And Daniel was the king’s guest, and was honoured above all his friends.

Erat autem Daniel conviva regis, et honoratus super omnes amicos ejus.

Of this king, Daniel was the courtier, and valued above all his other friends.

Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel: and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and sixty vessels of wine.

Erat quoque idolum apud Babylonios nomine Bel: et impendebantur in eo per dies singulos similæ artabæ duodecim, et oves quadraginta, vinique amphoræ sex.

A great idol there was, that the men of Babylon worshipped; Bel was the name of it, and day by day it must be fed with thirty-two bushels of fine flour, and forty sheep, and of wine thirty-six gallons.

The king also worshipped him, and went every day to adore him: but Daniel adored his God. And the king said to him: Why dost thou not adore Bel?

Rex quoque colebat eum, et ibat per singulos dies adorare eum: porro Daniel adorabat Deum suum. Dixitque ei rex: Quare non adoras Bel?

The king himself honoured it with the rest, and no day passed but he went to pay it reverence. A time came when he asked Daniel, that worshipped no God but his own, why Bel he would not worship;

And he answered, and said to him: Because I do not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, that created heaven and earth, and hath power over all flesh.

Qui respondens ait ei: Quia non colo idola manufacta, sed viventem Deum, qui creavit cælum, et terram, et habet potestatem omnis carnis.

and this answer Daniel made him, that for idols made by men’s hands worship he had none, only for that living God that made heaven and earth, and of all mankind held the sovereignty.

And the king said to him: Doth not Bel seem to thee to be a living god? Seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day?

Et dixit rex ad eum: Non videtur tibi esse Bel vivens deus? an non vides quanta comedat et bibat quotidie?

What,cried the king, wilt thou have it Bel is not a living god? Hast thou no eyes for the great trencherman he is, day in, day out, of food and drink both?

Then Daniel smiled and said: O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, neither hath he eaten at any time.

Et ait Daniel arridens: Ne erres, rex: iste enim intrinsecus luteus est, et forinsecus æreus, neque comedit aliquando.

Nay, my lord king, Daniel answered with a smile, give no heed to false tales. Clay he is within, and bronze without; I warrant thee, eat he cannot.

And the king being angry called for his priests, and said to them: If you tell me not, who it is that eateth up these expenses, you shall die.

Et iratus rex vocavit sacerdotes ejus, et ait eis: Nisi dixeritis mihi quis est qui comedat impensas has, moriemini.

Whereupon the king, in high displeasure, summoned Bel’s priests. You shall give account, said he, of yonder revenues, and that on pain of your lives. Who is it has the eating of them?

But if you can shew that Bel eateth these things, Daniel shall die, because he hath blasphemed against Bel. And Daniel said to the king: Be it done according to thy word.

Si autem ostenderitis quoniam Bel comedat hæc, morietur Daniel, quia blasphemavit in Bel. Et dixit Daniel regi: Fiat juxta verbum tuum.

Prove to me it is Bel himself, and Daniel shall die instead, that blasphemed him. As it pleases the king’s grace, said Daniel.

Now the priests of Bel were seventy, beside their wives, and little ones, and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.

Erant autem sacerdotes Bel septuaginta, exceptis uxoribus, et parvulis, et filiis. Et venit rex cum Daniele in templum Bel.

Seventy of these priests there were, that had wives and children to fend for besides. And when the king reached their temple, with Daniel in attendance,

And the priests of Bel said: Behold we go out: and do thou, O king, set on the meats, and make ready the wine, and shut the door fast, and seal it with thy own ring:

Et dixerunt sacerdotes Bel: Ecce nos egredimur foras: et tu, rex, pone escas, et vinum misce, et claude ostium, et signa annulo tuo:

this challenge they offered: Withdraw we, as thou seest; for thee it is, lord king, to set food, pour out wine, lock and seal door with thy own hand.

And when thou comest in the morning, if thou findest not that Bel hath eaten up all, we will suffer death, or else Daniel that hath lied against us.

et cum ingressus fueris mane, nisi inveneris omnia comesta a Bel, morte moriemur, vel Daniel qui mentitus est adversum nos.

To-morrow, come thou and find aught left over from Bel’s banqueting, we die for it; or else Daniel dies, that so traduced us.

And they little regarded it, because they had made under the table a secret entrance, and they always came in by it, and consumed those things.

Contemnebant autem, quia fecerant sub mensa absconditum introitum, et per illum ingrediebantur semper, et devorabant ea.

Lightly enough the challenge was made; had they not provided a hidden entrance-way, close under the god’s table, by which they came in and ate what eat they would?

So it came to pass after they were gone out, the king set the meats before Bel: and Daniel commanded his servants, and they brought ashes, and he sifted them all over the temple before the king: and going forth they shut the door, and having sealed it with the king’s ring, they departed.

Factum est igitur postquam egressi sunt illi, rex posuit cibos ante Bel: præcepit Daniel pueris suis, et attulerunt cinerem, et cribravit per totum templum coram rege: et egressi clauserunt ostium, et signantes annulo regis abierunt.

So out they went, and the king set on Bel’s viands with his own hand; and what did Daniel? He would have his servants bring ashes, and scatter them all over the temple floor, there in the king’s presence. Which done, all withdrew, leaving the door locked, and the royal seal upon it.

But the priests went in by night, according to their custom, with their wives and their children: and they ate and drank up all.

Sacerdotes autem ingressi sunt nocte juxta consuetudinem suam, et uxores et filii eorum, et comederunt omnia, et biberunt.

And that night in they came as came they ever, priest and priest’s wife and priest’s children, and left neither bite nor sup between them.

And the king arose early in the morning, and Daniel with him.

Surrexit autem rex primo diluculo, et Daniel cum eo.

Next day, the king was early abroad, and Daniel with him.

And the king said: Are the seals whole, Daniel? And he answered: They are whole, O king.

Et ait rex: Salvane sunt signacula, Daniel? Qui respondit: Salva, rex.

What of the seals, Daniel? the king asked. Are they unbroken? Ay, my lord king, unbroken yet.

And as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the table, and cried out with a loud voice: Great art thou, O Bel, and there is not any deceit with thee.

Statimque cum aperuisset ostium, intuitus rex mensam, exclamavit voce magna: Magnus es, Bel, et non est apud te dolus quisquam.

What a cry was that the king gave, when he opened the door and caught sight of the table within! A great god thou art, Bel, said he, and no deceiver!

And Daniel laughed: and he held the king that he should not go in: and he said: Behold the pavement, mark whose footsteps these are.

Et risit Daniel, et tenuit regem ne ingrederetur intro: et dixit: Ecce pavimentum: animadverte cujus vestigia sint hæc.

But Daniel smiled, and would not have the king go in yet; Look about thee, he said, and ask thyself who it was left their prints on yonder floor.

And the king said: I see the footsteps of men, and women, and children. And the king was angry.

Et dixit rex: Video vestigia virorum, et mulierum, et infantium. Et iratus est rex.

Why, cried the king, these be foot-prints of living men, and women and children besides! With that, he fell into a rage;

Then he took the priests, and their wives, and their children: and they shewed him the private doors by which they came in, and consumed the things that were on the table.

Tunc apprehendit sacerdotes, et uxores, et filios eorum: et ostenderunt ei abscondita ostiola, per quæ ingrediebantur, et consumebant quæ erant super mensam.

priest and priest’s wife and priest’s children must be taken into custody. And when these had shewed him the door by which they came in and swept the table bare of its offerings,

The king therefore put them to death, and delivered Bel into the power of Daniel: who destroyed him, and his temple.

Occidit ergo illos rex, et tradidit Bel in potestatem Danielis: qui subvertit eum, et templum ejus.

he put the whole company of them to death. And as for Bel, he left him to Daniel’s mercy, who threw down image and temple both.

And there was a great dragon in that place, and the Babylonians worshipped him.

Et erat draco magnus in loco illo, et colebant eum Babylonii.

There was a great serpent, too, in those parts that was worshipped by the folk of Babylon;

And the king said to Daniel: Behold thou canst not say now, that this is not a living god: adore him therefore.

Et dixit rex Danieli: Ecce nunc non potes dicere quia iste non sit deus vivens: adora ergo eum.

and of this the king said to Daniel, here at least was a god that lived; gainsay that he could not, and therefore he needs must worship.

And Daniel said: I adore the Lord my God: for he is the living God: but that is no living god.

Dixitque Daniel: Dominum Deum meum adoro, quia ipse est Deus vivens: iste autem non est deus vivens.

Nay, said Daniel, my own God I worship still; living God is none but he. Here is no living God;

But give me leave, O king, and I will kill this dragon without sword or club. And the king said: I give thee leave.

Tu autem, rex, da mihi potestatem, et interficiam draconem absque gladio et fuste. Et ait rex: Do tibi.

let me but have the royal warrant, and I will make an end of it, and neither sword nor club to help me. So the king gave his warrant,

Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and boiled them together: and he made lumps, and put them into the dragon’s mouth, and the dragon burst asunder. And he said: Behold him whom you worshipped.

Tulit ergo Daniel picem, et adipem, et pilos, et coxit pariter: fecitque massas, et dedit in os draconis, et diruptus est draco. Et dixit: Ecce quem colebatis.

and what did Daniel? Pitch and fat and hairs he boiled all together, and with lumps of this fed the serpent, which thereupon burst all to pieces; and, Here, said Daniel, is your god.

And when the Babylonians had heard this, they took great indignation: and being gathered together against the king, they said: The king is become a Jew. He hath destroyed Bel, he hath killed the dragon, and he hath put the priests to death.

Quod cum audissent Babylonii, indignati sunt vehementer: et congregati adversum regem, dixerunt: Judæus factus est rex: Bel destruxit, draconem interfecit, et sacerdotes occidit.

Angry men were the folk of Babylon when they heard of these doings, and they made their way into the royal presence, crying out, Here is the king himself turned Jew! Here is Bel overthrown, and the dragon slain, and our priests massacred!

And they came to the king, and said: Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thy house.

Et dixerunt cum venissent ad regem: Trade nobis Danielem, alioquin interficiemus te, et domum tuam.

And when they found audience, Give up Daniel to us, they said, or we will make an end of thee, and thy household with thee.

And the king saw that they pressed upon him violently: and being constrained by necessity he delivered Daniel to them.

Vidit ergo rex quod irruerent in eum vehementer: et necessitate compulsus, tradidit eis Danielem.

The king, finding their onslaught so determined, gave up Daniel to them against his will;

And they cast him into the den of lions, and he was there six days.

Qui miserunt eum in lacum leonum, et erat ibi diebus sex.

and they threw him into a pit in which lions were kept, where he spent six whole days.

And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given to them two carcasses every day, and two sheep: but then they were not given unto them, that they might devour Daniel.

Porro in lacu erant leones septem, et dabantur eis duo corpora quotidie, et duæ oves: et tunc non data sunt eis, ut devorarent Danielem.

Seven lions there were in the pit, and each day two human bodies were given them as food, and two sheep; but now they were kept unfed, so that Daniel might be their prey.

Now there was in Judea a prophet called Habacuc, and he had boiled pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl: and was going into the field, to carry it to the reapers.

Erat autem Habacuc propheta in Judæa, et ipse coxerat pulmentum, et intriverat panes in alveolo: et ibat in campum ut ferret messoribus.

Far away, in Judaea, the prophet Habacuc had been making broth, and crumbling bread in a great bowl, and was even now carrying it to the reapers on the farm;

And the angel of the Lord said to Habacuc: Carry the dinner which thou hast into Babylon to Daniel, who is in the lions’ den.

Dixitque angelus Domini ad Habacuc: Fer prandium quod habes in Babylonem Danieli, qui est in lacu leonum.

when suddenly the angel of the Lord said to him, Take the dinner thou hast with thee to Babylon, and give it to Daniel; he is in the lion-pit.

And Habacuc said: Lord, I never saw Babylon, nor do I know the den.

Et dixit Habacuc: Domine, Babylonem non vidi, et lacum nescio.

Lord, said Habacuc, I was never yet in Babylon, and know nothing of any lion-pit there.

And the angel of the Lord took him by the top of his head, and carried him by the hair of his head, and set him in Babylon over the den in the force of his spirit.

Et apprehendit eum angelus Domini in vertice ejus, et portavit eum capillo capitis sui, posuitque eum in Babylone supra lacum in impetu spiritus sui.

Upon which the angel of the Lord caught at his head and lifted him by the hair of it; then by the force of his impulse, set him down in Babylon, close to the pit.

And Habacuc cried, saying: O Daniel, thou servant of God, take the dinner that God hath sent thee.

Et clamavit Habacuc, dicens: Daniel serve Dei, tolle prandium quod misit tibi Deus.

So Habacuc cried out, Daniel! Servant of God! The Lord has sent thee thy dinner; come and take it.

And Daniel said: Thou hast remembered me, O God, and thou hast not forsaken them that love thee.

Et ait Daniel: Recordatus es mei, Deus, et non dereliquisti diligentes te.

And Daniel said, Thou wouldst not forget me, O God, wouldst not forsake such as love thee.

And Daniel arose and ate. And the angel of the Lord presently set Habacuc again in his own place.

Surgensque Daniel comedit. Porro angelus Domini restituit Habacuc confestim in loco suo.

So he rose and ate, while the angel of the Lord brought Habacuc, all at once, back to his home.

And upon the seventh day the king came to bewail Daniel: and he came to the den, and looked in, and behold Daniel was sitting in the midst of the lions.

Venit ergo rex die septimo ut lugeret Danielem: et venit ad lacum, et introspexit, et ecce Daniel sedens in medio leonum.

When the seventh day came, the king went out to mourn for Daniel; and now, reaching the pit and looking in, he saw Daniel seated there among the lions.

And the king cried out with a loud voice, saying: Great art thou, O Lord the God of Daniel. And he drew him out of the lions’ den.

Et exclamavit voce magna rex, dicens: Magnus es, Domine Deus Danielis. Et extraxit eum de lacu leonum.

And at that, the king cried aloud, How great thou art, O Lord, thou who art Daniel’s God! And he took him out of the lion-pit,

But those that had been the cause of his destruction, he cast into the den, and they were devoured in a moment before him.

Porro illos, qui perditionis ejus causa fuerant, intromisit in lacum, et devorati sunt in momento coram eo.

and shut up there instead the men who had conspired to ruin him; and in a moment, as he watched, the lions devoured them.

Then the king said: Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth fear the God of Daniel: for he is the Saviour, working signs, and wonders in the earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions’ den.

Tunc rex ait: Paveant omnes habitantes in universa terra Deum Danielis: quia ipse est salvator, faciens signa et mirabilia in terra: qui liberavit Danielem de lacu leonum.

Whereupon the king said, Well may the whole world stand in awe of Daniel’s God. What deliverance he effects, what signal proofs of his power, here on earth, the God who has rescued Daniel out of a den of lions!