Daniel · Chapter 1

[ edit] In þe þridde ȝeer of þe kyngdam of Joachym, kyng of Juda, Nabugodonoſor, kyng of Babiloyne, came in to Jeruſalem, and byſeegide it. And þe Lord bitoke Joachym, kyng of Juda, in þe hond of hym, and he toke a part of veſſels of þe hous of God; and bare hem out in to þe lond Sennaar, in to þe hous of his god, and toke þe veſſels in to þe hous of treſour of his god.

And þe kyng ſaiþ to Aphanet, prepoſt, or ſouereyne, of his geldingus, þat he ſhulde brynge yn of þe ſonys of Yrael, and of þe kyngus bloode, and þe children of tyrauntis, or ſtrong men, in whom was no wem, faire in fourme, and lernd in al wiſdam, war in ſcience, and tauȝt in diſciplyne, and whiche miȝten ſtonde in paleys of þe kyng, þat he ſhulde teche hem lettris and langage of Caldeis. And þe kyng ordeynde to hem fruyte of oo ȝeer bi alle days of his metis, and of þe wijne of whiche he dranke; þat þei nuriſhid out in þree ȝeers, afterward ſhulden ſtonde in ſiȝt of þe kyng. Þerfore þere weren amonge hem of þe ſonys of Juda, Danyel, Ananyas, Myſael, and Azarias.

And þe prepoſt of geldyngus puttide to hem names; to Danyel, Balþaſar; to Ananyas, Sydrac; to Myſael, Myſac; and to Azarias, Abdenago. Forſoþe Danyel purpoſide in his herte, þat he were not defoulid of þe borde of þe kyng, neþer of þe wyne of his drinke; and he preyede þe prepoſt of þe geldingis, þat he were not defoulid. Forſoþe God ȝaue grace and mercy to Danyel, in ſiȝte of þe prince of geldyngus. And þe prince of geldingus ſaide to Danyel, I dreede my lord þe kyng, whiche ordeynede to ȝou mete and drinke; whiche ȝif he ſhal ſee ȝour cheeris lener byfore oþer ȝunge men, ȝour eueneldis, ȝe ſhuln condempne myn hede to þe kyng.

And Danyel ſayde to Malaſſar, whom þe prince of geldyngus hadde ordeynyd vpon Danyel, Ananye, Myſael, and Azarie, I beſeche, tempte, or aſſaie, vs þi ſeruauntis ten days, and be potage ȝouen to vs for to ete, and water for to drinke; and byholde þou oure cheeris, and þe cheeris of children þat eten þe kyngus mete; and as þou ſhalt ſee, ſo do þou to þi ſeruauntis. Whiche, ſiche manere wordis herd, temptide hem ten days. Forſoþe after ten days þe cheeris of hem apperiden betir and fuller of fleſhe, byfore alle þe children þat eeten kyngus mete. Soþeli Malaſſar toke þe metis, and wijn þe drinke of hem, and ȝaue to hem potagis.

Forſoþe God ȝaue to þeſe children ſcience and diſcipline in eche boke, and wiſdam; to Danyel ſoþely vndirſtondynge of alle viſiouns and ſweuens. And ſo þe days fulfillid, after whom þe kyng ſaide, þat þei ſhulden be brouȝt yn, þe prepoſt of geldyngus brouȝte hem yn, in þe ſiȝt of Nabugodonoſor. And whan þe kyng ſpac to hem, þer ben not founden ſiche of alle, as Danyel, Ananyas, Myſael, and Azarias; and þei ſtoden in ſiȝt of þe kyng. And eche word of wijſdam and vndirſtondyng, þat þe kyng axide of hem, he fonde in hem þe tenþe folde ouer alle dyuynours and witchis, þat weren in alle þe rewme of hym. Forſoþe Danyel was vn to þe firſt ȝeer of kyng Cyrus.