Daniel 2

1 In the second year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, Nabuchodonosor had a dream, and his spirit was terrified, and his dream went out of his mind.

And in the seconde yeere of the raygne of Nebuchad-nezzar, Nebuchad-nezzar dreamed dreames wherewith his spirite was troubled, and his sleepe was vpon him.

2 Then the king commanded to call together the diviners and the wise men, and the magicians, and the Chaldeans: to declare to the king his dreams: so they came and stood before the king.

Then the King commanded to call the inchanters, and the astrologians and the sorcerers, and the Caldeans for to shewe the King his dreames: so they came and stoode before the King.

3 And the king said to them: I saw a dream: and being troubled in mind I know not what I saw.

And the King sayde vnto them, I haue dreamed a dreame, and my spirite was troubled to knowe the dreame.

4 And the Chaldeans answered the king in Syriac: O king, live for ever: tell to thy servants thy dream, and we will declare the interpretation thereof.

Then spake the Caldeans to the King in the Aramites language, O King, liue for euer: shewe thy seruants thy dreame, and wee shall shewe the interpretation.

5 And the king answering said to the Chaldeans: The thing is gone out of my mind: unless you tell me the dream, and the meaning thereof, you shall be put to death, and your houses shall be confiscated.

And the King answered and sayd to the Caldeans, The thing is gone from me. If ye will not make me vnderstande the dreame with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be drawen in pieces, and your houses shall be made a iakes.

6 But if you tell the dream, and the meaning of it, you shall receive of me rewards, and gifts, and great honour: therefore tell me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

But if yee declare the dreame and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receyue of me gifts and rewardes, and great honour: therefore shewe me the dreame and the interpretation of it.

7 They answered again and said: Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation of it.

They answered againe, and sayde, Let the King shewe his seruantes the dreame, and wee will declare the interpretation thereof.

8 The king answered, and said: I know for certain that you seek to gain time, since you know that the thing is gone from me.

Then the King answered, and sayd, I knowe certeinly that ye would gaine the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

9 If therefore you tell me not the dream, there is one sentence concerning you, that you have also framed a lying interpretation, and full of deceit, to speak before me till the time pass away. Tell me therefore the dream, that I may know that you also give a true interpretation thereof.

But if ye will not declare mee the dreame, there is but one iudgement for you: for ye haue prepared lying and corrupt wordes, to speake before me till the time bee changed: therefore tell me the dreame, that I may knowe, if yee can declare me the interpretation thereof.

10 Then the Chaldeains answered before the king, and said: There is no man upon earth, that can accomplish thy word, O king, neither doth any king, though great and mighty, ask such a thing of any diviner, or wise man, or Chaldean.

Then the Caldeans answered before the King, and sayde, There is no man vpon earth that can declare the Kings matter: yea, there is neither king nor prince nor lorde that asked such things at an inchanter or astrologian or Caldean.

11 For the thing that thou askest, O king, is difficult; nor can any one be found that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose conversation is not with men.

For it is a rare thing that the King requireth, and there is none other that can declare it before the King, except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh.

12 Upon hearing this, the king in fury, and in great wrath, commanded that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death.

For this cause the king was angrie and in great furie, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babel.

13 And the decree being gone forth, the wise men were slain: and Daniel and his companions were sought for, to be put to death.

And when sentence was giuen, the wise men were slayne: and they sought Daniel and his fellowes to be put to death.

14 Then Daniel inquired concerning the law and the sentence, of Arioch the general of the king’s army, who was gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon.

Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisedome to Arioch the Kings chiefe stewarde, which was gone foorth to put to death the wise men of Babel.

15 And he asked him that had received the orders of the king, why so cruel a sentence was gone forth from the face of the king. And when Arioch had told the matter to Daniel,

Yea, he answered and sayde vnto Arioch the kings captaine, Why is the sentence so hastie from the king? Then Arioch declared the thing to Daniel.

16 Daniel went in and desired of the king, that he would give him time to resolve the question and declare it to the king.

So Daniel went and desired the king that he woulde giue him leasure and that he woulde shewe the king the interpretation thereof.

17 And he went into his house, and told the matter to Ananias, and Misael, and Azarias his companions:

The Daniel went to his house and shewed the matter to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah his companions,

18 To the end that they should ask mercy at the face of the God of heaven concerning this secret, and that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

That they should beseech the God of heauen for grace in this secrete, that Daniel and his fellowes should not perish with the rest of ye wise men of Babel.

19 Then was the mystery revealed to Daniel by a vision in the night: and Daniel blessed the God of heaven,

Then was the secret reueiled vnto Daniel in a vision by night: therefore Daniel praysed the God of heauen.

20 And speaking he said: Blessed be the name of the Lord from eternity and for evermore: for wisdom and fortitude are his.

And Daniel answered and sayde, The Name of God be praysed for euer and euer: for wisedome and strength are his,

21 And he changeth times and ages: taketh away kingdoms and establisheth them, giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding.

And hee changeth the times and seasons: he taketh away kings: he setteth vp kings: he giueth wisedome vnto the wise, and vnderstanding to those that vnderstand.

22 He revealeth deep and hidden things, and knoweth what is in darkness: and light is with him.

Hee discouereth the deepe and secrete things: he knoweth what is in darkenes, and the light dwelleth with him.

23 To thee, O God of our fathers, I give thanks, and I praise thee: because thou hast given me wisdom and strength: and now thou hast shewn me what we desired of thee, for thou hast made known to us, the king’s discourse.

I thanke thee and prayse thee, O thou God of my fathers, that thou hast giuen mee wisedome and strength, and hast shewed me nowe the thing that wee desired of thee: for thou hast declared vnto vs the kings matter.

24 After this Daniel went in to Arioch, to whom the king had given orders to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and he spoke thus to him: Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will tell the solution to the king.

Therefore Daniel went vnto Arioch, whome the King had ordeyned to destroy the wise men of Babel: he went and sayde thus vnto him, Destroy not the wise men of Babel, but bring me before the King, and I will declare vnto the King the interpretation.

25 Then Arioch in haste brought in Daniel to the king, and said to him: I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Juda, that will resolve the question to the king.

Then Arioch brought Daniel before the King in all haste, and sayd thus vnto him, I haue found a man of the children of Iudah that were brought captiues, that will declare vnto the King the interpretation.

26 The king answered, and said to Daniel, whose name was Baltassar: Thinkest thou indeed that thou canst tell me the dream that I saw, and the interpretation thereof?

Then answered the King, and sayde vnto Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to shew me the dreame, which I haue seene, and the interpretation thereof?

27 And Daniel made answer before the king, and said: The secret that the king desireth to know, none of the wise men, or the philosophers, or the diviners, or the soothsayers can declare to the king.

Daniel answered in the presence of the King, and sayd, The secret which the King hath demanded, can neither the wise, the astrologians, the inchanters, nor the southsayers declare vnto the King.

28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth mysteries, who hath shewn to thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, what is to come to pass in the latter times. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these:

But there is a God in heauen that reueileth secrets, and sheweth the King Nebuchad-nezzar what shall bee in the latter dayes. Thy dreame, and the things which thou hast seene in thine heade vpon thy bed, is this.

29 Thou, O king, didst begin to think in thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth mysteries shewed thee what shall come to pass.

O King, when thou wast in thy bedde, thoughts came into thy mind, what should come to passe hereafter, and he that reueyleth secretes, telleth thee, what shall come.

30 To me also this secret is revealed, not by any wisdom that I have more than all men alive: but that the interpretation might be made manifest to the king, and thou mightest know the thoughts of thy mind.

As for me, this secret is not shewed mee for any wisedome that I haue, more then any other liuing, but onely to shewe the King the interpretation, and that thou mightest knowe the thoughts of thine heart.

31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was as it were a great statue: this statue, which was great and high, tall of stature, stood before thee, and the look thereof was terrible.

O King, thou sawest, and beholde, there was a great image: this great image whose glory was so excellent, stood before thee, and the forme thereof was terrible.

32 The head of this statue was of fine gold, but the breast and the arms of silver, and the belly and the thighs of brass:

This images head was of fine golde, his breast and his armes of siluer, his bellie and his thighs of brasse,

33 And the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay.

His legges of yron, and his feete were part of yron, and part of clay.

34 Thus thou sawest, till a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands: and it struck the statue upon the feet thereof that were of iron and of clay, and broke them in pieces.

Thou beheldest it til a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image vpon his feete, that were of yron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of a summer’s thrashingfloor, and they were carried away by the wind: and there was no place found for them: but the stone that struck the statue, became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Then was the yron, the clay, the brasse, the siluer and the golde broken all together, and became like the chaffe of the sommer floures, and the winde caryed them away, that no place was founde for them: and the stone that smote the image, became a great mountaine, and filled the whole earth.

36 This is the dream: we will also tell the interpretation thereof before thee, O king.

This is the dreame, and we will declare before the King the interpretation thereof.

37 Thou art a king of kings: and the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, and strength, and power, and glory:

O King, thou art a king of Kings: for the God of heauen hath giuen thee a kingdome, power, and strength, and glorie.

38 And all places wherein the children of men, and the beasts of the field do dwell: he hath also given the birds of the air into thy hand, and hath put all things under thy power: thou therefore art the head of gold.

And in all places where the children of men dwell, the beasts of the fielde, and the foules of the heauen hath he giuen into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler ouer them al: thou art this heade of golde.

39 And after thee shall rise up another kingdom, inferior to thee, of silver: and another third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all the world.

And after thee shall rise another kingdome, inferiour to thee, of siluer, and another third kingdome shalbe of brasse, which shall beare rule ouer all the earth.

40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break and destroy all these.

And the fourth kingdome shall be strong as yron: for as yron breaketh in pieces, and subdueth all things, and as yron bruiseth all these things, so shall it breake in pieces, and bruise all.

41 Arid whereas thou sawest the feet, and the toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of iron: the kingdom shall be divided, but yet it shall take its origin from the iron, according as thou sawest the iron mixed with the miry clay.

Where as thou sawest the feete and toes, parte of potters clay, and part of yron: the kingdome shalbe deuided, but there shalbe in it of the strength of the yron, as thou sawest the yron mixt with the clay, and earth.

42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

And as the toes of the feete were parte of yron, and parte of clay, so shall the kingdome be partly strong, and partly broken.

43 And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall be mingled indeed together with the seed of man, but they shall not stick fast one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay.

And where as thou sawest yron mixt with clay and earth, they shall mingle themselues with the seede of men: but they shall not ioyne one with another, as yron can not bee mixed with clay.

44 But in the days of those kingdoms the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people, and it shall break in pieces, and shall consume all these kingdoms, and itself shall stand for ever.

And in the dayes of these Kings, shall the God of heauen set vp a kingdome, which shall neuer be destroyed: and this kingdome shall not be giuen to another people, but it shall breake, and destroy al these kingdomes, and it shall stand for euer.

45 According as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and broke in pieces, the clay, and the iron, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold, the great God hath shewn the king what shall come to pass hereafter, and the dream is true, and the interpretation thereof is faithful.

Where as thou sawest, that the stone was cut of the mountaine without handes, and that it brake in pieces the yron, the brasse, the clay, the siluer, and the golde: so the great God hath shewed the King, what shall come to passe hereafter, and the dreame is true, and the interpretation thereof is sure.

46 Then king Nabuchodonosor fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer in sacrifice to him victims and incense.

Then the King Nebuchad-nezzar fell vpon his face, and bowed himselfe vnto Daniel, and commanded that they should offer meate offrings, and sweete odours vnto him.

47 And the king spoke to Daniel, and said: Verily your God is the God of gods, and Lord of kings, and a revealer of hidden things: seeing thou couldst discover this secret.

Also the King answered vnto Daniel, and said, I know of a trueth that your God is a God of gods, and the Lord of Kings, and the reueiler of secrets, seeing thou couldest open this secret.

48 Then the king advanced Daniel to a high station, and gave him many and great gifts: and he made him governor over all the provinces of Babylon, and chief of the magistrates over all the wise men of Babylon.

So the King made Daniel a great man, and gaue him many and great giftes. Hee made him gouernour ouer the whole prouince of Babel, and chiefe of the rulers, and aboue all the wise men of Babel.

49 And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago over the works of the province of Babylon: but Daniel himself was in the king’s palace.

Then Daniel made request to the King, and hee set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ouer the charge of the prouince of Babel: but Daniel sate in the gate of the King.