1 و َقَرَّرَ دارِيُوسُ تَعيِينَ مِئَةٍ وَعِشرِينَ والِياً لإدارَةِ المَملَكَةِ.

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be in all the kingdom;

2 و َاختارَ ثَلاثَةَ وُزَراءٍ مِنهُمْ دانيالُ، يُقَدِّمُ الوُلاةُ التَّقارِيرَ لَهُمْ، كَي لا يَتَعَرَّضَ المَلِكُ لأيِّ خَسارَةٌ.

and over these, three presidents—of whom Daniel was one—to whom these satraps should render account, and that the king should suffer no loss.

3 و َلأنَّهُ كانَ فِي دانِيالَ رُوحٌ يَتَفَوَّقُ بِهِ عَلَى الوُزَراءِ وَالوُلاةِ الآخَرِينَ، فَقَدْ كانَ المَلِكُ يُفَكِّرُ بِأنْ يَجعَلَهُ مَسؤُولاً عَن كُلِّ المَملَكَةِ.

Now this Daniel surpassed the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to appoint him over the whole realm.

4 و َبَدَأ الوُزَراءُ وَالوُلاةُ يَبحَثُونَ عَن عِلَّةٍ فِي دانِيالَ فِي الأُمُورِ المُتَعَلِّقَةِ بِالحُكُومَةِ لإثباتِ عَدَمِ كَفاءَتِهِ وَأمانَتِهِ، لَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَجِدُوا سَبَباً لإدانَتِهِ، وَلا فَساداً فِيهِ. لأنَّ دانِيالَ كانَ أمِيناً وَلا يَأخُذُ رِشْوَةً وَلا يُشارِكُ فِي احتِيالٍ.

Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a pretext against Daniel with respect to the kingdom; but they could not find any pretext or fault; inasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

5 ف َقالَ هَؤُلاءِ الرِّجالُ: «بِما أنَّنا لَنْ نَقدِرَ أنْ نَجِدَ فَساداً فِي دانِيالَ، فَعَلَينا أنْ نَبحَثَ عَن أمرٍ فِي شَرِيعَةِ إلَهِهِ.»

Then said these men, We shall not find any pretext against this Daniel, unless we find against him touching the law of his God.

6 ف َجاءَ هَؤلاءِ الوُزَراءُ وَالوُلاةُ إلَى المَلِكِ بِهَذا الاقتِراحِ: «أيُّها المَلِكُ دارِيُوسُ، فَلتَعِشْ إلَى الأبَدِ!

Then these presidents and satraps came in a body to the king, and said thus unto him: King Darius, live for ever!

7 أ يُّها المَلِكُ، تَشاوَرَ وُزَراءِ المَملَكَةِ وَالوُلاةِ وَكِبارِ المَسؤُولِينَ وَرُفَقائِهِمْ وَالحُكّامِ، وَاتَّفَقُوا عَلَى أنْ يُصدِرَ المَلِكُ مَرسُوماً يَمنَعُ أيَّ شَخصٍ مِنْ تَقدِيمِ أيَّ دُعاءٍ أوْ طَلَبٍ لأيِّ إلَهٍ أوْ إنسانٍ إلّا لَكَ أيُّها المَلِكُ لِمُدَّةِ شَهرٍ كامِلٍ. وَمَنْ لا يَمتَثِلُ لِهَذا، فَإنَّهُ يُلقَى فِي حُفْرَةِ الأُسُودِ.

All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

8 ف َأصدِرْ أيُّها المَلِكُ مَرسُوماً وَاختِمْهُ لِيَصِيرَ مِثلَ شَرِيعَةِ المادِيِّينَ وَالفُرْسِ الَّتِي لا تَتَغَيَّرُ.»

Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.

9 و َهَكَذا أصدَرَ المَلِكُ دارِيُوسُ المُرسُومَ وَخَتَمَهُ.

Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 و َسَمِعَ دانِيالُ أنَّ المَلِكَ خَتَمَ مَرسُوماً بِذَلِكَ، فَذَهَبَ إلَى بَيتِهِ وَفَتَحَ النَّوافِذَ فِي غُرفَتِهِ العُلوِيَّةِ المَفتُوحَةَ باتِّجاهِ مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ كَالمُعتادِ، وَسَجَدَ عَلَى رُكبَتَيهِ وَسَبَّحَ إلَهَهُ. فَقَد اعتادَ أنْ يَفعَلَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاثَ مَرّاتٍ كُلَّ يَومٍ.

And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and, his windows being open in his upper chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

11 ف َذَهَبَ أولَئِكَ الرِّجالُ إلَى هُناكَ، وَوَجَدُوا دانِيالَ يُصَلِّي وَيَطلُبُ الرَّحمَةَ مِنْ إلَهِهِ.

But those men came in a body, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

12 ف َأسرَعُوا إلَى المَلِكِ وَقالُوا لَهُ: «أيُّها المَلِكُ، ألَمْ تَختِمْ مَرسُوماً يَمنَعُ أيَّ شَخصٍ مِنَ الصَّلاةِ أوِ الطَّلَبِ مِنْ أيِّ إلَهٍ أوْ إنسانٍ غَيرَكَ لِمُدَّةِ شَهرٍ كامِلٍ؟ وَإنْ فَعَلَ أحَدٌ ذَلِكَ ألا يَنبَغِي أنْ يُلقَى فِي حُفْرَةِ الأُسُودِ؟» فَأجابَ المَلِكُ: «نَعَمْ، هَذا صَحِيحٌ، فَهَذا مَرسُومٌ مِنْ مَراسِيمِ مادِي وَفارِسَ الَّتِي لا يُمكِنُ تَغيِيرُها.»

Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree: Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask of any god or man within thirty days, except of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.

13 ف َقالُوا لِلمَلِكِ: «دانِيالُ، الَّذِي مِنَ اليَهُودِ المَسبِيِّينَ، لَمْ يَهتَمَّ بِالمَرسُومِ الَّذِي أنتَ خَتَمتَهُ أيُّها المَلِكُ! بَلْ إنَّهُ يُصَلِّي ثَلاثَ مَرّاتٍ كُلَّ يَومٍ!»

Then they answered and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

14 و َحِينَ سَمِعَ المَلِكُ ذَلِكَ انزَعَجَ جِدّاً، وَبَدَأ عَلَى الفَورِ يُفَكِّرُ بِطَرِيقَةٍ لإنقاذِ دانِيالَ. وَقَد حاوَلَ حَتَّى غُرُوبِ الشَّمسِ أنْ يَجِدَ طَرِيقَةً لإنقاذِهِ.

Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore distressed thereby, and set his heart on Daniel to save him; and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

15 ف َجاءَ أُولَئِكَ الرِّجالُ إلَى المَلِكِ وَقالُوا: «أيُّها المَلِكُ، أنتَ تَعرِفُ أنَّهُ بِحَسَبِ قانُونِ مادِي وَفارِسَ لا يَجُوزُ تَغيِيرُ أيِّ مَرسُومٍ يُصدِرُهُ المَلِكُ.»

Then these men came in a body unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

16 ف َأمَرَهُمُ المَلِكُ بِإحضارِ دانِيالَ وَإلقائِهِ فِي حُفْرَةِ الأُسُودِ. وَقالَ المَلِكُ لِدانِيالَ: «لِيُنقِذْكَ اللهُ الَّذِي تَعبُدُهُ دائِماً!»

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast into the den of lions. The king spoke and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will save thee.

17 ث ُمَّ وَضَعُوا حَجَراً كَبِيراً عَلَى فُتْحَةِ الحُفرَةِ وَخَتَمُوها بِخاتَمِ المَلِكِ وَوُزَرائِهِ، كَي لا يَستَطِيعَ أحَدٌ تَغيِيرَ الحُكمِ الَّذِي صَدَرَ عَلَى دانِيالَ.

And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his nobles, that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

18 و َذَهَبَ المَلِكُ إلَى قَصرِهِ وَقَضَى اللَّيلَ بِلا طَعامٍ. وَمَنَعَ أنْ يَأتِي إلَيهِ مَنْ يُسَلِّيهِ، لَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَستَطِعِ النَّومَ.

Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were concubines brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

19 و َعِندَ الفَجرِ باكِراً جِدّاً، أسرَعَ إلَى حُفرَةِ الأُسُودِ.

Then the king arose with the light at break of day, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

20 ف َاقتَرَبَ مِنَ الحُفرَةِ وَنادَى بِصَوتٍ عالٍ حَزِينٍ عَلَى دانِيالَ: «يا دانِيالُ، يا عَبدَ اللهِ الحَيِّ، هَلِ استَطاعَ إلَهُكَ الَّذِي تَخدِمُهُ وَتَعبُدُهُ دائِماً أنْ يُنقِذَكَ مِنَ الأُسُودِ؟»

And when he came near unto the den, he cried with a mournful voice unto Daniel: the king spoke and said unto Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, hath thy God whom thou servest continually been able to save thee from the lions?

21 ف َأجابَ دانِيالُ المَلِكَ: «أيُّها المَلِكُ، فَلتَعِشْ إلَى الأبَدِ!

Then Daniel spoke unto the king, O king, live for ever!

22 إ لَهِي أرسَلَ مَلاكَهُ فَأغلَقَ أفواهَ الأُسُودِ فَلَمْ تُؤذِنِي، لأنَّهُ وَجَدَنِي بَرِيئاً. وَحَتَّى أنتَ أيُّها المَلِكُ تَعلَمُ بِأنِّي لَمْ أعمَلْ شَيئاً سَيِّئاً.»

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocence was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

23 ف َفَرِحَ المَلِكُ كَثِيراً، وَأمَرَ بِإخراجِ دانِيالَ مِنَ الحُفْرَةِ. فَخَرَجَ دانِيالُ مِنَ الحُفْرَةِ سالِماً دُونَ أذَىً، لأنَّهُ آمَنَ بِإلَهِهِ.

Thereupon was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

24 ث ُمَّ أمَرَ المَلِكُ بِإحضارِ الَّذِينَ اشتَكُوْا عَلَى دانِيالَ، وَأمَرَ بِطَرحِهِمْ هُمْ وَأولادِهِمْ وَنِسائِهِمْ إلَى الحُفْرَةِ. وَما أنْ مَسُّوا أرْضَ الحُفْرَةِ، حَتَّى هَجَمَت الأُسُودُ عَلَيهِمْ فَمَزَّقَتْ لَحمَهُمْ، وَسَحَقَتْ عِظامَهُمْ.

And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces ere they came to the bottom of the den.

25 ث ُمَّ كَتَبَ المَلِكُ هَذِهِ الرِّسالَةَ: «إلَى كُلِّ الشُّعُوبِ وَالأُمَمِ وَاللُّغاتِ السّاكِنِينَ فِي الإمبَراطُورِيَّةِ، لِيَكُنْ لَكُمْ سَلامٌ جَزِيلٌ.

Then king Darius wrote unto all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.

26 أ نا دارِيوسَ أُصدِرُ هَذا المَرسُومَ: عَلَى كُلِّ واحِدٍ فِي كُلِّ مُقاطَعاتِ مَملَكَتِي أنْ يَهابَ إلَهَ دانِيالَ وَيُكرِمُهُ. «‹هُوَ الإلَهُ الحَيُّ الأزَلِيُّ، وَمُلْكُهُ لَنْ يَفنَى أبَداً، وَسُلطانُهُ لَيسَتْ لَهُ نِهايَةٌ.

I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

27 ه ُوَ إلَهٌ يُخَلِّصُ وَيُنقِذُ. هُوَ إلَهٌ يَعمَلُ آياتٍ وَعَجائِبَ فِي السَّماءِ وَعَلَى الأرْضِ. وَهُوَ الَّذِي أنقَذَ دانِيالَ مِنَ الأُسُودِ.›»

He saveth and delivereth, and he worketh signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth: who hath saved Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 ه َذا هُوَ دانِيالُ الَّذِي نَجَحَ أثناءَ مُلكِ دارِيوسَ المادِيِّ وَمُلكِ كُورَشَ الفارِسِيِّ.

And this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.