It seemed good to Darius, and he appointed over the kingdom a hundred and twenty governors to be over his whole kingdom.

Placuit Dario, et constituit super regnum satrapas centum viginti ut essent in toto regno suo.

This Darius saw fit to appoint a hundred and twenty lords lieutenant, who should govern the provinces of his empire;

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.

Et super eos principes tres, ex quibus Daniel unus erat: ut satrapæ illis redderent rationem, et rex non sustineret molestiam.

and over these, three viceroys, of whom Daniel was one; governor should be answerable to viceroy, and the king’s grace should not be troubled with such matters.

And Daniel excelled all the princes, and governors: because a greater spirit of God was in him.

Igitur Daniel superabat omnes principes et satrapas, quia spiritus Dei amplior erat in illo.

Yet governor was none or viceroy that could compare with Daniel, so richly God inspired him;

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.

Porro rex cogitabat constituere eum super omne regnum: unde principes, et satrapæ quærebant occasionem ut invenirent Danieli ex latere regis: nullamque causam, et suspicionem reperire potuerunt, eo quod fidelis esset, et omnis culpa, et suspicio non inveniretur in eo.

and soon the king’s thought was, to put the whole empire under his care. Right gladly would his rivals have found opportunity to discredit him in the king’s eyes; but no, handle or pretext they could find none, so faithful was he, so far removed from all breath of suspicion.

Then these men said: We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless perhaps concerning the law of his God.

Dixerunt ergo viri illi: Non inveniemus Danieli huic aliquam occasionem, nisi forte in lege Dei sui.

And at last they were fain to admit, if charge was to be found against Daniel at all, keeping of his God’s law must be the ground of it.

Then the princes, and the governors craftily suggested to the king, and spoke thus unto him: King Darius, live for ever:

Tunc principes et satrapæ surripuerunt regi, et sic locuti sunt ei: Dari rex, in æternum vive!

So they took the king by surprise; Long life, they said, to the king’s grace!

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.

consilium inierunt omnes principes regni tui, magistratus, et satrapæ, senatores, et judices, ut decretum imperatorium exeat, et edictum: ut omnis, qui petierit aliquam petitionem a quocumque deo et homine usque ad triginta dies, nisi a te, rex, mittatur in lacum leonum.

Here is a design upon which we are all agreed, viceroy and magistrate and governor and senator and judge; that an edict should go out under the royal seal forbidding thy subjects to make any request of god or man these next thirty days, save only of thyself. And if any man disobeys, it shall be at his peril; he is for the lion-pit.

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.

Nunc itaque rex, confirma sententiam, et scribe decretum: ut non immutetur quod statutum est a Medis et Persis, nec prævaricari cuiquam liceat.

May it please the king’s grace to give this design of ours effect, and make the decree unalterable, under law of the Medes and Persians, the law there is no amending.

So king Darius set forth the decree, and established it.

Porro rex Darius proposuit edictum, et statuit.

Draw up the edict he did, and signed it.

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.

Quod cum Daniel comperisset, id est, constitutam legem, ingressus est domum suam: et fenestris apertis in cœnaculo suo contra Jerusalem tribus temporibus in die flectebat genua sua, et adorabat, confitebaturque coram Deo suo sicut et ante facere consueverat.

As for Daniel, when he heard it was law, he took himself home; and now as ever, three times a day, he would open his chamber window towards Jerusalem eastwards, doing reverence on bended knee and praising his God.

Wherefore those men carefully watching him, found Daniel praying and making supplication to his God.

Viri ergo illi curiosius inquirentes invenerunt Danielem orantem, et obsecrantem Deum suum.

Be sure they surprised him at it, these enemies of his; found him a-praying to his God,

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.

Et accedentes locuti sunt regi super edicto: Rex, numquid non constituisti ut omnis homo qui rogaret quemquam de diis et hominibus usque ad dies triginta, nisi te, rex, mitteretur in lacum leonum? Ad quos respondens rex, ait: Verus est sermo juxta decretum Medorum atque Persarum, quod prævaricari non licet.

and went off to remind the king of his edict. Had not a law been enacted, prayer there should be none to god or man those thirty days following, save to the king; and that on pain of the lions? Law it is, said he, and law of the Medes and Persians there is no amending.

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.

Tunc respondentes dixerunt coram rege: Daniel de filiis captivitatis Juda, non curavit de lege tua, et de edicto quod constituisti: sed tribus temporibus per diem orat obsecratione sua.

Why then, they asked the king, what of Daniel, Daniel the Jewish exile, that for law and edict cares nothing? Three times a day he offers his God prayer.

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.

Quod verbum cum audisset rex, satis contristatus est: et pro Daniele posuit cor ut liberaret eum, et usque ad occasum solis laborabat ut erueret illum.

Pitiful hearing was this for the king’s ear; to save Daniel was all his thought, and to that end he laboured till set of sun;

But those men 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.

Viri autem illi, intelligentes regem, dixerunt ei: Scito, rex, quia lex Medorum atque Persarum est ut omne decretum, quod constituerit rex, non liceat immutari.

but the trap they had devised was too crafty for him, and ever they put him in mind there was no help for it. By the law Medes and Persians use, let the king once make a decree, there is no amending it.

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.

Tunc rex præcepit, et adduxerunt Danielem, et miserunt eum in lacum leonum. Dixitque rex Danieli: Deus tuus, quem colis semper, ipse liberabit te.

At last the king gave orders Daniel should be sent for and shut up in the lion-pit; So faithful a servant, he told him, thy God must needs deliver.

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.

Allatusque est lapis unus, et positus est super os laci: quem obsignavit rex annulo suo, et annulo optimatum suorum, ne quid fieret contra Danielem.

And with that, a stone was brought and set down at the pit’s entrance, which the king sealed and his nobles both; there should be no interfering with Daniel.

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.

Et abiit rex in domum suam, et dormivit incœnatus, cibique non sunt allati coram eo, insuper et somnus recessit ab eo.

Home went the king, and supperless to bed; he would have no food brought him, and sleep he could not.

Then the king rising very early in the morning, went in haste to the lions’ den:

Tunc rex primo diluculo consurgens, festinus ad lacum leonum perrexit:

With the first light of day, the king was up and stirring; to the lion-pit he hastened,

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?

appropinquansque lacui, Danielem voce lacrimabili inclamavit, et affatus est eum: Daniel serve Dei viventis, Deus tuus, cui tu servis semper, putasne valuit te liberare a leonibus?

and as he came up to it, he cried out most lamentably: Daniel, worshipper of the God that lives, thou wert ever his true servant; has power of his availed to rescue thee from the lions?

And Daniel answering the king, said: O king, live for ever:

Et Daniel regi respondens ait: Rex, in æternum vive!

Long life to the king’s grace, Daniel answered;

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.

Deus meus misit angelum suum, et conclusit ora leonum, et non nocuerunt mihi: quia coram eo justitia inventa est in me: sed et coram te, rex, delictum non feci.

angel of his did his errand, and stopped the lions’ mouths. What harm should they do me, one that my God sees guiltless? And for thyself, lord king, nought did I to earn thy displeasure.

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.

Tunc vehementer rex gavisus est super eo, et Danielem præcepit educi de lacu: eductusque est Daniel de lacu, et nulla læsio inventa est in eo, quia credidit Deo suo.

Right glad the king was to learn of Daniel’s safety; be sure he gave orders they should bring Daniel up out of the pit, and out of the pit they brought him, unscathed from head to foot; such reward they have that trust in God.

And by the king’s commandment, those men were brought that had 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.

Jubente autem rege, adducti sunt viri illi, qui accusaverant Danielem: et in lacum leonum missi sunt, ipsi, et filii, et uxores eorum: et non pervenerunt usque ad pavimentum laci, donec arriperent eos leones, et omnia ossa eorum comminuerunt.

Thereupon, at the king’s bidding, they fetched his accusers, and thrust them into the lion-pit, their wives and children with them. But these never reached the floor of it, so quickly the lions fell upon them, and broke all the bones of them to nothing.

Then king Darius wrote to all people, tribes, and languages, dwelling in the whole earth: PEACE be multiplied unto you.

Tunc Darius rex scripsit universis populis, tribubus, et linguis habitantibus in universa terra: Pax vobis multiplicetur.

Then Darius sent out a proclamation to all the world, without distinction of nation, race or language, wishing them well,

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.

A me constitutum est decretum, ut in universo imperio et regno meo, tremiscant et paveant Deum Danielis: ipse est enim Deus vivens, et æternus in sæcula, et regnum ejus non dissipabitur, et potestas ejus usque in æternum.

and enjoining this decree upon them, that all the subjects of his empire should hold the God of Daniel in awe and reverence. Here is a God that lives, he told them, a God that abides for ever; such a reign as his there is no overthrowing, such power as his the ages cannot diminish.

He is the deliverer, and saviour, doing signs and wonders in heaven, and in earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions’ den.

Ipse liberator atque salvator, faciens signa et mirabilia in cælo et in terra: qui liberavit Danielem de lacu leonum.

His to deliver, his to save, his to shew wondrous portents in high heaven and on earth beneath, the God who saved Daniel from the lions.

Now Daniel continued unto the reign of Darius, and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Porro Daniel perseveravit usque ad regnum Darii, regnumque Cyri Persæ.

Let Darius reign, or Cyrus the Persian, this same Daniel throve yet.