14 Then Daniel responded prudently and discretely to Arioch, the commander of the imperial guard of the king, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 15 ⌊He asked⌋a and said to Arioch, the royal official of the king, “⌊Why⌋b is the decree from the king so severe?” Then Arioch explained the matterc to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested from the king that he would give him time, and ⌊he would tell the king⌋d the explanation.e

17 Then Daniel went to his home, and he made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy ⌊from the God of heaven⌋f concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions, along with the remainder of the wise men of Babylon, would not be killed.

19 Then in a vision of the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel; then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel ⌊said⌋:g

“Let his name, the name of God,h be blessed ⌊throughout the ages⌋,i

for the wisdom and the power ⌊are his⌋.j

21 And he changes the times and the seasons,

and he deposes kings and he sets up kings;

he gives wisdomk to wise men

and knowledge to men who know understanding.

22 He reveals the deep and the hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,

and the light dwells with him.

23 To you, O God of my ancestors,l

I give thanks and I give praises,

for the wisdom and the power you gave to me,

and now you have made known to me

what we have asked from you,

for you have made known to us the matter of the king.”

Daniel Praises God and Interprets the King’s Dream

24 ⌊Therefore⌋m Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointedn to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and thus he said to him: “You must not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me in before the king and I will give the explanationo to the king.”

25 Then Arioch ⌊quickly⌋p brought Daniel in before the king and thus he said to him: “I have found a man among ⌊the exiles⌋q of Judahr who ⌊can relate⌋s the explanationt to the king.”