Sazvērestība pret Daniēlu
1 Mēdietis Dārijs pārņēma valsts varu sešdesmit divu gadu vecumā. 2 Dārijam labpatika iecelt simts divdesmit satrapus, kas pārvaldītu visu valsti, 3 un pār tiem trīs pārraugus, viens no viņiem bija Daniēls. Satrapi tiem sniedza aplēses, lai ķēniņam nerastos zaudējumi. 4 Daniēls bija pārāks par visiem pārraugiem un satrapiem, jo viņam bija izcils prāts, tādēļ ķēniņš gribēja viņu iecelt pār visu valsti, 5 bet pārraugi un satrapi meklēja iemeslu apsūdzēt Daniēlu valsts lietās, taču nespēja atrast nevienu kļūdu, jo viņš bija uzticams, un nevienā lietā tie neatrada nedz nolaidību, nedz kļūdu. 6 Tad šie vīri teica: “Mēs neatradīsim neko citu pret Daniēlu, ja nu vien par viņa Dieva likumiem!”
7 Tad šie pārraugi un satrapi devās pie ķēniņa un sacīja: “Ķēniņš Dārijs lai dzīvo mūžīgi! 8 Visi pārraugi, valsts pārvaldnieki, satrapi, mantziņi un virsnieki iesaka ķēniņam izdot likumu, bargu aizliegumu, ka ikviens, kas nākamajās trīsdesmit dienās lūgs kādu dievu vai cilvēku, izņemot tevi, ķēniņ, ir iemetams lauvu bedrē! 9 Tad nu, ķēniņ, izsludini šādu aizliegumu un rakstiski apstiprini, ka tas ir negrozāms mēdiešu un persiešu likums, kas nav atceļams!” 10 Un ķēniņš Dārijs parakstīja šo aizliegumu.
11 Daniēls uzzināja, ka parakstīts šāds likums, un devās mājās. Viņa augšistabas logs vienmēr bija atvērts pret Jeruzālemi, un, tāpat kā iepriekš, viņš trīsreiz dienā, ceļos nometies, lūdza un slavēja Dievu.
12 Tad šie vīri sapulcējās, atnāca un ieraudzīja, ka Daniēls lūdz un pateicas savam Dievam, – 13 un tūdaļ tie devās pie ķēniņa, lai runātu par aizliegumu: “Vai tad tu, ķēniņ, neparakstīji aizliegumu, ka ikviens, kas nākamajās trīsdesmit dienās lūgs kādu dievu vai cilvēku, izņemot tevi, ķēniņ, ir iemetams lauvu bedrē!” Ķēniņš atbildēja: “Tik tiešām! Tas ir mēdiešu un persiešu likums un nav atceļams!” 14 Tad tie sacīja ķēniņam: “Daniēls, viens no Jūdas trimdiniekiem, neņem vērā nedz tevi, ķēniņ, nedz tevis parakstīto aizlieguma pavēli – viņš trīs reizes dienā turpina savas lūgšanas!” 15 To dzirdējis, ķēniņš bija ļoti sarūgtināts un apsvēra savā prātā, kā glābt Daniēlu. Līdz saules rietam viņš centās to atbrīvot.
Daniēls lauvu bedrē
16 Bet šie vīri atkal nāca pie ķēniņa un viņam teica: “Tu zini, ķēniņ, ka mēdiešu un persiešu likumi, visi aizliegumi un pavēles, ko ķēniņš ir izdevis, nav atceļami!” 17 Tad ķēniņš lika atvest Daniēlu un iemest to lauvu bedrē. Ķēniņš teica Daniēlam: “Lai tavs Dievs, kam tu nemitīgi kalpo, glābj tevi!” 18 Atnesa akmeni un uzlika bedrei, un ķēniņš to aizzīmogoja ar savu zīmogu un augstmaņu zīmogiem, lai neviens nevarētu iejaukties.
19 Ķēniņš iegāja pilī un visu nakti pavadīja bez ēdiena un jautrības, nevarēdams aizmigt. 20 Tiklīdz uzausa rīts, ķēniņš cēlās un steigšus devās uz lauvu bedri. 21 Pienācis pie bedres, kurā bija Daniēls, ķēniņš sauca Daniēlu skumjā balsī: “Daniēl, tu dzīvā Dieva kalps, vai tavs Dievs, kuram tu nemitīgi kalpo, spēja paglābt tevi no lauvām?” 22 Daniēls sacīja ķēniņam: “Ķēniņš lai dzīvo mūžīgi! 23 Mans Dievs sūtīja eņģeli un aizdarīja lauvu rīkles, ka tās mani nesaplosīja, jo neesmu pret viņu noziedzies un arī ķēniņam neesmu darījis sliktu!” 24 Tad ķēniņš kļuva varen līksms un pavēlēja Daniēlu izvilkt no lauvu bedres. Viņu izvilka, un viņam neatrada nevienu brūci – Daniēls bija uzticējies savam Dievam! 25 Ķēniņš pavēlēja atvest tos vīrus, kas bija ēdušies pret Daniēlu, un iemest lauvu bedrē kopā ar viņu bērniem un sievām. Tie vēl nebija nokrituši līdz bedres apakšai, kad lauvas tos sakampa un sadrupināja tiem visus kauliņus.
26 Tad ķēniņš Dārijs rakstīja visiem ļaudīm, ciltīm un tautām, kas mīt virs zemes: “Miers lai jums bagātīgi! 27 Šāda ir mana pavēle: visā manis pārvaldītajā valstī ikviens lai dreb un bīstas Daniēla Dieva!
Viņš ir dzīvs Dievs, un viņš ir mūžīgs!
Viņa valsts nav iznīcināma,
viņa valdībai nebūs gala!
28 Viņš glābj un atbrīvo,
dara zīmes un brīnumus debesīs un virs zemes!
Viņš paglāba Daniēlu no lauvu nagiem!”
29 Tā Daniēlam veicās Dārija un persieša Kīra valdīšanas laikā.
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 ¶ Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, 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, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 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 altereth not. 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 ¶ Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save 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 altereth not. 13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which 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 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men assembled 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 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 17 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 lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
18 ¶ Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, 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 ¶ And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
25 ¶ Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26 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 stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
