He asked them for advice in matters that required wisdom and understanding. The king always found their answers to be the best. Other men in his kingdom claimed to get knowledge by using magic. But the answers of Daniel and his friends were ten times better than theirs.

王考问他们一切事，就见他们的智慧聪明比通国的术士和用法术的胜过十倍。

王考问他们一切智慧和聪明的事，发现他们比全国所有的术士和巫师胜过十倍。

王考问他们一切智慧和聪明的事，发现他们比全国所有的术士和巫师胜过十倍。

王询问他们各样的事，发现他们的智慧和聪明比全国的术士和巫师高十倍。

王考问他们一切智慧和聪明的事，就发现他们比全国所有的术士和用法术的更胜十倍。

王向他们寻问各样有关智慧和悟性的事，发现他们胜过全国所有的术士和占卜者十倍。

王考問他們一切事，就見他們的智慧聰明比通國的術士和用法術的勝過十倍。

王考問他們一切智慧和聰明的事，發現他們比全國所有的術士和巫師勝過十倍。

王考問他們一切智慧和聰明的事，發現他們比全國所有的術士和巫師勝過十倍。

王詢問他們各樣的事，發現他們的智慧和聰明比全國的術士和巫師高十倍。

王考問他們一切智慧和聰明的事，就發現他們比全國所有的術士和用法術的更勝十倍。

王無論諮詢他們甚麼智慧聰明的事、都看出他們比全國所有的學術士和用法術的還勝過十倍。

王向他們尋問各樣有關智慧和悟性的事，發現他們勝過全國所有的術士和占卜者十倍。

王於所詢智慧明哲之事、見其愈於舉國之巫人術士十倍、

王聆其智慧之言、知彼較通國之博士賢人、尤為明哲、且十倍之、

王以諸事問之、則知其智慧明哲、愈於通國之博士術士、且愈十倍、或作王以諸學眾理考問之見彼較通國之博士術士勝於十倍

In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.

Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in his entire kingdom.

As for every matter of expertise and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the soothsayer priests and conjurers who were in all his realm.

And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.

And in every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm.

In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them 10 times better than all the diviner-priests and mediums in his entire kingdom.

And in all matters of wisdom[ and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians[ and] astrologers that[ were] in all his realm.

In every matter of wisdom and insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire.

In every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.

God made Solomon very wise. His understanding couldn’t even be measured. It was like the sand on the seashore. People can’t measure that either.Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the east. It was greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.Solomon was wiser than anyone else. He was wiser than Ethan, the Ezrahite. He was wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda. They were the sons of Mahol. Solomon became famous in all the nations around him.He spoke 3,000 proverbs. He wrote 1,005 songs.He spoke about plants. He knew everything about them, from the cedar trees in Lebanon to the hyssop plants that grow out of walls. He spoke about animals and birds. He also spoke about reptiles and fish.The kings of all the world’s nations heard about how wise Solomon was. So they sent their people to listen to him.

So the magicians said to Pharaoh,“ God’s powerful finger has done this.” But Pharaoh remained stubborn. He wouldn’t listen, just as the Lord had said.

In the morning he was worried. So he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams. But no one could tell him what they meant.

“ So keep on casting your magic spells. Keep on practicing your evil magic. You have been doing those things ever since you were a child. Perhaps they will help you. Maybe they will scare your enemies away.All the advice you have received has only worn you out! Let those who study the heavens come forward. They claim to know what is going to happen by watching the stars every month. So let them save you from the trouble that is coming on you.They are just like straw. Fire will burn them up. They can’t even save themselves from the powerful flames. These are not like coals that can warm anyone. This is not like a fire to sit by.

But the magicians did the same things by doing their magic tricks. They also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

The people of Egypt will lose hope. I will keep them from doing what they plan to do. They will ask their gods for advice. They will turn to the spirits of dead people for help. They will go to people who get messages from those who have died. They will ask for advice from people who talk to the spirits of the dead.

Then the Jews who lived near our enemies came to us. They told us ten times,“ No matter where you are, they’ll attack us.”

King Solomon was richer than all the other kings on earth. He was also wiser than they were.People from the whole world wanted to meet Solomon in person. They wanted to see for themselves how wise God had made him.

But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by doing their magic tricks. So Pharaoh became stubborn. He wouldn’t listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

And here is what you can be just as sure of. Not one of these people will see the land I promised to give them. They have seen my glory. They have seen the signs I did in Egypt. And they have seen what I did in the desert. But they did not obey me. And they have tested me ten times.

So the order was given to kill them. Men were sent out to look for Daniel and his friends. They were also supposed to be put to death.

But your father has cheated me. He has changed my pay ten times. In spite of everything that’s happened, God hasn’t let him harm me.

You have already accused me many times. You have attacked me without feeling any shame.

So the king sent for those who claimed to get knowledge by using magic. He also sent for those who practiced evil magic and those who studied the heavens. He wanted them to tell him what he had dreamed. They came in and stood in front of the king.He said to them,“ I had a dream. It troubles me. So I want to know what it means.”Then those who studied the heavens answered the king. They spoke in Aramaic. They said,“ King Nebuchadnezzar, may you live forever! Tell us what you dreamed. Then we’ll explain what it means.”The king replied to them,“ I have made up my mind. You must tell me what I dreamed. And you must tell me what it means. If you don’t, I’ll have you cut to pieces. And I’ll have your houses turned into piles of trash.So tell me what I dreamed. Explain it to me. Then I’ll give you gifts. I’ll reward you. I’ll give you great honor. So tell me the dream. And tell me what it means.”Once more they replied,“ King Nebuchadnezzar, tell us what you dreamed. Then we’ll tell you what it means.”The king answered,“ I know what you are doing. You are trying to gain more time. You realize that I’ve made up my mind.You must tell me the dream. If you don’t, you will pay for it. You have gotten together and made evil plans. You hope things will change. So you are telling me lies. But I want you to tell me what I dreamed. Then I’ll know that you can tell me what it means.”They answered the king,“ There is no one on earth who can do what you are asking! No king has ever asked for anything like that. Not even a king as great and mighty as you has asked for it. Those who get knowledge by using magic have never been asked to do what you are asking. And those who study the heavens haven’t been asked to do it either.What you are asking is much too hard. No one can tell you what you dreamed except the gods. And they don’t live among human beings.”

Daniel replied,“ You have asked us to explain a mystery to you. But no wise man can do that. And those who try to figure things out by using magic can’t do it either.But there is a God in heaven who can explain mysteries. King Nebuchadnezzar, he has shown you what is going to happen. Here is what you dreamed while lying in bed. And here are the visions that passed through your mind.

The king sent for those who try to figure things out by using magic. He also sent for those who study the heavens. All of them were wise men in Babylon. Then the king spoke to them. He said,“ I want one of you to read this writing. I want you to tell me what it means. Whoever does this will be dressed in purple clothes. A gold chain will be put around his neck. And he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”Then all the king’s wise men came in. But they couldn’t read the writing. They couldn’t tell him what it meant.

Those who try to figure things out by using magic came. So did those who study the heavens. I told all of them what I had dreamed. But they couldn’t tell me what it meant.Finally, Daniel came to me. He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god. The spirit of the holy gods is in him. I told him my dream.I said,“ Belteshazzar, you are chief of the magicians. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you. No mystery is too hard for you to figure out. Here is my dream. Tell me what it means.Here are the visions I saw while I was lying in bed. I looked up and saw a tree standing in the middle of the land. It was very tall.It had grown to be large and strong. Its top touched the sky. It could be seen anywhere on earth.Its leaves were beautiful. It had a lot of fruit on it. It provided enough food for people and animals. Under the tree, the wild animals found safety. The birds lived in its branches. Every creature was fed from that tree.“ While I was still lying in bed, I looked up. In my visions, I saw a holy one. He was a messenger. He was coming down from heaven.He called out in a loud voice. He said,‘ Cut down the tree. Break off its branches. Strip off its leaves. Scatter its fruit. Let the animals under it run away. Let the birds in its branches fly off.But leave the stump with its roots in the ground. Let it stay in the field. Put a band of iron and bronze around it.“‘ Let King Nebuchadnezzar become wet with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.Let him no longer have the mind of a man. Instead, let him be given the mind of an animal. Let him stay that way until seven periods of time pass by.“‘ The decision is announced by holy messengers. So all who are alive will know that the Most High God is King. He rules over all kingdoms on earth. He gives them to anyone he wants. Sometimes he puts the least important people in charge of them.’“ This is the dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, Belteshazzar. None of the wise men in my kingdom can explain it to me. But you can. After all, the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Then Pharaoh sent for wise men and people who do evil magic. By doing their magic tricks, the Egyptian magicians did the same things Aaron had done.Each one threw down his walking stick. Each stick turned into a snake. But Aaron’s walking stick swallowed theirs up.

I know more than all my teachers do, because I spend time thinking about your covenant laws.

Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. In the same way, the teachers I’m talking about oppose the truth. Their minds are twisted. As far as the faith is concerned, God doesn’t accept them.They won’t get very far. Just like Jannes and Jambres, their foolish ways will be clear to everyone.

He changes times and seasons. He removes some kings from power. He causes other kings to rule. The wisdom of those who are wise comes from him. He gives knowledge to those who have understanding.

The queen of Sheba heard about how famous Solomon was. She also heard about how he served and worshiped the Lord. So she came to test Solomon with hard questions.She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large group of attendants. Her camels were carrying spices, huge amounts of gold, and valuable jewels. She came to Solomon and asked him about everything she wanted to know.Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything too hard for the king to explain to her.

Then Daniel answered the king. He said,“ You can keep your gifts for yourself. You can give your rewards to someone else. But I will read the writing for you. I’ll tell you what it means.