¹ 大利乌随心所愿，立一百二十个总督，治理通国。

² 又在他们以上立总长三人（但以理在其中），使总督在他们三人面前回覆事务，免得王受亏损。

³ 因这但以理有美好的灵性，所以显然超乎其馀的总长和总督，王又想立他治理通国。

⁴ 那时，总长和总督寻找但以理误国的把柄，为要参他；只是找不着他的错误过失，因他忠心办事，毫无错误过失。

⁵ 那些人便说：我们要找参这但以理的把柄，除非在他神的律法中就寻不着。

⁶ 於是，总长和总督纷纷聚集来见王，说：愿大利乌王万岁！

⁷ 国中的总长、钦差、总督、谋士，和巡抚彼此商议，要立一条坚定的禁令（或译：求王下旨要立一条……），三十日内，不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求甚麽，就必扔在狮子坑中。

⁸ 王啊，现在求你立这禁令，加盖玉玺，使禁令决不更改；照玛代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。

⁹ 於是大利乌王立这禁令，加盖玉玺。

¹⁰ 但以理知道这禁令盖了玉玺，就到自己家里（他楼上的窗户开向耶路撒冷），一日三次，双膝跪在他神面前，祷告感谢，与素常一样。

¹¹ 那些人就纷纷聚集，见但以理在他神面前祈祷恳求。

¹² 他们便进到王前，提王的禁令，说：王啊，三十日内不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求甚麽，必被扔在狮子坑中。王不是在这禁令上盖了玉玺麽？王回答说：实有这事，照玛代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。

¹³ 他们对王说：王啊，那被掳之犹大人中的但以理不理你，也不遵你盖了玉玺的禁令，他竟一日三次祈祷。

¹⁴ 王听见这话，就甚愁烦，一心要救但以理，筹划解救他，直到日落的时候。

¹⁵ 那些人就纷纷聚集来见王，说：王啊，当知道玛代人和波斯人有例，凡王所立的禁令和律例都不可更改。

¹⁶ 王下令，人就把但以理带来，扔在狮子坑中。王对但以理说：你所常事奉的神，他必救你。

¹⁷ 有人搬石头放在坑口，王用自己的玺和大臣的印，封闭那坑，使惩办但以理的事毫无更改。

¹⁸ 王回宫，终夜禁食，无人拿乐器到他面前，并且睡不着觉。

¹⁹ 次日黎明，王就起来，急忙往狮子坑那里去。

²⁰ 临近坑边，哀声呼叫但以理，对但以理说：永生神的仆人但以理啊，你所常事奉的神能救你脱离狮子麽？

²¹ 但以理对王说：愿王万岁！

²² 我的神差遣使者，封住狮子的口，叫狮子不伤我；因我在神面前无辜，我在王面前也没有行过亏损的事。

²³ 王就甚喜乐，吩咐人将但以理从坑里系上来。於是但以理从坑里被系上来，身上毫无伤损，因为信靠他的神。

²⁴ 王下令，人就把那些控告但以理的人，连他们的妻子儿女都带来，扔在狮子坑中。他们还没有到坑底，狮子就抓住（原文是胜了）他们，咬碎他们的骨头。

²⁵ 那时，大利乌王传旨，晓谕住在全地各方、各国、各族的人说：愿你们大享平安！

²⁶ 现在我降旨晓谕我所统辖的全国人民，要在但以理的神面前，战兢恐惧。因为他是永远长存的活神，他的国永不败坏；他的权柄永存无极！

²⁷ 他护庇人，搭救人，在天上地下施行神迹奇事，救了但以理脱离狮子的口。

²⁸ 如此，这但以理，当大利乌王在位的时候和波斯王古列在位的时候，大享亨通。

¹ It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;

² and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no damage.

³ Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

⁴ Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

⁵ Then these men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

⁶ Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever.

⁷ All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

⁸ Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn't alter.

⁹ Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

¹¹ Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

¹² Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree: Haven't you signed an 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 doesn't alter.

¹³ Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn't respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.

¹⁴ Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.

¹⁵ Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.

²⁰ 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?

²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever.

²² My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, have I done no hurt.

²³ Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

²⁴ 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 had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.

²⁵ Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

²⁶ I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even to the end.

²⁷ 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.

²⁸ So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.