Bel and the Dragon 1

Thomson · Brenton · Greek · public domain

Thomson 1808

Brenton 1851

Greek · Brenton

Thomson—

BrentonAnd king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia received his kingdom.

GreekΚΑΙ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀστυάγης προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ· καὶ παρέλαβε Κύρος ὁ Πέρσης τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd Daniel conversed with the king, and was honoured above all his friends.

GreekΚαὶ ἦν Δανιὴλ συμβιωτὴς τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἔνδοξος ὑπὲρ πάντας τοὺς φίλους αὐτοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonNow the Babylonians had an idol, called Bel, and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine.

GreekΚαὶ ἦν εἴδωλον τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις ᾧ ὄνομα Βὴλ, καὶ ἐδαπανῶντο εἰς αὐτὸν ἑκάστης ἡμέρας σεμιδάλεως ἀρτάβαι δώδεκα, καὶ πρόβατα τεσσαράκοντα, καὶ οἴνου μετρηταὶ ἕξ.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd the king worshipped it, and went daily to adore it: but Daniel worshipped his own God. And the king said unto him, Why dost not thou worship Bel?

GreekΚαὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐσέβετο αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐπορεύετο καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν προσκυνεῖν αὐτῷ. Δανιὴλ δὲ προσεκύνει τῷ Θεῷ αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς, διατί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βήλ;

Thomson—

BrentonWho answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven and the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh.

GreekὉ δὲ εἶπεν, ὅτι οὐ σέβομαι εἴδωλα χειροποίητα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ζῶντα Θεὸν, τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης σαρκὸς κυρείαν.

Thomson—

BrentonThen said the king unto him, Thinkest thou not that Bel is a living god? seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day?

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς, οὐ δοκεῖ σοι Βὴλ εἶναι ζῶν θεός; ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν;

Thomson—

BrentonThen Daniel smiled, and said, O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, and did never eat or drink any thing.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Δανιὴλ γελάσας, μὴ πλανῶ, βασιλεῦ, οὗτος γὰρ ἔσωθεν μέν ἐστι πηλὸς, ἔξωθεν δὲ χαλκὸς, καὶ οὐ βέβρωκεν οὐδέποτε.

Thomson—

BrentonSo the king was wroth, and called for his priests, and said unto them, If ye tell me not who this is that devoureth these expences, ye shall die.

GreekΘυμωθεὶς δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσε τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἐὰν μὴ εἴποιτέ μοι τίς ὁ κατέσθων τὴν δαπάνην ταύτην, ἀποθανεῖσθε.

Thomson—

BrentonBut if ye can certify me that Bel devoureth them, then Daniel shall die: for he hath spoken blasphemy against Bel. And Daniel said unto the king, Let it be according to thy word.

GreekἘὰν δὲ δείξητε ὅτι Βὴλ κατεσθίει αὐτὰ, ὁ Δανιὴλ ἀποθανεῖται, ὅτι ἐβλασφήμησεν εἰς τὸν Βήλ· καὶ εἶπε Δανιὴλ τῷ βασιλεῖ, γινέσθω κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου.

Thomson—

BrentonNow the priests of Bel were threescore and ten, beside their wives and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.

GreekΚαὶ ἦσαν ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ ἑβδομήκοντα ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων· καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Βήλ.

Thomson—

BrentonSo Bel's priests said, Lo, we go out: but thou, O king, set on the meat, and make ready the wine, and shut the door fast, and seal it with thine own signet;

GreekΚαὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ, ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀποτρέχομεν ἔξω, σὺ δὲ, βασιλεῦ, παράθες τὰ βρώματα, καὶ τὸν οἶνον κεράσας θὲς, καὶ ἀπόκλεισον τὴν θύραν, καὶ σφράγισον τῷ δακτυλίῳ σου.

Thomson—

Brentonand to-morrow when thou comest in, if thou findest not that Bel hath eaten up all, we will suffer death: or else Daniel, that speaketh falsely against us.

GreekΚαὶ ἐλθὼν πρωῒ, ἐὰν μὴ εὕρῃς πάντα βεβρωμένα ὑπὸ τοῦ Βὴλ, ἀποθανούμεθα· ἢ Δανιὴλ ὁ ψευδόμενος καθʼ ἡμῶν.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd they little regarded it: for under the table they had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and consumed those things.

GreekΑὐτοὶ δὲ κατεφρόνουν, ὅτι πεποιήκεισαν ὑπὸ τὴν τράπεζαν κεκρυμμένην εἴσοδον, καὶ διʼ αὐτῆς εἰσεπορεύοντο διόλου, καὶ ἀνήλουν αὐτά.

Thomson—

BrentonSo when they were gone forth, the king set meats before Bel. Now Daniel had commanded his servants to bring ashes, and those they strewed throughout all the temple in the presence of the king alone: then went they out, and shut the door, and sealed it with the king's signet, and so departed.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξήλθοσαν ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς παρέθηκε τὰ βρώματα τῷ Βήλ· καὶ ἐπέταξε Δανιὴλ τοῖς παιδαρίοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἤνεγκαν τέφραν· καὶ κατέσεισαν ὅλον τὸν ναὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως μόνου· καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἔκλεισαν τὴν θύραν, καὶ ἐσφραγίσαντο ἐν τῷ δακτυλίῳ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἀπῆλθον.

Thomson—

BrentonNow in the night came the priests with their wives and children, as they were wont to do, and did eat and drink up all.

GreekΟἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς ἦλθον τὴν νύκτα κατὰ τὸ ἔθος αὐτῶν, καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ κατέφαγον πάντα, καὶ ἐξέπιον.

Thomson—

BrentonIn the morning betime the king arose, and Daniel with him.

GreekΚαὶ ὤρθρισεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ πρωῒ, καὶ Δανιὴλ μετʼ αὐτοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd the king said, Daniel, are the seals whole? And he said, Yea, O king, they be whole.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπε, σῶοι αἱ σφραγίδες Δανιήλ; ὁ δὲ εἶπε, σῶοι, βασιλεῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the table, and cried with a loud voice, Great art thou, O Bel, and with thee is no deceit at all.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ἅμα τῷ ἀνοῖξαι τὰς θύρας, ἐπιβλέψας ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἐβόησε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ, μέγας εἶ Βὴλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι παρὰ σοὶ δόλος οὐδὲ εἷς.

Thomson—

BrentonThen laughed Daniel, and held the king that he should not go in, and said, Behold now the pavement, and mark well whose footsteps are these.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγέλασε Δανιὴλ, καὶ ἐκράτησε τὸν βασιλέα, τοῦ μὴ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἔσω· καὶ εἶπεν, ἴδε δὴ τὸ ἔδαφος, καὶ γνῶθι τίνος τὰ ἴχνη ταῦτα.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd the king said, I see the footsteps of men, women, and children. And then the king was angry,

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, ὁρῶ τὰ ἴχνη ἀνδρῶν, καὶ γυναικῶν, καὶ παιδίων· καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς τότε συνέλαβε τοὺς ἱερεῖς, καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας,

Thomson—

Brentonand took the priests with their wives and children, who shewed him the private doors, where they came in, and consumed such things as were upon the table.

Greekκαὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ τὰς κρυπτὰς θύρας, διʼ ὧν εἰσεπορεύοντο, καὶ ἐδαπάνων τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης.

Thomson—

BrentonTherefore the king slew them, and delivered Bel into Daniel's power, who destroyed him and his temple.

GreekΚαὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ ἔδωκε τὸν Βὴλ ἔκδοτον τῷ Δανιήλ· καὶ κατέστρεψεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν αὐτοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd in that same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon worshipped.

GreekΚαὶ ἦν Δράκων μέγας, καὶ ἐσέβοντο αὐτὸν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd the king said unto Daniel, Wilt thou also say that this is of brass? lo, he liveth, he eateth and drinketh; thou canst not say that he is no living god: therefore worship him.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιὴλ, μὴ καὶ τοῦτον ἐρεῖς ὅτι χαλκοῦς ἐστιν; ἰδοὺ ζῇ, καὶ ἐσθίει, καὶ πίνει· οὐ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν οὗτος θεὸς ζῶν· καὶ προσκύνησον αὐτῷ.

Thomson—

BrentonThen said Daniel unto the king, I will worship the Lord my God: for he is the living God.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Δανιὴλ, Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ μου προσκυνήσω, ὅτι οὗτός ἐστι Θεὸς ζῶν.

Thomson—

BrentonBut give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon without sword or staff. The king said, I give thee leave.

GreekΣὺ δὲ, βασιλεῦ, δός μοι ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἀποκτενῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ μαχαίρας καὶ ῥάβδου· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς δίδωμί σοι.

Thomson—

BrentonThen Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and did seethe them together, and made lumps thereof: this he put in the dragon's mouth, and so the dragon burst in sunder: and Daniel said, Lo, these are the gods ye worship.

GreekΚαὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ Δανιὴλ πίσσαν καὶ στέαρ καὶ τρίχας, καὶ ἥψησεν ἐπιτοαυτό· καὶ ἐποίησε μάζας, καὶ ἔδωκεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος, καὶ φαγὼν διεῤῥάγη ὁ δράκων· καὶ εἶπεν, ἴδετε τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν.

Thomson—

BrentonWhen they of Babylon heard that, they took great indignation, and conspired against the king, saying, The king is become a Jew, and he hath destroyed Bel, he hath slain the dragon, and put the priests to death.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο, ὡς ἤκουσαν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι, ἠγανάκτησαν λίαν, καὶ συνεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ εἶπαν, Ἰουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, τὸν Βὴλ κατέσπασε, καὶ τὸν δράκοντα ἀπέκτεινε, καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς κατέσφαξε.

Thomson—

BrentonSo they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thine house.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπαν ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, παράδος ἡμῖν τὸν Δανιήλ· εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἁποκτενοῦμέν σε, καὶ τὸν οἶκόν σου.

Thomson—

BrentonNow when the king saw that they pressed him sore, being constrained, he delivered Daniel unto them;

GreekΚαὶ εἶδεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι ἐπείγουσιν αὐτὸν σφόδρα, καὶ ἀναγκασθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Δανιήλ.

Thomson—

Brentonwho cast him into the lions' den: where he was six days.

GreekΟἱ δὲ ἔβαλον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων, καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας ἕξ.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd in the den there were seven lions, and they had given them every day two carcases, and two sheep: which then were not given to them, to the intent they might devour Daniel.

GreekἮσαν δὲ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ ἑπτὰ λέοντες, καὶ ἐδίδοτο αὐτοῖς τὴν ἡμέραν δύο σώματα καὶ δύο πρόβατα· τότε δὲ οὐκ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, ἵνα καταφάγωσι τὸν Δανιήλ.

Thomson—

BrentonNow there was in Jewry a prophet, called Habbacuc, who had made pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl, and was going into the field, for to bring it to the reapers.

GreekΚαὶ ἦν Ἀμβακοὺμ ὁ προφήτης ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἥψησεν ἕψεμα, καὶ ἐνέθρυψεν ἄρτους εἰς σκάφην, καὶ ἑπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον ἀπενέγκαι τοῖς θερισταῖς.

Thomson—

BrentonBut the angel of the Lord said unto Habbacuc, Go, carry the dinner that thou hast into Babylon unto Daniel, who is in the lions' den.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου τῷ Ἀμβακοὺμ, ἀπένεγκε τὸ ἄριστον ὃ ἔχεις εἰς Βαβυλῶνα τῷ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd Habbacuc said, Lord, I never saw Babylon; neither do I know where the den is.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἀμβακοὺμ, Κύριε, Βαβυλῶνα οὐχ ἑώρακα, καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω.

Thomson—

BrentonThen the angel of the Lord took him by the crown, and bare him by the hair of his head, and through the vehemency of his spirit set him in Babylon over the den.

GreekΚαὶ ἐπελάβετο ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου τῆς κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ βαστάσας τῆς κόμης τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυῶνα ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου, ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd Habbacuc cried, saying, O Daniel, Daniel, take the dinner which God hath sent thee.

GreekΚαὶ ἐβόησεν Ἀμβακοὺμ, λέγων, Δανιὴλ, Δανιὴλ, λάβε τὸ ἄριστον ὃ ἀπέστειλέ σοι ὁ Θεός.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God: neither hast thou forsaken them that seek thee and love thee.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Δανιὴλ, ἐμνήσθης γάρ μου ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπες τοὺς ἀγαπῶντάς σε.

Thomson—

BrentonSo Daniel arose, and did eat: and the angel of the Lord set Habbacuc in his own place again immediately.

GreekΚαὶ ἀναστὰς δανιὴλ, ἔφαγεν· ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος τοῦ ἀπεκατέστησε τὸν Ἀμβακοὺμ παραχρῆμα εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonUpon the seventh day the king went to bewail Daniel: and when he came to the den, he looked in, and, behold, Daniel was sitting.

GreekὉ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἦλθε τῇ ἑβδόμῃ πενθῆσαι τὸν Δανιὴλ, καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν λάκκον, καὶ ἐνέβλεψε, καὶ ἰδοὺ, Δανιὴλ καθήμενος.

Thomson—

BrentonThen cried the king with a loud voice, saying, Great art thou, O Lord God of Daniel, and there is none other beside thee.

GreekΚαὶ ἀναβοήσας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ, εἶπε, μέγας εἰ, Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Δανιὴλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος πλὴν σοῦ.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd he drew him out, and cast those that were the cause of his destruction into the den: and they were devoured in a moment before his face.

GreekΚαὶ ἀνέσπασεν αὐτόν· τοὺς δὲ αἰτίους τῆς ἀπωλείας αὐτοῦ ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸν λάκκον· καὶ κατεβρώθησαν παραχρῆμα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.