the king's countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts affrighted him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon: 'Whosoever shall read this writing, and declare unto me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall rule as one of three in the kingdom.'

8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly affrighted, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed. 10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house; the queen spoke and said: 'O king, live for ever! let not thy thoughts affright thee, nor let thy countenance be changed; 11 there is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers; 12 forasmuch as a surpassing spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and declaring of riddles, and loosing of knots, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will declare the interpretation.'

13 Then was Daniel brought in before the

king. The king spoke and said unto Daniel: 'Art thou Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? 14 I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and surpassing wisdom is found in thee. 15 And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof; but they could not declare the interpretation of the thing. 16 But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and loose knots; now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt rule as one of three in the kingdom.'

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king: 'Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O thou king, God Most High gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty; 19 and because of the greatness that He gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him; 21 and he was driven from the sor

of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that God Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that He setteth up over it whomsoever He will. 22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this; 23 but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before thee, and thou and thy lords, thy consorts and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified; 24 then was the palm of the hand sent from before Him, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end. 27 TEKEL, thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES, thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.'

29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should rule as one of three in the kingdom. 30 In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

Daniel and the Lions

6 5 Then the presidents and the satraps sought

to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 6 Then said these men: 'We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him in the matter of the law of his God.' 7 Then these presidents and satraps came tumultuously to the king, and said thus unto him: 'King Darius, live for ever! 8 All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the ministers and the governors, have consulted together that the king should establish a statute, and make a strong interdict, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 9 Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.' 10 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the interdict.

11 And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house-now his windows were open in his upper chamber toward Jerusalem-and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 12 Then these men came tumultuously, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 13 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's interdict:

'Hast thou not signed an interdict, that every man that shall make petition unto any god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?' The king answered and said: "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.' 14 Then answered they and said before the king: "That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the interdict that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.' 15 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he laboured till the going down of the sun to rescue him. 16 Then these men came tumultuously unto the king, and said unto the king: 'Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.' 17 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel: 'Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee.' 18 And a stone was brought, and laid upon 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.

19 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were diversions brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. 20 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of ons. 21 And when he came near unto the