In the third year, under Joakim king of Judea, Nabouchodonosor king of Babylon, having come to Jerusalem, was besieging it. In the third year of the reign of Joakim king of Iouda, Nabouchodonosor king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and was besieging it.
And the Lord delivered it into his hands, and Joakim the king of Judea, and a certain portion of the sacred vessels of the Lord; and he carried them away to Babylon and set them down in his idol-shrine. And the Lord gave into his hand Joakim king of Iouda, and part of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Sennaar, to the house of his god, and the vessels he brought into the treasure house of his god.
And the king told Abiesdri, his own chief eunuch, to bring him some of the sons of the nobles of Israel, and of the royal stock, and of the choice ones, And the king told Asphanez his chief eunuch to bring in some of the sons of the captivity of Israel, and of the seed of the kingdom, and of the phorthommin,
young men without blemish and comely and knowledgeable in all wisdom, and skilled in letters and intelligent and wise and strong, so as to be in the king's house; and to teach them letters and the Chaldean dialect. young men in whom there is no blemish, and fair in appearance, and understanding in all wisdom, and possessing knowledge, and discerning in prudence, and in whom there is strength to stand in the king's house; and to teach them letters and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
and that an allowance should be given them from the king's house every day, both from the royal table and from the wine which the king drinks; and to educate them for three years, and from among these to set them before the king. And the king appointed for them the day's portion day by day from the king's table and from the wine of his drinking, and to rear them three years, and after these things to stand before the king.
And there were, of the stock of the sons of Israel, those from Judea: Daniel, Ananias, Misael, Azarias. And there were among them, of the sons of Iouda: Daniel and Ananias and Misael and Azarias.
And the chief eunuch laid names upon them: on Daniel, Baltasar; on Ananias, Sedrach; and on Misael, Misach; and on Azarias, Abdenago. And the chief eunuch laid names upon them: on Daniel, Baltasar; and on Ananias, Sedrach; and on Misael, Misach; and on Azarias, Abdenago.
And Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not be defiled by the king's supper nor by the wine which he drinks; and he entreated the chief eunuch that he might not be polluted along with them. And Daniel laid it upon his heart that he would not be defiled by the king's table nor by the wine of his drinking; and he entreated the chief eunuch that he might not be defiled.
And the chief eunuch said to Daniel: I am in dread of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink, lest he see your faces disfigured and feeble compared with the young men of other races who are being reared with you, and I put my own neck in peril. And the chief eunuch said to Daniel: I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink, lest he see your faces gloomy compared with the lads of your own age, and you condemn my head to the king.
And Daniel said to Abiesdri, who had been designated chief eunuch over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, Azarias: And Daniel said to Amelsad, whom the chief eunuch had set over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, Azarias:
Pray test your servants for ten days, and let there be given us some of the pulse of the earth, so that we may eat and drink water. Pray test your servants ten days, and let them give us some of the seeds, and we will eat and we will drink water.
And if our appearance is seen to be disfigured compared with the other young men who eat of the royal supper, then deal with your servants as you please. And let our appearances be seen before you, and the appearances of the lads who eat the king's table; and as you shall see, so do with your servants.
And after the ten days their appearance appeared fair, and the condition of their body better than the other young men who ate the royal supper. And after the end of the ten days their appearances were seen to be good and strong in flesh, beyond the lads who ate the king's table.
And Abiesdri was taking away their supper and their wine, and gave them instead some of the pulse. And Amelsad was taking away their supper and the wine of their drink, and gave them seeds.
And to the young men the Lord gave knowledge and understanding and prudence in every art of letters; and to Daniel he gave understanding in every word and vision and in dreams and in all wisdom. And as for these lads, the four of them, God gave them understanding and prudence in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in every vision and in dreams.
And after these days the king ordered that they be brought in; and they were brought in by the chief eunuch to king Nabouchodonosor. And at the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the chief eunuch brought them in before Nabouchodonosor.
And the king conversed with them, and among the wise men there was found none like Daniel and Ananias and Misael and Azarias; and they were at the king's side. And the king spoke with them, and out of them all there were found none like Daniel and Ananias and Misael and Azarias; and they stood before the king.
And in every word and understanding and learning about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times wiser than the sophists and the philosophers who were in all his kingdom; and the king glorified them and appointed them rulers, and declared them wise beyond all his own men in affairs, in all his land and in his kingdom. And in every matter of wisdom and knowledge about which the king inquired of them, he found them tenfold beyond all the enchanters and the magicians who were in all his kingdom.