Daniel 2:3–9

³And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to ¹know the dream.”

⁴Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, ^d“O ²king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

⁵The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My ³decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be ^ecut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. ^6fHowever, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

⁷They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”

⁸The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: ⁹if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the ⁴time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can ⁵give me its interpretation.”