6. However, if you do tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be greatly rewarded and highly honoured. Now tell me the dream and explain what it means.”
7. “Your Majesty,” they said, “if you will only tell us your dream, we will interpret it for you.”
8. The king replied, “You're just stalling for time,
9. because you know what's going to happen if you don't come up with the answer. You've decided to make up a pack of lies, hoping I might change my mind. Now tell me the dream, and that will prove that you can interpret it.”
10. His advisers explained, “Your Majesty, you are demanding the impossible! No king, not even the most famous and powerful, has ever ordered his advisers, magicians, or wise men to do such a thing.
11. It can't be done, except by the gods, and they don't live here on earth.”
12-13. This made the king so angry that he gave orders for every wise man in Babylonia to be put to death, including Daniel and his three friends.
14. Arioch was the king's official in charge of putting the wise men to death. He was on his way to have it done, when Daniel very wisely went to him
15. and asked, “Why did the king give such cruel orders?” After Arioch explained what had happened,
16. Daniel rushed off and said to the king, “If you will just give me some time, I'll explain your dream.”
17. Daniel returned home and told his three friends.
18. Then he said, “Pray that the God who rules from heaven will be merciful and explain this mystery, so that we and the others won't be put to death.”
19. In a vision one night, Daniel was shown the dream and its meaning. Then he praised the God who rules from heaven:
20. “Our God, your namewill be praisedfor ever and for ever.You are all-powerful,and you know everything.
21. You control human events—you give rulers their powerand take it away,and you are the sourceof wisdom and knowledge.