16. After this, the guard let them eat vegetables instead of the rich food and wine.
17. God made the four young men clever and wise. They read a lot of books and became well educated. Daniel could also tell the meaning of dreams and visions.
18. At the end of the three-year period set by King Nebuchadnezzar, his chief palace official brought all the young men to him.
19. The king interviewed them and discovered that none of the others were as outstanding as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they were given positions in the royal court.
20. From then on, whenever the king asked for advice, he found their wisdom was ten times better than that of any of his other advisers and magicians.
21. Daniel served there until the first year of King Cyrus.