1. It hath been good before Darius, and he hath established over the kingdom satraps--a hundred and twenty--that they may be throughout the whole kingdom,
2. and higher than they three presidents, of whom Daniel [is] first, that these satraps may give to them an account, and the king have no loss.
3. Then this Daniel hath been overseer over the presidents and satraps, because that an excellent spirit [is] in him, and the king hath thought to establish him over the whole kingdom.
4. Then the presidents and satraps have been seeking to find a cause of complaint against
5. Then these men are saying, `We do not find against this Daniel any cause of complaint, except we have found [it] against him in the law of his God.'
6. Then these presidents and satraps have assembled near the king, and thus they are saying to him: `O king Darius, to the ages live!
7. Taken counsel have all the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors, to establish a royal statute, and to strengthen an interdict, that any who seeketh a petition from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions.
8. Now, O king, thou dost establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'
9. Therefore king Darius hath signed the writing and interdict.
10. And Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing [it] before this.
11. Then these men have assembled, and found Daniel praying and entreating grace before his God;
12. then they have come near, yea, they are saying before the king concerning the king's interdict: `Hast thou not signed an interdict, that any man who seeketh from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions?' Answered hath the king, and said, `The thing [is] certain as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'
13. Then they have answered, yea, they are saying before the king, that, `Daniel, who [is] of the sons of the Removed of Judah, hath not placed on thee, O king, [any] regard, nor on the interdict that thou hast signed, and three times in a day heis seeking his petition.'
14. Then the king, when he hath heard the matter, is greatly displeased at himself, and on