Daniel 6

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.	1 It seemed good to Darius, and he appointed over the kingdom a hundred and twenty governors to be over his whole kingdom.
2 It pleased Darius to appoint a hundred and twenty satraps over his kingdom for the various parts,	2 And three princes over them, of whom Daniel was one: that the governors might give an account to them, and the king might have no trouble.
3 and over them three presidents -- of whom Daniel was one -- to whom the satraps were to beresponsible. This was to safeguard the king's interests.	3 And Daniel excelled all the princes, and governors: because a greater spirit of God was in him.
4 This Daniel, by virtue of the marvel ous spirit residing in him, was so evidently superior to the otherpresidents and satraps that the king considered appointing him to rule the whole kingdom.	4 And the king thought to set him over all the kingdom: whereupon the princes, and the governors sought to find occasion against Daniel with regard to the king: and they could find no cause, nor suspicion, because he was faithful, and no fault, nor suspicion was found in him
5 The presidents and satraps, in consequence, started hunting for some affair of state by which theycould discredit Daniel; but they could find nothing to his discredit, and no case of negligence; he was sopunctilious that they could not find a single instance of maladministration or neglect.	5 Then these men said: We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless perhaps concerning the law of his God.
6 These men then thought, 'We shal never find a way of discrediting Daniel unless we try something todo with the law of his God.'	6 Then the princes, and the governors craftily suggested to the king, and spoke thus unto him: King Darius, live for ever:
7 The presidents and satraps then went in a body to the king. 'King Darius,' they said, 'live for ever!	7 All the princes of the kingdom, the magistrates, and governors, the senators, and judges have consulted together, that an imperial decree, and an edict be published: That whosoever shall ask any petition of any god, or man, for thirty days, but of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 We are all agreed, presidents of the realm, magistrates, satraps, councillors and governors, that theking should issue an edict enforcing the fol owing regulation: Whoever within the next thirty days prays toanyone, divine or human, other than to yourself, Your Majesty, is to be thrown into the lions' den.	8 Now, therefore, O king, confirm the sentence, and sign the decree: that what is decreed by the Medes and Persians may not be altered, nor any man be allowed to transgress it.
9 Your Majesty, ratify the edict at once by signing this document, making it unalterable, as befits the lawof the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.'	9 So king Darius set forth the decree, and established it.
10 King Darius accordingly signed the document embodying the edict.	10 Now when Daniel knew this, that is to say, that the law was made, he went into his house: and opening the windows in his upper chamber towards Jerusalem, he knelt down three times a day, and adored, and gave thanks before his God, as he had been accustomed to do before.
11 When Daniel heard that the document had been signed, he retired to his house. The windows of hisupstairs room faced towards Jerusalem. Three times each day, he went down on his knees, praying and givingpraise to God as he had always done.	11 Wherefore those men carefully watching him, found Daniel praying and making supplication to his God.
12 These men came along in a body and found Daniel praying and pleading with God.	12 And they came and spoke to the king concerning the edict: O king, hast thou not decreed, that every man that should make a request to any of the gods, or men, for thirty days, but to thyself, O king, should be cast into the den of the lions? And the king answered them, saying: The word is true according to the decree of the Medes and Persians, which it is not lawful to violate.
13 They then went to the king and reminded him of the royal edict, 'Have you not signed an edictforbidding anyone for the next thirty days to pray to anyone, divine or human, other than to yourself, YourMajesty, on pain of being thrown into the lions' den?' 'The decision stands', the king replied, 'as befits the law ofthe Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.'	13 Then they answered, and said before the king: Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Juda, hath not regarded thy law, nor the decree that thou hast made: but three times a day he maketh his prayer.
14 They then said to the king, 'Your Majesty, this man Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, disregardsboth you and the edict which you have signed: he is at his prayers three times each day.'	14 Now when the king had heard these words, he was very much grieved, and in behalf of Daniel he set his heart to deliver him and even till sunset he laboured to save him.
15 When the king heard these words he was deeply distressed and determined to save Daniel; he rackedhis brains until sunset to find some way to save him.	15 But those mer. perceiving the king's design, said to him: Know thou, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree which the king hath made, may be altered.
16 But the men kept pressing the king, 'Your Majesty, remember that in conformity with the law of theMedes and the Persians, no edict or decree can be altered when once issued by the king.'	16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of the lions. And the king said to Daniel: Thy God, whom thou always servest, he will deliver thee.
17 The king then ordered Daniel to be brought and thrown into the lion pit. The king said to Daniel, 'YourGod, whom you have served so faithful y, wil have to save you.'	17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den: which the king sealed with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles, that nothing should be done against Daniel.
18 A stone was then brought and laid over the mouth of the pit; and the king sealed it with his own signetand with that of his noblemen, so that there could be no going back on the original decision about Daniel.	18 And the king went away to his house and laid himself down without taking supper, and meat was not set before him, and even sleep departed from him.
19 The king returned to his palace, spent the night in fasting and refused to receive any of hisconcubines. Sleep eluded him,	19 Then the king rising very early in the morning, went in haste to the lions' den:
20 and at the first sign of dawn he got up and hurried to the lion pit.	20 And coming near to the den, cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel, and said to him: Daniel, servant of the living God, hath thy God, whom thou servest always, been able, thinkest thou, to deliver thee from the lions?
21 As he approached the pit he cal ed in anguished tones to Daniel, 'Daniel, servant of the living God!Has your God, whom you serve so faithful y, been able to save you from the lions?'	21 And Daniel answering the king, said: O king, live for ever:
22 Daniel answered the king, 'May Your Majesty live for ever!	22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut up the mouths of the lions, and they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him justice hath been found in me: yea and before thee, O king, I have done no offence.
23 My God sent his angel who sealed the lions' jaws; they did me no harm, since in his sight I amblameless; neither have I ever done you any wrong, Your Majesty.'	23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and he commanded that Daniel should be taken out of the den: and Daniel was taken out of the den, and no hurt was found in him, because he believed in his God.
24 The king was overjoyed and ordered Daniel to be released from the pit. Daniel was released from thepit and found to be quite unhurt, because he had trusted in his God.	24 And by the king's commandment, those men were brought that bad accused Daniel: and they were cast into the lions' den, they and their children, and their wives: and they did not reach the bottom of the den, before the lions caught them, and broke all their bones in pieces.
25 The king then sent for the men who had accused Daniel and had them thrown into the lion pit, andtheir wives and children too; and before they reached the floor of the pit the lions had seized them and crushedtheir bones to pieces.	25 Then king Darius wrote to all people, tribes, and languages, dwelling in the whole earth: PEACE be multiplied unto you.
26 King Darius then wrote to al nations, peoples and languages dwel ing throughout the world: 'May youprosper more and more!	26 It is decreed by me, that in all my empire and my kingdom all men dread and fear the God of Daniel. For he is the living and eternal God for ever: and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his power shall be for ever.
27 This is my decree: Throughout every dominion of my realm, let al tremble with fear before the God ofDaniel: He is the living God, he endures for ever, his kingdom wil never be destroyed and his empire nevercome to an end.	27 He is the deliverer, and saviour, doing signs and wonders in heaven, and in earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions' den.
28 He saves, sets free, and works signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth; he has saved Danielfrom the power of the lions.'	28 Now Daniel continued unto the reign of Darius, and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
29 This Daniel flourished in the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.