Daniel 4

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, the races and the tongues who are dwelling in all the earth, Let, your prosperity, abound!

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

2 The signs, and the wonders, which the most high God, hath wrought with me, it is pleasing before me to declare.

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

3 His signs, how great! and, his wonders, how mighty! His kingdom, is an age-abiding kingdom, and, his dominion, lasteth from generation to generation.

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 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at peace in mine own house, and was prosperous in my palace.

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

5 A dream, I saw, and it made me afraid, —and, fancies upon my bed, and visions of my head, terrified me.

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

6 Therefore made I a decree, to bring in before me, all the wise men of Babylon, —who, the interpretation of the dream, should make known to me.

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 Then came in the sacred scribes, the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers, —and, the dream, told I before them, but, the interpretation, could they not make known to me.

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 Howbeit, at last, came before me—Daniel, whose, name, was Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and, the dream—before him, I told [saying]:

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 O Belteshazzar, chief of the sacred scribes, because I know that, the spirit of the holy gods, is in thee, —and no secret giveth thee trouble, [therefore], the visions of my dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof, do thou tell.

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 The visions then of my head upon my bed [were these], —I was looking, when lo! a tree in the midst of the land, and, the height thereof, was great.

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 The tree, grew, and became strong, —and, the height thereof, reached unto the heavens, and, the view thereof, unto the end of all the land:

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 The foliage thereof, was beautiful, and, the fruit thereof, abundant, and there was food for all therein, —under it, the wild beast of the field found shade, and, among its branches, dwelt the birds of the heavens, and, therefrom, was well fed, all flesh.

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 I was looking, in the visions of my head, upon my bed, when lo! a watcher and holy one, outer the heavens, coming down.

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

14 He cried aloud, and, thus, he said—Hew ye down the tree, and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves, and scatter its fruit, —let the wild beasts flee from under it, and the birds, out of its branches;

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 Nevertheless, the stock of its roots in the earth, leave ye, yea in a bond of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and, with the dew of the heavens, let it be drenched, and, with the wild beasts, be its portion, amongst, the herbage of the earth;

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 Let, its heart, from a man’s, be changed, and, the heart of a wild beast, be given to it, —and let seven seasons pass over it.

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 By the decree of the watchers, is the thing, and [by] the mandate of the holy ones, the matter: to the intent that the living, may get to know, that the Most High, hath dominion, over the kingdom of men, and, to whomsoever he pleaseth, he giveth it, and, one low among men, he setteth up over it.

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 This dream, have, I, King Nebuchadnezzar, seen. Thou, therefore, O Belteshazzar, the interpretation, do thou tell, forasmuch as, all the wise men of my kingdom, are unable, the interpretation, to make known to me, but, thou, art able, because, the spirit of the holy gods, is in thee.

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 Then, Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for about one moment, and, his thoughts, troubled him. The king spake and said, O Belteshazzar, let neither, the dream, nor the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My Lord, The dream, be for them who hate thee, and, the interpretation, for them who are thy foes.

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 The tree which thou sawest, which grew and became strong, whose, height, reached unto the heavens, and, the view, thereof to all the earth:

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 Whose, foliage, was beautiful, and whose, fruit, abundant, and, food for all, was in it, —under it, dwelt the wild beasts of the field, and, in the branches thereof, nestled the birds of the heavens:

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 Thyself, it is, O king, in that thou art grown, and become strong, —and, thy greatness hath grown, and reached to the heavens, and, thy dominion, to the end of the earth.

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 And, whereas the king saw a watcher and holy one coming down out of the heavens, who said, Hew ye down the tree and despoil it, nevertheless, the stock of its roots—in the earth, leave ye, even in a bond of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, —and, with the dew of the heavens, let it he drenched, and, along with the wild beasts of the field, be its portion, until that, seven seasons, pass over it.

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 This, is the interpretation, O king, —and, the decree of the Most High, it is, which hath come upon my lord the king:

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

25 That, thee, are they going to drive forth from among men, and, along with the wild beasts of the field, shall be thy dwelling, and, grass—like oxen, will they suffer, thee, to eat, and, with the dew of the heavens, will they suffer, thee, to be drenched, and, seven seasons, shall pass over thee, —until that thou come to know, that the Most High, hath dominion, over the kingdom of men, and, to whomsoever he pleaseth, he giveth it.

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 And, whereas they gave word to leave the stock of the roots of the tree, thy kingdom, unto thee, is sure, —after that thou come to know, that the heavens, have dominion.

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 Wherefore, O king, let, my counsel, be pleasing unto thee, thy sin, then, —by righteousness, break thou off, and, thine iniquities, by shewing favour to the oppressed, —if so be it may become the lengthening out of thy security.

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 All this, came upon Nebuchadnezzar the king.

All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.

29 At the end of twelve months, over the palace of the kingdom of Babylon, was he walking:

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

30 the king spake and said, Is not, this, Babylon the great, —which, I myself, have built as the home of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the dignity of my majesty?

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 While yet the word was in the mouth of the king, a voice, out of the heavens, fell, —Unto thee, is it said, O Nebuchadnezzar the king, The kingdom, hath departed from thee;

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 And, from among men, are they going to drive, thee, forth, and, with the wild beast of the field, shall be thy dwelling, grass—like oxen, will they suffer, thee, to eat, and, seven seasons, shall pass over thee, —until that thou come to know that the Most High, hath dominion, over the kingdom of men, and, to whomsoever he pleaseth, he giveth it.

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 Immediately, the word, was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and, from among men, was he driven forth, and, grass—like oxen, did he eat, and, with the dew of the heavens, his body was drenched, —until that, his hair, like to eagles’ feathers, was grown, and his nails, like birds’ claws.

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 And, at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, mine eyes unto the heavens, did uplift, and, mine understanding, unto me, returned, and, the Most High, I blessed, and, to him that liveth age-abidingly, I rendered praise and honour, —whose dominion, is an age-abiding dominion, and, his kingdom, lasteth from generation to generation;

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 And, all the inhabitants of the earth, as nothing, are accounted, and, according to his own pleasure, dealeth he—with the army of the heavens, and the inhabitants of the earth, —and none there is who can smite upon his hand, or say to him, What hast thou done?

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 At the same time, mine understanding, returned unto me, and, for the dignity of my kingdom, my majesty and my brightness, returned unto me, and, unto me, my nearest friends and my nobles, did seek, —and, over my kingdom, was I restored, and, surpassing greatness, was added unto me.

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 Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, am praising and extolling and honouring the King of the Heavens, all whose works, are truth, and, his ways, right; and, them who walk in pride, he is able to abase,

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.