Prophetia Danielis, 4
1. Ego Nabuchodonosor quietus eram in domo mea, et florens in palatio meo
1. Nabuchodonosor the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.
2. somnium vidi, quod perterruit me et cogitationes meæ in strato meo, et visiones capitis mei conturbaverunt me.
2. The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders toward me. It hath seemed good to me therefore to publish
3. Et per me propositum est decretum ut introducerentur in conspectu meo cuncti sapientes Babylonis, et ut solutionem somnii indicarent mihi.
3. His signs, because they are great: and his wonders, because they are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, I and his power to all generations.
4. Tunc ingrediebantur arioli, magi, Chaldæi, et aruspices, et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum et solutionem eius non indicaverunt mihi
4. I Nabuchodonosor was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:
5. donec collega ingressus est in conspectu meo Daniel, cui nomen Baltassar secundum nomen Dei mei, qui habet spiritum deorum sanctorum in semetipso et somnium coram ipso locutus sum.
5. I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.
6. Baltassar princeps ariolorum, quoniam ego scio quod spiritum sanctorum deorum habeas in te, et omne sacramentum non est impossibile tibi visiones somniorum meorum, quas vidi, et solutionem earum narra.
6. Then I set forth a decree, that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought in before me, and that they should shew me the interpretation of the dream.
7. Visio capitis mei in cubili meo Videbam, et ecce arbor in medio terræ, et altitudo eius nimia.
7. Then came in the diviners, the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers, and I told the dream before them: but they did not shew me the interpretation thereof:
8. Magna arbor, et fortis et proceritas eius contingens caëlum aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos universæ terræ.
8. Till their colleague Daniel came in before me, whose name is Baltassar, according to the name of my god, who hath in him the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him.
9. Folia eius pulcherrima, et fructus eius nimius et esca universorum in ea. subter eam habitabant animalia, et bestiæ, et in ramis eius conversabantur volucres caëli et ex ea vescebatur omnis caro.
9. Baltassar, prince of the diviners, because I know that thou hast in thee the spirit of the holy gods, and that no secret is impossible to thee: tell me the visions of my dreams that I have seen, and the interpretation of them.
10. Videbam in visione capitis mei super stratum meum, et ecce vigil, et sanctus de caëlo descendit.
10. This was the vision of my head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was exceeding great.
11. Clamavit fortiter, et sic ait Succidite arborem, et præcidite ramos eius excutite folia eius, et dispergite fructus eius fugiant bestiæ, quæ subter eam sunt, et volucres de ramis eius.
11. The tree was great, and strong: and the height thereof reached unto heaven: the sight thereof was even to the ends of all the earth.
12. Verumtamen germen radicum eius in terra sinite, et alligetur vinculo ferreo et æreo in herbis, quæ foris sunt, et rore caëli tingatur, et cum feris pars eius in herba terræ.
12. Its leaves were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much: and in it was food for all: under it dwelt cattle, and beasts, and in the branches thereof the fowls of the air had their abode: and all flesh did eat of it.
13. Cor eius ab humano commutetur, et cor feræ detur ei et septem tempora mutentur super eum.
13. I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, and a holy one came down from heaven.
14. In sententia vigilum decretum est, et sermo sanctorum, et petitio donec cognoscant viventes quoniam dominatur Excelsus in regno hominum; et cuicumque voluerit, dabit illud, et humillimum hominem constituet super eum.
14. He cried aloud, and said thus: Cut down the tree, and chop off the branches thereof: shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruits: let the beasts fly away that are under it, and the birds from its branches.
15. Hoc somnium vidi ego Nabuchodonosor rex tu ergo Baltassar interpretationem narra festinus quia omnes sapientes regni mei non queunt solutionem edicere mihi tu autem potes, quia spiritus deorum sanctorum in te est.
15. Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be tied with a band of iron, and of brass, among the grass, that is without, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the wild beasts in the grass of the earth.
16. Tunc Daniel, cuius nomen Baltassar, cœpit intra semetipsum tacitus cogitare quasi una hora et cogitationes eius conturbabant eum. Respondens autem rex ait Baltassar, somnium et interpretatio eius non conturbent te. Respondit Baltassar, et dixit Domine mi, somnium his, qui te oderunt, et interpretatio eius hostibus tuis sit.
16. Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given him; and let seven times pass over him.
17. Arborem, quam vidisti sublimem, atque robustam, cuius altitudo pertingit ad caëlum, et aspectus illius in omnem terram
17. This is the decree by the sentence of the watchers, and the word And demand of the holy ones; till the living know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men; and he will give it to whomsoever it shall please him, and he will appoint the basest man over it.
18. et rami eius pulcherrimi, et fructus eius nimius, et esca omnium in ea, subter eam habitantes bestiæ agri, et in ramis eius commorantes aves caëli
18. I king Nabuchodonosor saw this dream: thou, therefore, O Baltassar, tell me quickly the interpretation: for all the wise men of my kingdom axe not able to declare the meaning of it to me: but thou art able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
19. Tu es rex, qui magnificatus es, et invaluisti et magnitudo tua crevit, et pervenit usque ad caëlum, et potestas tua in terminos universæ terræ.
19. Then Daniel, whose name was Baltassar, began silently to think within himself for about one hour: and his thoughts troubled him. But the king answering, said: Baltassar, let not the dream and the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Baltassar answered, and said: My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thy enemies.
20. Quod autem vidit rex vigilem, et sanctum descendere de caëlo, et dicere Succidite arborem, et dissipate illam, attamen germen radicum eius in terra dimittite, et vinciatur ferro et ære in herbis foris, et rore caëli conspergatur, et cum feris sit pabulum eius, donec septem tempora mutentur super eum
20. The tree which thou sawest which was high and strong, whose height reached to the skies, and the sight thereof into all tire earth:
21. Hæc est interpretatio sententiæ Altissimi, quæ pervenit super dominum meum regem
21. And the branches thereof were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and the birds of the air had their abode in its branches.
22. Eiicient te ab hominibus, et cum bestiis ferisque erit habitatio tua, et fœnum ut bos comedes, et rore caëli infunderis septem quoque tempora mutabuntur super te, donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus super regnum hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, det illud.
22. It is thou, O king, who art grown great and become mighty: for thy greatness hath grown, and hath reached to heaven, and thy power unto the ends of the earth.
23. Quod autem præcepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum eius, id est arboris regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse caëlestem.
23. And whereas the king saw a watcher, and a holy one come down from heaven, and say: Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and brass among the grass without, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, till seven times pass over him.
24. Quam ob rem rex consilium meum placeat tibi, et peccata tua eleemosynis redime, et iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum forsitan ignoscet delictis tuis.
24. This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king.
25. Omnia hæc venerunt super Nabuchodonosor regem.
25. They shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be with cattle and with wild beasts, and thou shalt eat grass as an ox, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven: and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
26. Post finem mensium duodecim, in aula Babylonis deambulabat.
26. But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots thereof, that is, of the tree, should be left: thy kingdom shall remain to thee after thou shalt have known that power is from heaven.
27. Responditque rex, et ait Nonne hæc est Babylon magna, quam ego ædificavi in domum regni, in robore fortitudinis meæ, et in gloria decoris mei?
27. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with works of mercy to the poor: perhaps he will forgive thy offences.
28. Cumque sermo adhuc esset in ore regis, vox de caëlo ruit Tibi dicitur Nabuchodonosor rex Regnum tuum transibit a te,
28. All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.
29. et ab hominibus eiicient te, et cum bestiis et feris erit habitatio tua fœnum quasi bos comedes, et septem tempora mutabuntur super te, donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus in regno hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, det illud.
29. At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of Babylon.
30. Eadem hora sermo completus est super Nabuchodonosor, et ex hominibus abiectus est, et fœnum ut bos comedit, et rore caëli corpus eius infectum est donec capilli eius in similitudinem aquilarum crescerent, et ungues eius quasi avium.
30. And the king answered, and said: Is not this the great Babylon, which I have built to be the seat of the kingdom, by the strength of my power, and in the glory of my excellence?
31. Igitur post finem dierum ego Nabuchodonosor oculos meos ad caëlum levavi, et sensus meus redditus est mihi et Altissimo benedixi, et viventem in sempiternum laudavi, et glorificavi quia potestas eius potestas sempiterna, et regnum eius in generationem et generationem.
31. And while the word was yet in the king's mouth, a voice came down from heaven: To thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, it is said: Thy kingdom shall pass from thee,
32. Et omnes habitatores terræ apud eum in nihilum reputati sunt iuxta voluntatem enim suam facit tam in virtutibus caëli quam in habitatoribus terræ et non est qui resistat manui eius, et dicat ei Quare fecisti?
32. And they shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be with cattle and wild beasts: thou shalt eat grass like an ox, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33. In ipso tempore sensus meus reversus est ad me, et ad honorem regni mei, decoremque perveni et figura mea reversa est ad me et optimates mei, et magistratus mei requisierunt me, et in regno meo restitutus sum et magnificentia amplior addita est mihi.
33. The same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor, and he was driven away from among men, and did eat grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: till his hairs grew like the feathers of eagles, and his nails like birds' claws.
34. Nunc igitur ego Nabuchodonosor laudo, et magnifico, et glorifico regem caëli quia omnia opera eius vera, et viæ eius iudicia, et gradientes in superbia potest humiliare.
34. Now at the end of the days, I Nabuchodonosor lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my sense was restored to me: and I blessed the most High, and I praised and glorified him that liveth for ever: for his power is an everlasting power, and his kingdom is to all generations.
35.
35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing before him: for he doth according to his will, I as well with the powers of heaven, as among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none that can resist his hand, and say to him: Why hast thou done it?
36.
36. At the same time my sense returned to me, and I came to the honour and glory of my kingdom: and my shape returned to me: and my nobles, and my magistrates sought for me, and I was restored to my kingdom: and greater majesty was added to me.
37.
37. Therefore I Nabuchodonosor do now praise, and magnify, and glorify the King of heaven: because all his works are true, and his ways judgments, and them that walk in pride he is able to abase.
