Daniel · Chapter 6

[ edit] It pleſide to Darius, and he ordeynyde on þe rewme ſatraps an hundrid and twenti, þat þei weren in al his rewme; and on hem þree princis, of whom Danyel was oon; þat þe ſatraps ſhulden ȝelde reſoun to hem, and þe kyng ſhulde not ſuffre eny diſeſe. Þerfore Danyel ouercame alle princis and ſatraps, for þe more ſpirit of God was in hym. Forſoþe þe kyng þouȝte for to ordeyne hym on al þe rewme. Wherfore princes and ſatraps ſouȝten for to fynde occaſioun to Danyel, of ſyde of þe kyng; and þei miȝten fynde no cauſe and ſuſpicioun, for þat þat he was feiþful, and eche blame and ſuſpicioun was not founden in hym.

Þerfore þilk men ſaiden, We ſhuln not fynde to þis Danyel eny occaſioun, no bot perauenture in þe lawe of his God. Þanne princes and ſatraps falſli tyſiden, or counceyliden, to þe kyng, and þus ſpaken to hym, Darye, kyng, in to wiþ outen eende lyue þou. Alle princes of þi rewme, and mageſtratis, and ſatrapis, ſenatours, and domyſmen, maden a conceyle, þat decree, or dom, of þe emperour go out, and maundement, þat eche man þat ſhal axe eny axinge of eny god and man, vnto þritty days, no bot of þee, kyng, be ſent in to þe lake of lyouns.

And ſo now, kyng, conferme þou þe ſentence, and write þe decree, þat it be not chaungid whiche is ordeynyd of Medis and Perſis, neþer be it leeful to eny man for to breke. Forſoþe kyng Darius putte forþ þe decree, and ordeynyde. Whiche þing whanne Danyel had founden, þat is to ſaye, þe lawe ordeynyd, he wente in to his hous; and þe wyndowis opnyd in his ſoupyng place aȝeinus Jeruſalem, þree tymes in þe day he bowide his knees, and wirſhipide, and knawelichide byfore his God, as he was wonte for to do byfore. Þerfore þo men more byſily enquerynge founden Danyel preyinge, and biſechynge his God.

And þei cummynge to ſpaken to þe kyng on þe maundement, Kyng, wher þou ordeynidiſt not, þat eche man whiche preyde eny of goddis and men, vnto þritti days, no bot þee, kyng, he ſhulde be ſent in to þe lake of lyouns? To whom þe kyng anſwerynge ſaiþ, Þe word is trewe, vp þe decree of Medis and Perſis, whiche it is not leeful for to breeke. Þanne þei anſwerynge ſaiden bifore þe kyng, Danyel, of þe ſones of caytifte of Judee, reckide not of þi lawe, and of þe maundement, whiche þou ordeynediſt, bot þree tymes by day he preyeþ in his biſechynge.

Whiche word whan þe kyng hadde herd, he was ſorewful ynewȝ, and for Danyel ſette þe herte, þat he ſhulde delyuere hym; and vnto goynge doun of þe ſunne he traueilide for to delyuere hym. Forſoþe þo men vndirſtondynge þe kyng, ſaiden to hym, Wite þou, kyng, for þe lawe of Medis and Perſis is, þat eche decree whiche þe kyng ordeyneþ, be not leeful for to be chaungid. Þanne þe kyng comaundide, and þei ledden to Danyel, and ſenten hym into þe lake of lyouns. And þe kyng ſayde to Danyel, Þi God, whom þou wirſhipidiſt euermore, he ſhal delyuere þee.

And a ſtoon is brouȝt to, and is putt on þe mouþe of þe lake, whiche þe kyng markide, or ſealide, on eche ſyde wiþ his reng, and wiþ reng of his beſt men, leſt eny þing were don aȝeinus Danyel. And þe kyng wente awey in to his hous, and ſlepte vnſoupid, and metis be not brouȝt to byfore hym; more ouer and ſleep wente awey fro hym. Þanne þe kyng firſt in þe mornyng ryſynge haſtily, wente to þe lake of lyouns; and he neiȝinge to þe lake, wiþ a wepynge voice criede vn to Danyel, and ſpake to hym, Danyel, þe ſeruaunt of þe lyuynge God, geſſiſt þou, wher þi God, to whom þou ſeruiſt euermore, miȝt not delyuere þee fro lyouns?

And Danyel anſwerynge to þe kyng ſaiþ, Kyng, in to wiþ outen eende lyue þou. My God ſente his aungel, and cloſide to gydre þe mouþes of lyouns, and þei anoyeden not me, for byfore hym riȝtwyſneſſe is founden in me; bot and byfore þee, kyng, Y did no treſpas. Þann þe kyng gretely ioyede vpon hym, and comaundide Danyel for to be led out of þe lake. And Danyel was led out of þe lake, and noon hirtyng is founden in hym, for he bileeuyde to his God.

Forſoþe þe kyng comaundynge, þei þat accuſiden Danyel ben brouȝt forþ, and in to þe lake of lyouns ben ſent, þei, and þe ſonnys of hem, and þe wyues of hem; and þei camen not fully vn to þe pament of þe lake, tyl þe lyouns rauyſhiden hem, and braken to gydre alle her bonys. Þan Darius, kyng, wrote to alle peplis, lynagis, and langagis, dwellynge in al erþe, Pees be multiplied to ȝou. Þerfore a decre is ordeynide of me, þat in alle þe empire and my rewme þei tremble, and drede þe God of Danyel; forſoþe he is lyuynge God, and euerlaſtinge into worldis, and his rewme ſhal not be diſtruyed, and þe power of hym vnto wiþ outen eende.

He is delyuerer and ſauer, doynge ſigne and merueilis in heuen and in erþe, whiche delyuerde Danyel fro þe lake of lyouns. Forſoþe Danyel duryde vnto þe kyngdam of Darius, and to þe kyngdam of Cyrus of Perſis.