Danihelis Prophetæ 4
1 NABUCHODONOSOR rex omnibus populis gentibus et linguis qui habitant in universa terra pax vobis multiplicetur
King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.
2 Signa et mirabilia fecit apud me Deus excelsus Placuit ergo mihi praedicare
I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3 signa eius quia magna sunt et mirabilia eius quia fortia et regnum eius regnum sempiternum et potestas eius in generationem et generationem
How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation.
4 Ego Nabuchodonosor quietus eram in domo mea et florens in palatio meo
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
5 somnium vidi quod perterruit me et cogitationes meae in strato meo et visiones capitis mei conturbaverunt me
I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
6 Et per me propositum est decretum ut introducerentur in conspectu meo cuncti sapientes Babylonis et ut solutionem somnii indicarent mihi
So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
7 Tunc ingrediebantur arioli magi Chaldaei et aruspices et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum et solutionem eius non indicaverunt mihi
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, and they could not interpret it for me.
8 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
But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream:
9 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
“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation.
10 Visio capitis mei in cubili meo Videbam et ecce arbor in medio terrae et altitudo eius nimia
In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great.
11 Magna arbor et fortis et proceritas eius contingens caelum aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos universae terrae
The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12 Folia eius pulcherrima et fructus eius nimius et esca universorum in ea subter eam habitabant animalia et bestiae et in ramis eius conversabantur volucres caeli et ex ea vescebatur omnis caro
Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.
13 Videbam in visione capitis mei super stratum meum et ecce vigil et sanctus de caelo descendit
As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14 Clamavit fortiter et sic ait Succidite arborem et praecidite ramos eius excutite folia eius et dispergite fructus eius fugiant bestiae quae subter eam sunt et volucres de ramis eius
He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop 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 Verumtamen germen radicum eius in terra sinite et alligetur vinculo ferreo et aereo in herbis quae foris sunt et rore caeli tingatur et cum feris pars eius in herba terrae
But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.
16 Cor eius ab humano commutetur et cor ferae detur ei et septem tempora mutentur super eum
Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.
17 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
This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
18 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
This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19 Tunc Daniel cuius nomen Baltassar coepit 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
For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” “My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
20 Arborem quam vidisti sublimem atque robustam cuius altitudo pertingit ad caelum et aspectus illius in omnem terram
The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
21 et rami eius pulcherrimi et fructus eius nimius et esca omnium in ea subter eam habitantes bestiae agri et in ramis eius commorantes aves caeli
whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested—
22 Tu es rex qui magnificatus es et invaluisti et magnitudo tua crevit et pervenit usque ad caelum et potestas tua in terminos universae terrae
you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.
23 Quod autem vidit rex vigilem et sanctum descendere de caelo et dicere Succidite arborem et dissipate illam attamen germen radicum eius in terra dimittite et vinciatur ferro et aere in herbis foris et rore caeli conspergatur et cum feris sit pabulum eius donec septem tempora mutentur super eum
And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’
24 Haec est interpretatio sententiae Altissimi quae pervenit super dominum meum regem
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25 Eiicient te ab hominibus et cum bestiis ferisque erit habitatio tua et foenum ut bos comedes et rore caeli infunderis septem quoque tempora mutabuntur super te donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus super regnum hominum et cuicumque voluerit det illud
You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.
26 Quod autem praecepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum eius id est arboris regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse caelestem
As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 Quam ob rem rex consilium meum placeat tibi et peccata tua eleemosynis redime et iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum forsitan ignoscet delictis tuis
Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”
28 Omnia haec venerunt super Nabuchodonosor regem
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 Post finem mensium duodecim in aula Babylonis deambulabat
Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
30 Responditque rex et ait Nonne haec est Babylon magna quam ego aedificavi in domum regni in robore fortitudinis meae et in gloria decoris mei
the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”
31 Cumque sermo adhuc esset in ore regis vox de caelo ruit Tibi dicitur Nabuchodonosor rex Regnum tuum transibit a te
While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you.
32 et ab hominibus eiicient te et cum bestiis et feris erit habitatio tua foenum quasi bos comedes et septem tempora mutabuntur super te donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus in regno hominum et cuicumque voluerit det illud
You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”
33 Eadem hora sermo completus est super Nabuchodonosor et ex hominibus abiectus est et foenum ut bos comedit et rore caeli corpus eius infectum est donec capilli eius in similitudinem aquilarum crescerent et ungues eius quasi avium
At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34 Igitur post finem dierum ego Nabuchodonosor oculos meos ad caelum 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
But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 Et omnes habitatores terrae apud eum in nihilum reputati sunt iuxta voluntatem enim suam facit tam in virtutibus caeli quam in habitatoribus terrae et non est qui resistat manui eius et dicat ei Quare fecisti
All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
36 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
At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
37 Nunc igitur ego Nabuchodonosor laudo et magnifico et glorifico regem caeli quia omnia opera eius vera et viae eius iudicia et gradientes in superbia potest humiliare
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
