³Then Daniel began distinguishing himself^c above the administrators and the satraps because^d an exceptional spirit was in him, and so the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom. ⁴Then the other administrators and satraps began to seek^e to find a pretext against Daniel in connection with the kingdom,^f but they were not able to find any pretext and corruption^g because^h he was trustworthy, and noⁱ negligence or corruption^j could be found in him.^k ⁵Then these men said,^l “We will not find any pretext^m against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

⁶So the administrators and the satraps conspired with respect toⁿ the king and so they said to him, “Darius, O king, live forever!^o ⁷All of the administrators of the kingdom, and the prefects, the satraps, the counselors and the governors took counsel and have agreed to establish an edict of the king and to enforce a decree that whoever^p will seek a prayer from any god or human except from you for up to thirty days will be thrown into the lion pit.^q ⁸Now, O king, establish the edict and you must sign the document so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked.”

⁹So^r the king, Darius, signed the writing and the interdict.^s

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Footnotes

cLiterally “was distinguishing himself”
dLiterally “all of because that”
eLiterally “were seeking”
fLiterally “from the side of the kingdom”
gLiterally “being corrupt”
hLiterally “all because that”
iAramaic “any”
jLiterally “being corrupt”
kLiterally “not could be found”
lLiterally “were saying”
mOr “basis for accusation”
nLiterally “on/upon”
oLiterally “to eternity”
pLiterally “all that”
qLiterally “pit of lions”
rLiterally “Like to before this”
sOr “the writing that is the interdict”