Daniel’s Training in Babylon
1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia1:2 Hebrew Shinar and put in the treasure house of his god.
3Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.1:4 Or Chaldeans 5The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
6Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your1:10 The Hebrew for your and you in this verse is plural. food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
11Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
18At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
21And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
但以理被擄到巴比倫
1猶大王約雅敬執政第三年，巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒前來圍攻耶路撒冷。 2主將猶大王約雅敬及上帝殿中的部分器具交在他手中。他把器具擄到巴比倫1·2 「巴比倫」希伯來文是「示拿」，巴比倫的別稱。的神廟，放在他神明的庫房裡。
3王吩咐太監長亞施毗拿從以色列的王室和貴族中選一些人， 4即毫無殘疾、相貌英俊、學問淵博、聰慧善學、能在王宮服侍的青年，教他們迦勒底的語言和文字。 5王安排他們每日享用御用的膳食和酒。他們要受教養三年，期滿後好在王身邊供職。 6被選的人中有猶大人但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亞撒利雅。 7太監長給他們起了新名字：稱但以理為伯提沙撒，哈拿尼雅為沙得拉，米沙利為米煞，亞撒利雅為亞伯尼歌。
8然而，但以理決心不用王的膳食和酒，以免玷污自己。他請求太監長准許他不玷污自己。 9上帝使但以理得到太監長的恩待和同情。 10不過，太監長對但以理說：「我懼怕我主我王，因為這是他指派給你們的飲食。如果他看見你們面容比同齡的青年憔悴，如何是好？你們會使我在王面前人頭難保。」 11但以理便對太監長派來監管他、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亞撒利雅的人說： 12「求你試試在十天內只讓僕人們吃素菜、喝清水， 13然後比較一下我們的面容和那些用御膳的青年的面容，看了之後再作決定。」 14監管同意試他們十天。 15十天後，但以理和他三個朋友看起來比那些用御膳的青年更俊美健康。 16於是，監管撤去了指派給他們的膳食和酒，只給他們素菜。
17上帝使這四個青年精通各種學問和知識。但以理能明白各種異象和夢兆。 18到了尼布甲尼撒王規定青年們進宮的日子，太監長便帶他們去見王。 19王與他們談話，發現無人比得上但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亞撒利雅，便把他們留在身邊供職。 20王詢問他們各種各樣的事，發現他們的智慧和聰明比全國的術士和巫師高十倍。 21直到塞魯士王元年，但以理仍在宮中供職。
