Daniel 3

Great^{(i) 1} Nabuchodonosor the kynge caused a golden Image to be made, whych was .lx. cubytes hye, and syxe cubytes thycke. This he made to be set vp in the felde of Dura in the land of Babylo ² & sent oute to gather together the dukes, Lordes and nobles, the iudges and officers, the debytes and shreues: with all the rulers of the lande: that they myght come to the dedicacyon of the Image which Nabuchodonosor the kynge had set vp. ³ So the dukes, Lordes and nobles, the iudges and offycers, debytes and shreues with all the rulers of the lande gathered them together, and came vnto the dedycatynge of the Image, that Nabuchodonosor the kynge had set vp. Nowe when they stode before the Image, which Nabuchodonosor set vp, ⁴ the bedel cried out with all his might: O ye people, kynreddes and tunges, to you be it sayde: ⁵ that when ye heare the noyse of the trompettes, which shalbe blowen, with the harpes, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all maner of Musick: ye fall downe and worshippe the golden Image, that Nabuchodonosor the kynge hath set vp. ⁶ Whoso then falleth not downe & boweth him selfe, shall euen the same houre be cast into an hote burnynge ouen. ⁷ Therfore, when all the folcke herde the noyse of the trompettes that were blowen, with the harpes, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all kynde of Melody, then all the people, kynreddes and nacyons fell downe, and bowed them selues vnto the golden Image, that Nabuchodonosor the kynge had set vp. ⁸ Now were there certayne men of the Caldees, that wente euen then and accused the Iewes, ⁹ and sayde vnto the kynge Nabuchodonosor: O kyng, God saue thy lyfe for euer, ¹⁰ Thou beynge kynge hast geuen a commaundement, that all men when they heare the noyse of the trompettes, harpes, shawmes, psalteries, symphonies and all the other melodies: shall fall downe and bowe them selues towarde the golden Image: ¹¹ whoso then fell not downe & worshypped not that, he shulde be cast into an hote burnynge ouen. ¹² Nowe are there certayne Iewes, whom thou hast set ouer the offyces of the lande of Babylon: namely, Sydrach: Mysach and Abednago. These men (O kyng) regarde not thy commaundment, yee, they wyll not serue thy goddes, ner bowe them selues to the golden Image, that thou hast set vp. ¹³ Then Nabuchodonosor in a cruell wrath and displeasure, commaunded, that Sidrach Misach and Abednago shulde be brought vnto hym. So these men were brought before the kynge. ¹⁴ Then Nabuchodonosor spake vnto them, & sayde: what? O Sidrach Misach and Abednago, wyll not ye serue my goddes? nor bowe youre selues to the golden Image, that I haue set vp. ¹⁵ Well, be redy herafter, when ye heare the noyse of the trompettes blowe with the harpes, shawmes, psalteries, symphonyes and all the other melodyes: that ye fall downe, and worshyppe the Image which I haue made. But yf ye worshyppe it not, ye shall be cast immediatly into an hote burnyng ouen. Let se, what God is there, that maye delyuer you oute of my handes? ¹⁶ Sydrach, Misach and Abednago answered the kynge, & sayde: O Nabuchodonosor, we ought not to consente vnto the in this matter, for why? ¹⁷ oure God whom we serue, is able to kepe vs from the hote burnyng ouen (O kynge) and can ryght well delyuer vs out of thy handes. ¹⁸ And though he wyll not, yet shalt thou knowe (O kyng) that we will not serue thy goddes, ner do reuerence to the Image, which thou hast set vp. ¹⁹ Then was Nabuchodonosor full of indignacyon, so that the countenaunce of his face chaunged vpon Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago. Therfore he charged and commaunded, that the ouen shuld be made seuen tymes hotter, then it was wonte to be: ²⁰ & spake vnto the strongest worthies that were in his hoste, for to bynde Sidrach, Misach and Abednago, and to cast them into the hote burnynge ouen. ²¹ So these men were bounde in their cotes hosen, shues wyth their other garmentes, & cast into the hote burnynge ouen: ²² for the kynges commaundement was so strayte, and the ouen was excedynge hote. As for the men that put in Sidrach, Misach & Abednago, the flamme of the fyre destroyed them. ²³ And these thre men Sidrach, Misach & Abednago fell downe in the hote burnynge ouen, beynge faste bounde. ²⁴ Then Nabuchodonosor the kyng marueled and stode vp in all hast: he spake vnto hys councell and sayde: dyd not ye cast these thre men bounde into the fyre? They answered, and sayde vnto the king: Yee, O kynge. ²⁵ He answered, and sayde: lo, for all that, yet do I se foure men going lowse in the myddest of the fyer, and nothynge corrupte: and the fourth is lyke the sonne of God to loke vpon. ²⁶ Upon thys went Nabuchodonosor vnto the mouth of the hote burning ouen: he spake also, and sayde: O Sidrach, Misach and Abednago, ye seruauntes of the hye God, go forth, & come hyther. And so Sidrach, Misach & Abednago went out of the fier. ²⁷ Then the dukes, lordes & nobles, & the kinges councell came together to se these men, vpon whom the fyer had no maner of power in theyr bodies. In somoch that the very here of their heed was not burnt, & theyr clothes vnchaunged: yee, there was no smell of fier felt vpon them. ²⁸ Then spake Nabuchodonosor, and sayde, Blessed be the God of Sidrach, Misach and Abednago: which hath sent his angell, and defended his seruauntes, that put theyr trust in him: that haue altered the kinges commaundement: and ieoperde their bodies ther vpon: rather then they wolde serue or worshippe eny other God, excepte their awne God onely. ²⁹ Therfore I wyll and commaunde, that all people, kynredes and tunges, which speake any blasphemy agaynst the God of Sydrach, Misach, and Abednago, shall dye, and their houses shalbe prysed: Because, there is no God that maye saue, as thys. ³⁰ So the kynge promoted Sidrach, Misach, & Abdenego, in the lande of Babylon.