I haven’t done anything wrong in God’s sight. I’ve never done anything wrong to you either, Your Majesty.”
23The king was filled with joy. He ordered his servants to lift Daniel out of the den. So they did. They didn’t see any wounds on him. That’s because he had trusted in his God.
24Then the king gave another order. The men who had said bad things about Daniel were brought in. They were thrown into the lions’ den. So were their wives and children. Before they hit the bottom of the den, the lions attacked them. And the lions crushed all their bones.
25Then King Darius wrote to people of all nations, no matter what language they spoke. He said,
“May you have great success!
26“I order people in every part of my kingdom to respect and honor Daniel’s God.
“He is the living God.
He will live forever.
His kingdom will not be destroyed.
His rule will never end.
27He sets people free and saves them.
He does miraculous signs and wonders.
He does them in the heavens and on the earth.
He has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28So Daniel had success while Darius was king. Things went well with Daniel during the rule of Cyrus, the Persian.
Daniẹli nínú ihò kìnnìún
1Ó dára lójú Dariusi láti yan ọgọ́fà àwọn baálẹ̀ sórí ìjọba, 2pẹ̀lú alákòóso mẹ́ta, Daniẹli sì jẹ́ ọ̀kan nínú wọn, kí àwọn baálẹ̀ lè wá máa jẹ́ ààbọ̀ fún wọn, kí ọba má ba à ní ìpalára. 3Daniẹli ya ara rẹ̀ sọ́tọ̀ láàrín àwọn alákòóso àti àwọn baálẹ̀ nítorí ẹ̀mí tí ó tayọ wà lára rẹ̀ dé bi pé ọba sì ń gbèrò láti fi ṣe olórí i gbogbo ìjọba. 4Nítorí èyí, gbogbo àwọn alákòóso àti àwọn baálẹ̀ ń gbèrò láti wá ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ kà sí Daniẹli lọ́rùn nínú ètò ìṣèjọba rẹ̀, ṣùgbọ́n wọn kò rí ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ kankan kà sí i lọ́rùn, wọn kò rí ìwà ìbàjẹ́ kankan tí ó ṣe, nítorí ó jẹ́ olóòtítọ́ kò sì ní ìwà ìjáfara. 5Nígbẹ̀yìn ni àwọn ọkùnrin wọ̀nyí sọ wí pé, “Àwa kò ní rí ìdí kankan láti kà ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ sí Daniẹli lọ́rùn, àfi èyí tí ó bá ní í ṣe pẹ̀lú òfin Ọlọ́run rẹ̀.”
6Nígbà náà ni àwọn alákòóso àti àwọn baálẹ̀ lọ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ikọ̀ sí ọ̀dọ̀ ọba, wọ́n wí pé: “Ìwọ Dariusi ọba, kí o pẹ́! 7Àwọn alákòóso ọba, ìjòyè, baálẹ̀, olùdámọ̀ràn, àti àwọn olórí gbìmọ̀ pọ̀ wí pé kí ọba kéde òfin kan pé ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá gba àdúrà sí Ọlọ́run tàbí ènìyàn kankan fún ọgbọ̀n ọjọ́, yàtọ̀ fún ìwọ ọba, a ó ju ẹni náà sí inú ihò kìnnìún. 8Nísinsin yìí, ìwọ ọba, gbé òfin yìí jáde, kí o sì kọ ọ́ sínú ìwé kí a má ba à yí i padà ní ìbámu pẹ̀lú òfin àwọn Media àti Persia, èyí tí kò ní le è parẹ́.” 9Nígbà náà, ni Dariusi ọba fi ọwọ́ sí ìwé àṣẹ náà.
10Lóòótọ́, Daniẹli mọ̀ pé a ti fi ọwọ́ sí ìwé òfin náà, síbẹ̀ ó wọ ilé e rẹ̀ lọ, nínú yàrá òkè, ó ṣí fèrèsé èyí tí ó kọjú sí Jerusalẹmu sílẹ̀. Ó kúnlẹ̀ lórí orúnkún un rẹ̀ ní ẹ̀mẹ́ta lójoojúmọ́, ó gbàdúrà, ó fi ọpẹ́ fún Ọlọ́run gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìṣe rẹ̀ tẹ́lẹ̀. 11Nígbà náà ni, àwọn ọlọ̀tẹ̀ yìí kó ara wọn jọ, wọ́n sì rí Daniẹli tí ó ń gba àdúrà, ó sì ń bẹ̀bẹ̀ fún àánú lọ́dọ̀ Ọlọ́run. 12Wọ́n lọ sí iwájú ọba, wọ́n sì rán ọba létí nípa òfin tí ó ṣe pé, “Ìwọ kò ha fi ọwọ́ sí òfin wí pé ní ìwọ̀n ọgbọ̀n ọjọ́ ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá gba àdúrà sí Ọlọ́run tàbí ènìyàn, láì bá ṣe ìwọ ọba, a ó gbé e jù sínú ihò kìnnìún?”
Ọba sì dáhùn pé, “Àṣẹ náà dúró síbẹ̀, ní ìbámu pẹ̀lú òfin àwọn ará Media àti Persia, èyí tí a kò le è parẹ́.”
13Nígbà náà, ni wọ́n sọ fún ọba pé, “Daniẹli, ọ̀kan lára ìgbèkùn Juda, kò ka ìwọ ọba sí, tàbí àṣẹ ẹ̀ rẹ tí o fi ọwọ́ sí. Òun sì tún ń gba àdúrà ní ẹ̀mẹ́ta lójúmọ́.” 14Nígbà tí ọba gbọ́ èyí, inú rẹ̀ bàjẹ́ gidigidi; ó pinnu láti kó Daniẹli yọ, títí oòrùn fi rọ̀, ó sa gbogbo ipá a rẹ̀ láti gba Daniẹli sílẹ̀.
15Nígbà náà, ni àwọn ọlọ̀tẹ̀ wọ̀nyí kó ara wọn jọ wá sí ọ̀dọ̀ ọba, wọ́n sì wí fún un pé, “Ìwọ ọba rántí pé, ní ìbámu pẹ̀lú òfin àwọn Media àti Persia kò sí àṣẹ tàbí ìkéde tí ọba ṣe tí a le è yí i padà.”
16Nígbà náà, ni ọba pàṣẹ, wọ́n sì mú Daniẹli, wọ́n sì sọ ọ́ sínú ihò kìnnìún. Ọba sì sọ fún Daniẹli pé, “Kí Ọlọ́run rẹ tí ìwọ ń sìn nígbà gbogbo kí ó gbà ọ́!”
17A sì gbé òkúta kan wá, wọ́n sì fi dí ẹnu ihò náà, ọba sì dì í pa pẹ̀lú òrùka èdìdì rẹ̀ àti pẹ̀lú òrùka àwọn ọlọ́lá rẹ̀, nítorí kí a má ṣe yí ohunkóhun padà nítorí i Daniẹli. 18Nígbà náà ni ọba padà sí ààfin rẹ̀, ó sì lo gbogbo òru náà láì jẹun, kò sì gbọ́ orin kankan, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kò sì le è sùn ní òru ọjọ́ náà.
19Ní òwúrọ̀ kùtùkùtù, ni ọba dìde ó sì sáré lọ sí ibi ihò kìnnìún náà. 20Nígbà tí ó súnmọ́ ibi ihò náà ní ibi tí Daniẹli wà, ó pe Daniẹli pẹ̀lú ìtara pé, “Daniẹli, ìránṣẹ́ Ọlọ́run alààyè, ṣé Ọlọ́run rẹ tí ìwọ ń sìn tọ̀sán tòru, lè gbà ọ́ lọ́wọ́ kìnnìún bí?”
21Daniẹli sì dáhùn wí pé, “ọba kí ẹ pẹ́! 22Ọlọ́run mi rán angẹli i rẹ̀, ó sì dí àwọn kìnnìún lẹ́nu. Wọn kò le è pa mí lára, nítorí a rí mi gẹ́gẹ́ bí aláìlẹ́ṣẹ̀ ní iwájú rẹ̀. Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni èmi kò hu ìwà ìbàjẹ́ kan níwájú rẹ ìwọ ọba.”
23Inú ọba dùn gidigidi, ó sì pàṣẹ kí a mú Daniẹli jáde wá láti inú ihò. Nígbà tí a mú Daniẹli jáde nínú ihò, kò sí ojú ọgbẹ́ kan ní ara rẹ̀, nítorí tí ó gbẹ́kẹ̀lé Ọlọ́run rẹ̀.
24Ọba pàṣẹ pé, kí a mú àwọn alátakò Daniẹli wá, kí a jù wọ́n sí inú ihò kìnnìún, pẹ̀lú ìyàwó àti àwọn ọmọ wọn. Kí wọn tó dé ìsàlẹ̀ ihò, kìnnìún lágbára lórí i wọn, wọ́n sì fọ́ gbogbo egungun wọn.
25Nígbà náà, ni Dariusi ọba kọ̀wé sí gbogbo ènìyàn, orílẹ̀-èdè àti gbogbo jákèjádò ilẹ̀ náà:
“Kí ìre yín máa pọ̀ sí i!
26“Mo gbé àṣẹ kan jáde wí pé: ní gbogbo agbègbè ìjọba mi, gbogbo ènìyàn gbọdọ̀ bẹ̀rù, kí wọn kí ó sì bọ̀wọ̀ fún Ọlọ́run Daniẹli.
“Nítorí òun ni Ọlọ́run alààyè
Ó sì wà títí ayé;
Ìjọba rẹ̀ kò le è parun
ìjọba rẹ̀ kò ní ìpẹ̀kun
27Ó ń yọ ni, ó sì ń gbani là;
ó ń ṣe iṣẹ́ ààmì àti ìyanu
ní ọ̀run àti ní ayé.
Òun ló gba Daniẹli là
kúrò lọ́wọ́ agbára kìnnìún.”
28Daniẹli sì ṣe rere ní àkókò ìjọba Dariusi àti àkókò ìjọba Kirusi ti Persia.
