但以理書 1

¹猶大王約雅敬在位第三年，巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來到耶路撒冷，將城圍困。In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

²主將猶大王約雅敬，並　神殿中器皿的幾分交付他手。他就把這器皿帶到示拿地，收入他神的廟裡，放在他神的庫中。And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.

³王吩咐太監長亞施毘拿，從以色列人的宗室和貴冑中帶進幾個人來，Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—

⁴就是年少沒有殘疾、相貌俊美、通達各樣學問、知識聰明俱備、足能侍立在王宮裡的，要教他們迦勒底的文字言語。young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

⁵王派定將自己所用的膳和所飲的酒，每日賜他們一分，養他們三年。滿了三年，好叫他們在王面前侍立。The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.

⁶他們中間有猶大族的人：但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅。Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

⁷太監長給他們起名：稱但以理為伯提沙撒，稱哈拿尼雅為沙得拉，稱米沙利為米煞，稱亞撒利雅為亞伯尼歌。The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

⁸但以理卻立志不以王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己，所以求太監長容他不玷污自己。But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.

⁹神使但以理在太監長眼前蒙恩惠，受憐憫。Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,

¹⁰太監長對但以理說：「我懼怕我主我王，他已經派定你們的飲食；倘若他見你們的面貌比你們同歲的少年人肌瘦，怎麼好呢？這樣，你們就使我的頭在王那裡難保。」but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”

¹¹但以理對太監長所派管理但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅的委辦說：Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

¹²「求你試試僕人們十天，給我們素菜吃，白水喝，“Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink.

¹³然後看看我們的面貌和用王膳那少年人的面貌，就照你所看的待僕人吧！」Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

¹⁴委辦便允准他們這件事，試看他們十天。So he consented to this and tested them for ten days.

¹⁵過了十天，見他們的面貌比用王膳的一切少年人更加俊美肥胖。And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food.

¹⁶於是委辦撤去派他們用的膳，飲的酒，給他們素菜吃。So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.

¹⁷這四個少年人，　神在各樣文字學問（學問：原文是智慧）上賜給他們聰明知識；但以理又明白各樣的異象和夢兆。To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

¹⁸尼布甲尼撒王預定帶進少年人來的日期滿了，太監長就把他們帶到王面前。Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁹王與他們談論，見少年人中無一人能比但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅，所以留他們在王面前侍立。And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.

²⁰王考問他們一切事，就見他們的智慧聰明比通國的術士和用法術的勝過十倍。In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

²¹到古列王元年，但以理還在。And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.