Daniel in the Den of Lions
In Aramaic texts 6:1-28 is numbered 6:2-29. 1It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
6So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! 7The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9So King Darius put the decree in writing.
10Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
13Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
15Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”
16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
17A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
19At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
23The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:
“May you prosper greatly!
26“I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
27He rescues and he saves;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus6:28 Or Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Danieli Katika Tundu La Simba
16:1 Dan 5:31; Es 1:1Ilimpendeza Dario kuteua wakuu 120 kutawala katika ufalme wake wote, 26:2 Dan 2:48-49; Mit 3:35; Dan 5:12-14; 1:20pamoja na wasimamizi watatu juu yao, ambao mmoja wao alikuwa Danieli. Wakuu walitoa hesabu kwa hao wasimamizi ili mfalme asipate hasara. 36:3 Es 10:3; Mwa 41:41; Mit 3:35; Dan 5:12-14; 1:20Basi Danieli alijidhihirisha, miongoni mwa wasimamizi na wakuu kwa sifa zake za kipekee hata mfalme akapanga kumweka juu ya ufalme wote. 46:4 Yer 20:10Walipofahamu hilo, wakuu na wasimamizi wakajaribu kutafuta sababu za kumshtaki Danieli kuhusu usimamizi wake wa shughuli za serikali, lakini hawakuweza kufanikiwa. Hawakuweza kupata kosa kwake, kwa sababu alikuwa mwaminifu, wala hakupatikana na upotovu au uzembe. 56:5 Mdo 24:13-16Mwishoni watu hawa walisema, “Kamwe hatutapata msingi wa mashtaka dhidi ya huyu Danieli isipokuwa iwe inahusiana na sheria ya Mungu wake.”
66:6 Neh 2:3; Dan 2:4Basi wasimamizi na wakuu wakaingia kwa mfalme kama kikundi wakasema, “Ee Mfalme Dario, uishi milele! 76:7 Dan 3:2; Za 59:3; 64:2-6; Dan 3:6Wasimamizi wa ufalme, wasaidizi, wakuu, washauri na watawala wote wamekubaliana kwamba mfalme atoe sheria na kukazia amri kuwa yeyote atakayetoa dua kwa mungu au mwanadamu yeyote katika muda huu wa siku thelathini zijazo, isipokuwa kwako wewe, ee mfalme, atupwe ndani ya tundu la simba. 86:8 Es 1:19Sasa, ee mfalme, toa amri na uiandike ili isiweze kubadilishwa: kulingana na sheria za Wamedi na Waajemi, ambazo haziwezi kubatilishwa.” 96:9 Dan 9:23; Eze 2:1; Dan 9:23Hivyo Mfalme Dario akaiweka amri hiyo katika maandishi.
106:10 1Fal 8:29; Mdo 5:29; Za 95:6; Mt 6:6Basi Danieli alipofahamu kuwa amri ile imetangazwa, alikwenda nyumbani kwenye chumba chake cha ghorofani ambako madirisha yalifunguka kuelekea Yerusalemu. Akapiga magoti na kuomba mara tatu kwa siku, akimshukuru Mungu wake kama alivyokuwa akifanya mwanzoni. 116:11 1Fal 8:48-50; Za 55:17; 1The 5:17-18Ndipo watu hawa wakaenda kama kikundi na kumkuta Danieli akiomba na kumsihi Mungu kwa ajili ya msaada. 126:12 Es 1:19; Dan 3:8-12Basi wakaenda kwa mfalme na kusema naye kuhusu amri ya mfalme: “Je, hukutangaza amri kwamba kwa muda huu wa siku thelathini zijazo mtu yeyote ambaye atamwomba mungu au mwanadamu yeyote isipokuwa wewe, ee mfalme, angetupwa ndani ya tundu la simba?”
Mfalme akajibu, “Amri ndivyo ilivyo, kulingana na sheria za Wamedi na Waajemi, ambazo haziwezi kubatilishwa.”
136:13 Eze 14:14; Dan 2:25; Es 3:8; Dan 3:12Ndipo wakamwambia mfalme, “Danieli, ambaye ni mmoja wa mahamisho kutoka Yuda, hakuheshimu, ee mfalme, wala hajali amri uliyoiweka kwa maandishi. Bado anaomba mara tatu kwa siku.” 146:14 Dan 3:13; Mk 6:26Wakati mfalme aliposikia hili, akahuzunika mno. Akakusudia kumwokoa Danieli, hivyo akafanya kila jitihada ya kumwokoa hadi jua likatua.
156:15 Es 8:8Ndipo wale watu wakamwendea mfalme kama kikundi na kumwambia, “Ee mfalme, kumbuka kwamba kulingana na sheria ya Wamedi na Waajemi, hakuna amri wala sheria ambayo mfalme ameitoa inayoweza kubadilishwa.”
166:16 Ay 5:19; 2Kor 1:10; Za 97:10; 37:39-40Basi mfalme akatoa amri, nao wakamleta Danieli, na wakamtupa ndani ya tundu la simba. Mfalme akamwambia Danieli, “Mungu wako unayemtumikia daima na akuokoe!”
176:17 Mt 27:66; Mao 3:536:17 Dan 4:3; 3:29Jiwe likaletwa na kuwekwa kwenye mdomo wa tundu, naye mfalme akalitia muhuri kwa pete yake mwenyewe pamoja na kwa pete za wakuu wake, ili hali ya Danieli isiweze kubadilishwa. 186:18 2Sam 12:17; Dan 3:10; Es 6:1; Dan 2:1Kisha mfalme akarudi kwenye jumba lake la kifalme, naye usiku kucha hakula chakula wala kutumia viburudisho alivyoletewa. Lakini hakuweza kulala.
19Asubuhi na mapema, mfalme akaondoka na kuharakisha kwenda kwenye tundu la simba. 206:20 Dan 3:17; Yer 32:17; Mwa 18:14Wakati alipokaribia lile tundu, akamwita Danieli kwa sauti ya uchungu, “Danieli, mtumishi wa Mungu aliye hai! Je, Mungu wako unayemtumikia daima, ameweza kukuokoa kwa simba?”
216:21 Neh 2:3; Dan 2:4; 3:9Danieli akajibu, “Ee mfalme, uishi milele! 226:22 Dan 3:23-28; Mwa 32:1; Za 91:11-13; Ebr 11:33; Mdo 12:11; 2Tim 4:17Mungu wangu alimtuma malaika wake, naye akafunga vinywa vya hawa simba. Hawajanidhuru, kwa sababu nilionekana sina hatia mbele zake. Wala kamwe sijafanya jambo lolote baya mbele yako, ee mfalme.”
236:23 Dan 3:27; Mk 16:18; Isa 12:2; 1Nya 5:20Mfalme akafurahi mno, naye akatoa amri Danieli atolewe kutoka kwa lile tundu. Danieli alipotolewa kutoka kwa lile tundu, hakukutwa na jeraha lolote, kwa sababu alikuwa amemtumaini Mungu wake.
246:24 Kum 19:18-19; Es 7:9-10; 2Fal 14:6; Isa 38:13; Kum 24:16; 2Fal 14:6Kwa amri ya mfalme, wale watu waliokuwa wamemshtaki Danieli kwa uongo waliletwa na kutupwa ndani ya lile tundu la simba, pamoja na wake zao na watoto wao. Nao kabla hawajafika chini kwenye sakafu ya lile tundu, simba wakawakamata na kusaga mifupa yao yote.
256:25 Dan 3:4; 4:1Kisha Mfalme Dario akawaandikia kabila zote za watu, mataifa, na watu wa kila lugha katika nchi yote:
“Ninyi na mstawi sana!
266:26 Dan 4:34; Es 8:17; Dan 2:44; Za 99:1-3; Yos 2:11; 3:10; Dan 12:7; Za 5:7; Dan 3:26; Yer 10:10; Ufu 1:18“Natoa amri hii, kwamba katika kila sehemu ya ufalme wangu, lazima watu wamwogope na kumheshimu Mungu wa Danieli.
“Kwa maana yeye ni Mungu aliye hai,
naye hudumu milele,
ufalme wake hautaangamizwa,
nao utawala wake hauna mwisho.
27Huponya na kuokoa;
hufanya ishara na maajabu
mbinguni na duniani.
Amemwokoa Danieli
kutoka nguvu za simba.”
286:28 2Nya 36:22; Dan 1:21; 5:1, 28Hivyo Danieli akastawi wakati wa utawala wa Dario, na utawala wa Koreshi Mwajemi.
