Daniel 4

1 Nabuchodonosor the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.

Nebuchad-nezzar King vnto all people, nations and languages, that dwell in all the world, Peace be multiplied vnto you:

2 The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders toward me. It hath seemed good to me therefore to publish

I thought it good to declare the signes and wonders, that the hie God hath wrought toward me.

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.

How great are his signes, and how mightie are his wonders! his kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

4 I, Nabuchodonosor, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:

I Nebuchad-nezzar being at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace,

5 I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.

Saw a dreame, which made me afraide, and the thoughtes vpon my bed, and the visions of mine head troubled me.

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.

Therefore made I a decree, that they should bring all the wise men of Babel before mee, that they might declare vnto me the interpretation of the dreame.

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:

So came the inchanters, the astrologians, the Caldeans and the sothsayers, to whom I tolde the dreame, but they could not shew me the interpretation thereof,

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.

Till at the last Daniel came before mee, (whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, which hath the spirite of the holy gods in him) and before him I tolde the dreame, saying,

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.

O Belteshazzar, chiefe of the enchanters, because I know, that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell mee the visions of my dreame, that I haue seene and the interpretation thereof.

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.

Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed. And beholde, I sawe a tree in the middes of the earth and the height thereof was great:

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.

A great tree and strong, and the height thereof reached vnto heauen, and the sight thereof to the endes of all the earth.

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.

The boughes thereof were faire and the fruite thereof much, and in it was meate for all: it made a shadow vnder it for the beastes of the fielde, and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the boughes thereof, and all flesh fedde of it.

13 I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, and a holy one came down from heaven.

I sawe in the visions of mine head vpon my bed, and beholde, a watchman and an holy one came downe from heauen,

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.

And cried aloude, and said thus, Hew downe the tree, and breake off his branches: shake off his leaues, and scatter his fruite, that the beastes may flee from vnder it, and the foules from his branches.

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.

Neuerthelesse leaue the stumpe of his rootes in the earth, and with a band of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wet with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes among the grasse of the fielde.

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.

Let his heart be changed from mans nature, and let a beasts heart be giuen vnto him, and let seuen times be passed ouer him.

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.

The sentence is according to the decree of the watchmen, and according to the word of the holy ones: the demaunde was answered, to the intent that liuing men may knowe, that the most High hath power ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will, and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men.

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.

This is the dreame, that I King Nebuchad-nezzar haue seene: therefore thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof: for all the wisemen of my kingdome are not able to shewe mee the interpretation: but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

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.

Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) held his peace by the space of one houre, and his thoughts troubled him, and the King spake and said, Belteshazzar, let neither the dreame, nor the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and saide, My lord, the dreame be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

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:

The tree that thou sawest, which was great and mightie, whose height reached vnto the heauen, and the sight thereof through all the world,

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.

Whose leaues were faire and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meate for all, vnder the which the beastes of the fielde dwelt, and vpon whose branches the foules of the heauen did sit,

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.

It is thou, O King, that art great and mightie: for thy greatnesse is growen, and reacheth vnto heauen, and thy dominion to the endes of the earth.

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.

Where as the King sawe a watchman, and an holy one, that came downe from heauen, and said, Hew downe the tree and destroy it, yet leaue the stumpe of the rootes thereof in the earth, and with a bande of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wette with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes of the fielde, till seuen times passe ouer him,

24 This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king.

This is the interpretation, O King, and it is the decree of the most High, which is come vpon my lord the King,

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.

That they shall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling shalbe with the beasts of the fielde: they shall make thee to eate grasse as the oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dewe of heauen: and seuen times shall passe ouer thee, till thou knowe, that the most High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it to whom so euer he will.

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.

Where as they sayd, that one should leaue the stumpe of the tree rootes, thy kingdome shall remaine vnto thee: after that, thou shalt knowe, that the heauens haue the rule.

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.

Wherefore, O King, let my counsell be acceptable vnto thee, and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes, and thine iniquities by mercy toward the poore: lo, let there be an healing of thine errour.

28 All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.

All these things shall come vpon the King Nebuchad-nezzar.

29 At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of Babylon.

At the end of twelue moneths, he walked in the royall palace of Babel.

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?

And the King spake and sayde, Is not this great Babel, that I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maiestie?

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,

While the worde was in the Kings mouth, a voyce came downe from heauen, saying, O King Nebuchad-nezzar, to thee be it spoken, Thy kingdome is departed from thee,

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.

And they shall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling shalbe with the beastes of the fielde: they shall make thee to eate grasse, as the oxen, and seuen times shall passe ouer thee, vntill thou knowest, that the most High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it vnto whomsoeuer he will.

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.

The very same houre was this thing fulfilled vpon Nebuchad-nezzar, and hee was driuen from men, and did eate grasse as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dewe of heauen, till his heares were growen as eagles feathers, and his nailes like birds clawes.

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.

And at the ende of these dayes I Nebuchad-nezzar lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen, and mine vnderstanding was restored vnto me, and I gaue thankes vnto the most High, and I praysed and honoured him that liueth for euer, whose power is an euerlasting power, and his kingdome is from generation to generation.

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?

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and according to his will he worketh in the armie of heauen, and in the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, nor say vnto him, What doest thou?

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.

At the same time was mine vnderstanding restored vnto me, and I returned to the honour of my kingdome: my glory and my beautie was restored vnto me, and my counsellours and my princes sought vnto me, and I was established in my kingdome, and my glory was augmented toward me.

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.

Now therefore I Nebuchad-nezzar prayse and extoll and magnifie the King of heauen, whose workes are all trueth, and his wayes iudgement, and those that walke in pride, he is able to abase.