但以理書 6

¹大利烏隨心所願，立一百二十個總督，治理通國。Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,

²又在他們以上立總長三人（但以理在其中），使總督在他們三人面前回覆事務，免得王受虧損。and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.

³因這但以理有美好的靈性，所以顯然超乎其餘的總長和總督，王又想立他治理通國。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那時，總長和總督尋找但以理誤國的把柄，為要參他；只是找不著他的錯誤過失，因他忠心辦事，毫無錯誤過失。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那些人便說：「我們要找參這但以理的把柄，除非在他　神的律法中就尋不著。」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於是，總長和總督紛紛聚集來見王，說：「願大利烏王萬歲！So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!

⁷國中的總長、欽差、總督、謀士，和巡撫彼此商議，要立一條堅定的禁令（或譯：求王下旨要立一條……），三十日內，不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求甚麼，就必扔在獅子坑中。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王啊，現在求你立這禁令，加蓋玉璽，使禁令決不更改；照瑪代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。」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sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”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於是大利烏王立這禁令，加蓋玉璽。Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

¹⁰但以理知道這禁令蓋了玉璽，就到自己家裡（他樓上的窗戶開向耶路撒冷），一日三次，雙膝跪在他　神面前，禱告感謝，與素常一樣。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那些人就紛紛聚集，見但以理在他　神面前祈禱懇求。Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.

¹²他們便進到王前，提王的禁令，說：「王啊，三十日內不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求甚麼，必被扔在獅子坑中。王不是在這禁令上蓋了玉璽麼？」王回答說：「實有這事，照瑪代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。」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他們對王說：「王啊，那被擄之猶大人中的但以理不理你，也不遵你蓋了玉璽的禁令，他竟一日三次祈禱。」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王聽見這話，就甚愁煩，一心要救但以理，籌劃解救他，直到日落的時候。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那些人就紛紛聚集來見王，說：「王啊，當知道瑪代人和波斯人有例，凡王所立的禁令和律例都不可更改。」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王下令，人就把但以理帶來，扔在獅子坑中。王對但以理說：「你所常事奉的　神，他必救你。」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有人搬石頭放在坑口，王用自己的璽和大臣的印，封閉那坑，使懲辦但以理的事毫無更改。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王回宮，終夜禁食，無人拿樂器到他面前，並且睡不著覺。Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.

¹⁹次日黎明，王就起來，急忙往獅子坑那裡去。At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions.

²⁰臨近坑邊，哀聲呼叫但以理，對但以理說：「永生　神的僕人但以理啊，你所常事奉的　神能救你脫離獅子嗎？」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但以理對王說：「願王萬歲！Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!

²²我的　神差遣使者，封住獅子的口，叫獅子不傷我；因我在　神面前無辜，我在王面前也沒有行過虧損的事。」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王就甚喜樂，吩咐人將但以理從坑裡繫上來。於是但以理從坑裡被繫上來，身上毫無傷損，因為信靠他的　神。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王下令，人就把那些控告但以理的人，連他們的妻子兒女都帶來，扔在獅子坑中。他們還沒有到坑底，獅子就抓住（原文是勝了）他們，咬碎他們的骨頭。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那時，大利烏王傳旨，曉諭住在全地各方、各國、各族的人說：「願你們大享平安！Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.

²⁶現在我降旨曉諭我所統轄的全國人民，要在但以理的　神面前，戰兢恐懼。因為他是永遠長存的活　神，他的國永不敗壞；他的權柄永存無極！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他護庇人，搭救人，在天上地下施行神蹟奇事，救了但以理脫離獅子的口。」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如此，這但以理，當大利烏王在位的時候和波斯王古列在位的時候，大享亨通。So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.