1 ف ِي السَّنَةِ الثّالِثَةِ مِنْ حُكمِ المَلِكِ يَهُوياقِيمَ مَلِكِ يَهُوذا، أتَى نَبُوخَذْناصَّرُ مَلِكُ بابِلَ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ وَحاصَرَها بِجَيشِهِ.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

2 و َسَمَحَ الرَّبُّ بِأنْ يَهزِمَ نَبُوخَذْناصَّرُ يَهُوياقِيمَ مَلِكَ يَهُوذا. فَسَلَبَ نَبُوخَذْناصَّرُ بَعضَ الآنِيَةِ مِنْ بَيتِ اللهِ، وَأحضَرَها إلَى هَيكَلِ آلِهَتِهِ فِي أرْضِ شِنْعارَ، وَوَضَعَها فِي غُرفَةِ الخَزْنَةِ فِي هَيكَلِ آلِهَتِهِ.

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

3 ث ُمَّ أمَرَ المَلِكُ رَئِيسَ الخُدّامِ أشْفْنَزَ بِأنْ يَختارَ بَعضَ الفِتيانِ مِنْ أبناءِ العائِلَةِ المالِكَةِ وَالطَبَقَةِ العُليا مِنْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ عُمُوماً،

And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;

4 و َأنْ يَكُونُوا فِتياناً بِلا عَيبٍ وَحِسانَ المَنظَرِ، قادِرِينَ عَلَى تَعَلُّمِ الحِكْمَةِ، وَفُهُماءَ فِي العُلُومِ، مُؤَهَّلِينَ لِلخِدمَةِ فِي قَصرِ المَلِكِ. وَكانَ عَلَيهِمْ أنْ يَتَعَلَّمُوا لُغَةَ الكَلدانِيِّينَ وَآدابَهُمْ.

children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

5 و َقَدْ خَصَّصَ المَلِكُ نَبُوخَذْناصَّرُ لَهُمْ حِصَّةً يَومِيَّةً مِنْ أطعِمَةِ المَلِكِ وَأشرِبَتِهِ الفاخِرَةِ. فَبَعَدَ أنْ يَتَلَقَّى هَؤلاءِ الفِتيانُ تَعليمَهُمْ لِمُدَّةِ ثَلاثِ سَنَواتٍ، يُعَيَّنُونَ لِلعَمَلِ فِي قَصرِ المَلِكِ.

And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

6 و َكانَ دانيالُ وَحَنَنْيا وَمِيشائِيلُ وَعَزَرْيا مِنْ هَؤلاءِ الفِتيانِ الَّذِينَ تَمَّ اختِيارُهُمْ مِنْ قَبِيلَةِ يَهُوذا.

Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

7 و َأعطاهُمْ أشْفْنَزُ أسماءً أرامِيَّةً، فَدَعا دانيالَ بَلْطشاصَّرَ، وَدَعا حَنَنْيا شَدْرَخَ، وَدَعا مِيشائِيلَ مِيشَخَ، وَدَعا عَزَرْيا عَبْدَنَغُوَ.

unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.

8 أ مّا دانيالَ فَقَدْ صَمَّمَ فِي قَلبِهِ أنْ لا يَتَنَجَّسَ بِحِصَّةِ المَلِكِ اليَومِيَّةِ مِنَ الطَّعامِ وَالخَمرِ. وَلِذا طَلَبَ مِنْ أشْفْنَزَ رَئِيسِ الخُدّامِ أنْ لا يُقَدِّمَ لَهُ طَعاماً يَتَنَجَّسُ بِهِ.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

9 و َجَعَلَ اللهُ دانيالَ يَحظَى بِعَطفِ رَئِيسَ الخُدّامِ.

Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

10 ف َقالَ رَئِيسُ الخُدّامِ لِدانيالَ: «أنا خائِفٌ مِنْ مَولايَ المَلِكِ الَّذِي حَدَّدَ حِصَّةَ طَعامِكُمْ، وَأخافُ أنْ يَرَى أنَّكُمْ فِي حالَةٍ سَيِّئَةٍ بِالمُقارَنَةِ بِالفِتيانِ الآخَرِينَ الَّذِينَ فِي مِثلِ عُمرِكُمْ. فَحِينَئِذٍ، تَكُونُونَ أنتُمُ السَّبَبَ فِي قَطعِ رأسِي.»

And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

11 ف َقالَ دانيالُ للِمُشرِفِ الَّذِي عَيَّنَهُ رَئِيسُ الخُدّامِ عَلَى دانِيالَ وَحَنَنْيا وَمِيشائِيلَ وَعَزَرْيا:

Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 « امْتَحِنّا، نَحنُ خُدّامَكَ، لِمُدَّةِ عَشْرَةِ أيّامٍ، وَلا تُقَدِّمْ لَنا سِوَى الخُضْرَواتِ وَالماءِ.

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

13 ث ُمَّ قارِنّا بِالفِتيانِ الآخَرِينَ الَّذِينَ يَأكُلُونَ مِنْ طَعامِ المَلِكِ الفاخِرِ وَخَمرِهِ. وَحِينَئِذٍ، افعَلْ ما تَراهُ مُناسِباً.»

Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

14 ف َوافَقَ المُشرِفُ عَلَى عَمَلِ هَذا وَامتَحَنَهُمْ لِعَشْرَةِ أيّامٍ.

So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

15 و َفِي نِهايَةِ الأيّامِ العَشرَةِ، بَدَت أجسادُهُمْ أفضَلَ وَأكثَرَ صِحَّةً مِنْ كُلِّ الفِتيانِ الَّذِينَ أكَلُوا مِنْ أطعِمَةِ المَلِكِ الفاخِرَةِ وَخَمرِهِ.

And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.

16 ف َاستَمَرَّ المُشرِفُ بَتَقدِيمِ الخُضارِ لَهُمْ، وَاستِبْعادِ الطَّعامِ وَالخَمرِ المَلَكِيِّ الفاخِرِ.

Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

17 و َأعطَى اللهُ هَؤلاءِ الفِتيانَ الأربَعَةَ مَعرِفَةً وَفِهماً فِي الكِتابَةِ وَفِي كُلِّ العُلُومِ. وَكانَ دانيالُ قادِراً عَلَى تَفسِيرِ الرُؤى وَالأحلامِ.

As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

18 و َفِي نِهايَةِ المُدَّةِ الَّتِي حَدَّدَها المَلِكُ لِتَربِيَتِهِمْ، أتَى رَئِيسُ الخُدّامِ بِهِمْ إلَى المَلِكِ نَبُوخَذْناصَّرَ.

Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

19 ف َتَحَدَّثَ المَلِكُ إلَيهِمْ جَمِيعاً، وَوَجَدَ أنْ لا أحَدَ يُقارَنُ بِدانِيالَ وَحَنَنْيا وَمِيشائِيلَ وَعَزَرْيا، فَتَمَّ تَعْيِينُهُمْ فِي خِدمَةِ المَلِكِ.

And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

20 ف َمَهما كانَت نَواحِي العُلُومِ وَالحِكْمَةِ الَّتِي سَألَ المَلِكُ عَنها، وَجَدَ أنَّ فَهْمَهُمْ يَفُوقُ بِعَشَرِ مَرّاتٍ فَهْمَ أيِّ مُنَجِّمٍ أوْ ساحِرٍ فِي مَملَكَتِهِ كُلِّها.

And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

21 و َاستَمَرَّ دانِيالُ فِي خِدمَةِ المَلِكِ حَتَّى السَّنَةِ الأُولَى لِحُكمِ المَلِكِ كُورَشَ.

And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.