1 WYC It pleside Darius, and he ordeynede sixe score duykis ouer the rewme, that thei schulden be in al his rewme. BSB BSB: Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
2 WYC And ouer hem he ordeynede thre princes, of whiche Danyel was oon; that the duykis schulden yelde resoun to hem, and that the kyng schulde not suffre ony disese. BSB BSB: and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.
3 WYC Therfor Danyel ouercam alle the princes and duikis, for more spirit of God was in hym. BSB BSB: Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
4 WYC Certis the kyng thouyte to ordeyne hym on al the rewme. Wherfor princes and duikis souyten to fynde occasioun to Danyel, of the side of the kyng; and thei miyten fynde no cause and suspicioun, for he was feithful, and no blame and suspicioun was foundun in hym. BSB BSB: Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
5 WYC Therfor tho men seiden, We schulen not fynde ony occasioun to this Danyel, no but in hap in the lawe of his God. BSB BSB: Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 WYC Thanne the princes and duykis maden fals suggestioun to the kyng, and spaken thus to hym, Kyng Darius, lyue thou with onten ende. BSB BSB: So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!
7 WYC Alle the princes of thi rewme, and magistratis, and duykis, senatours, and iugis, han maad a counsel, that a decree and comaundement of the emperour go out, that ech man that axith ony axyng of what euer god and man, til to thretti daies, no but of thee, thou kyng, he be sent in to the lake of liouns. BSB BSB: All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.
8 WYC Now therfor, kyng, conferme thou the sentence, and write thou the decree, that this that is ordeyned of Medeis and Perseis be not chaungid, nethir be it leueful to ony man to breke. BSB BSB: Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
9 WYC Forsothe Darius, the kyng, settide forth, and confermyde the decree. BSB BSB: Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
10 WYC And whanne Danyel hadde founde this thing, that is, the lawe ordeyned, he entride in to his hous; and the while the wyndows weren open in his soler ayens Jerusalem, in thre tymes in the dai he bowide hise knees, and worschipide, and knoulechide bifore his God, as he was wont to do bifore. BSB BSB: Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
11 WYC Therfor tho men enqueriden ful bisili, and founden Danyel preiynge, and bisechynge his God. BSB BSB: Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.
12 WYC And thei neiyiden and spaken to the kyng of the comaundement, Kyng, whether thou ordeynedist not, that ech man that axide ony of goddis and of men, til to thretti daies, no but thee, thou kyng, he schulde be sent in to the lake of liouns? To whiche men the kyng answeride, and seide, The word is soth, bi the decree of Medeis and Perseis, which it is not leueful to breke. BSB BSB: So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”
13 WYC Thanne thei answeriden, and seiden bifore the kyng, Danyel, of the sones of caitifte of Juda, reckide not of thi lawe, and of the comaundement, which thou ordeynedist, but thre tymes bi the dai he preieth in his bisechyng. BSB BSB: Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”
14 WYC And whanne the kyng hadde herd this word, he was sori ynow, and he settide the herte for Danyel, for to do delyuere hym; and til to the goyng doun of the sunne he trauelide for to do delyuere hym. BSB BSB: As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him.
15 WYC But tho men vndurstoden the kyng, and seiden to hym, Wite thou, kyng, that it is the lawe of Medeis and of Perseis, that it is not leueful that ony decree be chaungid, BSB BSB: Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”
16 WYC which the kyng ordeyneth. Thanne the kyng comaundide, and thei brouyten Danyel, and senten hym in to the lake of liouns. And the kyng seide to Danyel, Thi God, whom thou worschipist euere, he schal delyuere thee. BSB BSB: So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
17 WYC And o stoon was brouyt, and was put on the mouth of the lake, which the kyng aselide with his ryng, and with the ryng of hise beste men, lest ony thing were don ayens Danyel. BSB BSB: A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.
18 WYC Thanne the kyng yede in to his hous, and slepte with out soper, and metis weren not brouyte bifore hym; ferthermore and sleep yede awei fro hym. BSB BSB: Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
19 WYC Thanne the kyng roos in the firste morewtid, and yede hastili to the lake of liouns; BSB BSB: At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions.
20 WYC and he neiyide to the lake, and criede on Danyel with wepynge vois, and spak to hym, Danyel, the seruaunt of God lyuynge, gessist thou, whether thi God, whom thou seruest euere, miyte delyuere thee fro liouns? BSB BSB: When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 WYC And Danyel answeride the kyng, and seide, King, lyue thou with outen ende. BSB BSB: Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!
22 WYC My God sente his aungel, and closide togidere the mouthis of liouns, and tho noieden not me, for riytfulnesse is foundun in me bifore hym; but also, thou kyng, Y dide no trespas bifore thee. BSB BSB: My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”
23 WYC Thanne the kyng made ioie greetli on hym, and comaundide Danyel to be led out of the lake. And Danyel was led out of the lake, and noon hirtyng was foundun in hym, for he bileuede to his God. BSB BSB: The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 WYC Forsothe the kyng comaundide, tho men, that accusiden Danyel, weren brouyt, and weren sent in to the lake of liouns, thei, and the sones of hem, and the wyues of hem; and thei camen not `til to the pawment of the lake, til the liouns rauyschiden hem, and al to-braken alle the boonys of hem. BSB BSB: At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 WYC Thanne Darius, the kyng, wroot to alle puplis, lynagis, and langagis, dwellynge in al erthe, Pees be multiplied to you. BSB BSB: Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.
26 WYC Therfor a decree is ordeyned of me, that in al myn empire and rewme men tremble, and drede the God of Danyel; for he is God lyuynge, and euerlastynge in to worldis, and his rewme schal not be distried, and his power is `til in to with outen ende. BSB BSB: I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion will never end.
27 WYC He is delyuerer and sauyour, makynge myraclis and merueils in heuene and in erthe, which delyuerede Danyel fro the lake of liouns. BSB BSB: He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 WYC Certis Danyel dwellide stabli `til to the rewme of Darius, and `til to the rewme of Sirus of Persey. BSB BSB: So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.