1. Nebuchadnezzar the king hath made an image of gold, its height sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits; he hath raised it up in the valley of Dura, in the province of Babylon;
2. and Nebuchadnezzar the king hath sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the honourable judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the province, to come to the dedication of the image thatNebuchadnezzar the king hath raised up.
3. Then are gathered the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the honourable judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the province, to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath raised up: and they are standing before the image that Nebuchadnezzar hath raised up.
4. And a crier is calling mightily: `To you they are saying: O peoples, nations, and languages!
5. at the time that ye hear the voice of the cornet, the flute, the harp, the sackbut, the psaltery, the symphony, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and do obeisance to the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath raised up:
6. and whoso doth not fall down and do obeisance, in that hour he is cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.'
7. Therefore at that time, when all the peoples are hearing the voice of the cornet, the flute, the harp, the sackbut, the psaltery, and all kinds of music, falling down are all the peoples, nations and languages, doing obeisance to the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath raised up.
8. Therefore at that time drawn near have certain Chaldeans, and accused the Jews;
9. they have answered, yea, they are saying to Nebuchadnezzar the king, `O king, to the ages live!
10. Thou, O king, hast made a decree that every man who doth hear the voice of the cornet, the flute, the harp, the sackbut, the psaltery, and the symphony, and all kinds of music, doth fall down and do obeisance to the golden image;
11. and whoso doth not fall down and do obeisance, is cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12. There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the work of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, these men have not made of thee, O king, [any] regard; thy gods they are not serving, and to the golden image thou hast raised up--are not making obeisance.'
13. Then Nebuchadnezzar, in anger and fury, hath said to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Then these men have been brought in before the king.
14. Nebuchadnezzar hath answered and said to them, `Is [it] a laid plan, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego--my gods ye are not serving, and to the golden image that I have raised up ye are not doing obeisance?