Daniel, 4

1. 'I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living comfortably in my house, prosperously in my palace.

1. King Nebuchadnez'zar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you!

2. I had a dream; it appalled me. Dread assailed me as I lay in bed; the visions that passed through my head tormented me.

2. It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has wrought toward me.

3. So I decreed that all the sages of Babylon be summoned to explain to me what the dream meant.

3. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

4. Magicians, soothsayers, Chaldaeans and exorcists came, and I told them what I had dreamt, but they could not interpret it for me.

4. I, Nebuchadnez'zar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace.

5. Daniel, renamed Belteshazzar after my own god, and in whom the spirit of the holy gods resides, then came into my presence. I told him my dream:

5. I had a dream which made me afraid; as I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me.

6. ' "Belteshazzar, chief of magicians," I said, "I know that the spirit of the holy gods resides in you and that no mystery puts you at a loss. This is the dream I have had; tell me what it means.

6. Therefore I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

7. ' "The visions that passed through my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw a tree in the middle of the world; it was very tall.

7. Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chalde'ans, and the astrologers came in; and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation.

8. The tree grew taller and stronger, until its top reached the sky and it could be seen from the very ends of the earth.

8. At last Daniel came in before me -- he who was named Belteshaz'zar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods -- and I told him the dream, saying,

9. Its foliage was beautiful, its fruit abundant, in it was food for all. For the wild animals it provided shade, the birds of heaven nested in its branches, all living creatures found their food on it.

9. "O Belteshaz'zar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is difficult for you, here is the dream which I saw; tell me its interpretation.

10. ' "I watched the visions passing through my head as I lay in bed: Next, a Watchful One, a holy one, came down from heaven.

10. The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great.

11. At the top of his voice he shouted: Cut the tree down, lop off its branches, strip off its leaves, throw away its fruit; let the animals flee from its shelter and the birds from its branches.

11. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth.

12. But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, bound with hoops of iron and bronze, in the grass of the countryside. Let it be drenched by the dew of heaven and have its lot with the animals, eating grass!

12. Its leaves were fair and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the air dwelt in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13. Let it cease to have a human heart, and be given the heart of a beast, and seven times shall pass over him!

13. "I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.

14. Such is the sentence proclaimed by the Watchers, the verdict announced by the holy ones- so that every living thing may learn that the Most High rules over human sovereignty; he confers it on whom he pleases, and raises the lowest of humankind.

14. He cried aloud and said thus, `Hew down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.

15. ' "This was the dream I had-I, Nebuchadnezzar the king. Now it is for you, Belteshazzar, to pronounce on its meaning, since not one of the sages in my kingdom has been able to interpret it for me; you, however, can do so, since the spirit of the holy gods resides in you."'

15. But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven; let his lot be with the beasts in the grass of the earth;

16. Daniel, known as Belteshazzar, was confused for a time and upset. The king said, 'Belteshazzar, do not be upset at the dream and its meaning.' Belteshazzar answered, 'My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its meaning to your foes!

16. let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven times pass over him.

17. The tree you saw, so large and strong and tall that it reached the sky and could be seen throughout the world,

17. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men.'

18. the tree with beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, with food for all in it, providing shade for the wild animals, with the birds of heaven nesting in its branches:

18. This dream I, King Nebuchadnez'zar, saw. And you, O Belteshaz'zar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

19. that tree is yourself, Your Majesty, for you have grown great and strong; your stature is now so great that it reaches the sky, and your empire extends to the ends of the earth.

19. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshaz'zar, was dismayed for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, "Belteshaz'zar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you." Belteshaz'zar answered, "My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies!

20. 'And the Watchful One seen by the king, the holy one coming down from heaven and saying, "Cut the tree down and destroy it, but leave stump and roots in the ground, bound with hoops of iron and bronze in the grass of the countryside; let it be drenched by the dew and have its lot with the wild animals until seven times have passed over":

20. The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth;

21. the meaning of this, Your Majesty, the verdict of the Most High passed on my lord the king, is this:

21. whose leaves were fair and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all; under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the air dwelt --

22. You will be driven from human society and will make your home with the wild animals, you will feed on grass, as oxen do, you will be drenched by the dew of heaven; seven times will pass over you until you have learnt that the Most High rules over human sovereignty and confers it on whom he pleases.

22. it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

23. 'And the order, "Leave the stump and roots of the tree", means that your kingdom will be kept for you until you come to understand that Heaven rules all.

23. And whereas the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, `Hew down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let him be wet with the dew of heaven; and let his lot be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him';

24. May it please the king to accept my advice: by upright actions break with your sins, break with your crimes by showing mercy to the poor, and so live long and peacefully.'

24. this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king,

25. This all happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.

25. that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will.

26. At the end of twelve months, while strolling on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon,

26. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be sure for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules.

27. the king was saying, 'Great Babylon! Was it not built by me as a royal residence, by the force of my might and for the majesty of my glory?'

27. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you; break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your tranquillity."

28. The words were not out of his mouth when a voice came down from heaven: 'Of you, King Nebuchadnezzar, it is decreed: the empire has been taken from you,

28. All this came upon King Nebuchadnez'zar.

29. you will be driven from human society and will make your home with the wild animals; you will feed on grass, as oxen do, and seven times will pass over you until you have learnt that the Most High rules over human sovereignty and gives it to whom he pleases.'

29. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,

30. The words were immediately fulfilled: Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society and ate grass as oxen do; he was drenched by the dew of heaven; his hair grew like an eagle's feathers, and his nails became like a bird's talons.

30. and the king said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?"

31. 'When the time was over, I, Nebuchad- nezzar, raised my eyes to heaven: my reason returned. And I blessed the Most High, praising and glorifying him who lives for ever, for his empire is an everlasting empire, his kingship endures, age after age.

31. While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, "O King Nebuchadnez'zar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,

32. All who dwell on earth count for nothing; as he thinks fit, he disposes the army of heaven and those who dwell on earth. No one can arrest his hand or ask him, "What have you done?"

32. and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; and you shall be made to eat grass like an ox; and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will."

33. 'At that moment my reason returned and, for the honour of my royal state, my glory and splendour returned too. My counsellors and noblemen acclaimed me; I was restored to my throne, and to my past greatness even more was added.

33. Immediately the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnez'zar. He was driven from among men, and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.

34. And now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, extol and glorify the King of heaven, all of whose deeds are true, all of whose ways are right, and who can humble those who walk in pride.'

34. At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnez'zar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;

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35. all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing; and he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What doest thou?"

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36. At the same time my reason returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.

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37. Now I, Nebuchadnez'zar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.