8. The king answered and said, “I know of certainty that you are bargaining for time, because you see that the command from me is firm:
9. If you will not make known to me the dream, there is but one decree for you. For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the circumstance is changed. Therefore tell me the dream so that I know that you can tell me its interpretation.”
10. The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can tell the king’s matter, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician or astrologer or Chaldean.
11. Also, it is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no one else who can tell it before the king, except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13. Therefore the decree went out that the wise men should be slain. And they sought for Daniel and his companions to be slain.
14. Then Daniel answered with discretion and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
15. He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16. Then Daniel went in and desired of the king that he would give him time in order that he could tell the king the interpretation.
17. Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
18. so that they might ask for compassion from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20. Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,for wisdom and might are His.
21. It is He who changes the times and the seasons;He removes kings and sets up kings;He gives wisdom to the wiseand knowledge to those who know understanding.
22. He reveals the deep and secret things;He knows what is in the darkness,and the light dwells with Him.