Daniel

CLV^{(i) 1} In the third year of the kingdom of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, comes Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to Jerusalem and is besieging it." ² Yet Yahweh is giving into his hand Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and at the end, the furnishings of the house of Elohim. Then he is bringing them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his Elohim, and the furnishings he brings to the treasure-house of his Elohim." ³ Speaking is the king to Ashpenaz, the grandee of his eunuchs, to bring of the sons of the grandees of Israel, and of the seed royal, and of the highborn;" ⁴ boys in whom there is no blemish at all, who are of good appearance. Those intelligent in all wisdom, and knowing knowledge, and understanding what is known, and who have vigor in them to stand in the palace before the king, he is to teach them the script and language of the Chaldeans." ⁵ Assigning is the king to them the day's menu in its day, from the dainties of the king, and from the wine of the king's feasts. They are to grow up three years, and at their end they are to stand before the king." ⁶ Now there are among them (of the sons of Judah) Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah." ⁷ When the chief of the eunuchs is giving names to them, he is naming Daniel Belteshazzar, Hananiah Shadrach, Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abed-nego." ⁸ Yet determining is Daniel in his heart that he will not sully himself with the dainties of the king, or with the wine of his feasts. When he is seeking permission from the chief of the eunuchs that he not be sullying himself, ⁹ Elohim is showing Daniel kindness and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs. ¹⁰ Saying is the chief of the eunuchs to Daniel, "I am fearing my lord the king who assigned your food and your drink. Why shall he see your faces more languid and feeble than the other boys who are of your deportation? You make me indebted to the king with my head!" ¹¹ Saying is Daniel to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, ¹² Pray, try out your servants ten days. They shall give to us of the seed-foods of the land, and we will eat; and water, we will drink." ¹³ Our appearances shall be seen before you, and the appearance of the boys who are eating the king's dainties. According to what you shall see, do with your servants." ¹⁴ Now he is hearkening to them in this thing and trying them out ten days, ¹⁵ and at the end of ten days, their appearance is seen to be better and plumper in flesh than any of the boys who are eating the king's dainties." ¹⁶ Hence the steward keeps on bearing away their dainties and the wine, their drink, and is giving to them seed-foods." ¹⁷ To these boys, the four of them, Elohim gives knowledge and intelligence in every script, as well as wisdom; in addition Daniel is given understanding in every vision and in dreams." ¹⁸ And at the end of the days the king says to bring them in. Then the chief of the eunuchs is bringing them before Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ Speaking is the king with them, and of them all, none is found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Henceforth they are standing before the king;" ²⁰ in every matter of wisdom and of understanding which the king seeks of them, he is finding them tenfold above all the sacred scribes and magi which are in all his kingdom. Hence they are honored by the king; he constitutes them chiefs, and he finds them wiser in word than all those in his land and in his kingdom." ²¹ Thus Daniel continued on till year one of Cyrus, the king of Persia."