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put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9So King Darius put the decree in writing.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The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”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.
但以理在獅子坑
1大流士決定設立一百二十個總督治理全國。 2總督之上設三個總長，負責管理總督，以維護王的統治，但以理是其中之一。 3因為但以理有非凡的心智，遠超過其他總長和總督，王便考慮讓他治理全國。 4於是，其他總長和總督想在但以理的政務中找把柄控告他，卻找不到任何把柄或過失，因為他誠實可靠，毫無過失。 5最後他們說：「除非我們從但以理上帝的律法下手，否則找不到指控他的把柄。」
6於是，這些總長和總督齊來見王，說：「願大流士王萬歲！ 7所有總長、行政官、總督、謀士和省長都認為王應該頒布詔書並實施一道禁令，三十天內，任何人不得向王以外的神明或人禱告，違者必被扔進獅子坑。 8王啊，求你頒佈並簽署這道禁令，使之不可更改，正如瑪代人和波斯人的律令是不可更改的。」 9於是大流士王簽署了這道禁令。
10但以理知道王簽署禁令後，就回到家裡，他樓上房間的窗戶朝向耶路撒冷。他像往常一樣每日三次跪下向上帝禱告、感恩。 11那些官員一同來了，發現但以理向他的上帝禱告、祈求， 12便去見王，提及王的禁令，說：「王啊，你不是簽署禁令，三十天內，任何人不得向王以外的神明或人禱告，違者必被扔進獅子坑嗎？」王說：「確有此事，按照瑪代人和波斯人的律令，這禁令不可更改。」 13他們對王說：「王啊，被擄來的猶大人但以理不理會你和你的禁令，仍一日三次向他的上帝祈禱。」 14王聽了這些話，十分愁煩，一心想救但以理，直到日落都在籌劃解救之道。 15那些人齊來見王，說：「王啊，要知道按照瑪代人和波斯人的律令，王頒佈的禁令和律例是不可更改的。」
16王便下令把但以理帶來扔進獅子坑。他對但以理說：「願你一直事奉的上帝拯救你！」 17有人搬來一塊石頭封住坑口，王用他和大臣的印加封，使懲辦但以理的事不可更改。 18王回宮後，整夜禁食，拒絕娛樂，無法入睡。
19次日黎明，王起來匆忙趕往獅子坑， 20到了坑邊，淒聲呼喊但以理：「永活上帝的僕人但以理啊，你一直事奉的上帝有沒有救你脫離獅子的口？」 21但以理對王說：「願王萬歲！ 22我的上帝差遣天使封住了獅子的口，不讓牠們傷害我，因為我在上帝面前是清白的。王啊，我在你面前也沒有過錯。」 23王非常高興，便命人把但以理從坑中拉上來。於是，但以理從坑中被拉了上來，他因為信靠他的上帝，身上毫無損傷。 24王下令把那些惡意控告但以理的人及其兒女妻子都帶來，扔進獅子坑。他們還沒到坑底，獅子便撲上去，咬碎了他們的骨頭。
25後來，大流士王傳諭境內的各族、各邦、各語種的人，說：「願你們大享平安！ 26我下令，我統治的國民都要敬畏但以理的上帝，
「因為祂是永活長存的上帝，
祂的國度永不滅亡，
祂的統治直到永遠。
27祂庇護、拯救，
在天上地下行神蹟奇事，
救但以理脫離獅子的口。」
28因此，在大流士和波斯人塞魯士執政期間，但以理凡事亨通。
