Danihelis Prophetæ 4

1 NABUCHODONOSOR rex omnibus populis gentibus et linguis qui habitant in universa terra pax vobis multiplicetur

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

2 Signa et mirabilia fecit apud me Deus excelsus Placuit ergo mihi praedicare

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

3 signa eius quia magna sunt et mirabilia eius quia fortia et regnum eius regnum sempiternum et potestas eius in generationem et generationem

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 Ego Nabuchodonosor quietus eram in domo mea et florens in palatio meo

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

6 Et per me propositum est decretum ut introducerentur in conspectu meo cuncti sapientes Babylonis et ut solutionem somnii indicarent mihi

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 Tunc ingrediebantur arioli magi Chaldaei et aruspices et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum et solutionem eius non indicaverunt mihi

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 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

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 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

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 Visio capitis mei in cubili meo Videbam et ecce arbor in medio terrae et altitudo eius nimia

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 Magna arbor et fortis et proceritas eius contingens caelum aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos universae terrae

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 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 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 Videbam in visione capitis mei super stratum meum et ecce vigil et sanctus de caelo descendit

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

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 Cor eius ab humano commutetur et cor ferae detur ei et septem tempora mutentur super eum

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 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 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 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

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 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

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 Arborem quam vidisti sublimem atque robustam cuius altitudo pertingit ad caelum et aspectus illius in omnem terram

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 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

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 Tu es rex qui magnificatus es et invaluisti et magnitudo tua crevit et pervenit usque ad caelum et potestas tua in terminos universae terrae

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 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 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 Haec est interpretatio sententiae Altissimi quae pervenit super dominum meum regem

This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which is come upon 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

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 Quod autem praecepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum eius id est arboris regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse caelestem

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 Quam ob rem rex consilium meum placeat tibi et peccata tua eleemosynis redime et iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum forsitan ignoscet delictis tuis

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 Omnia haec venerunt super Nabuchodonosor regem

All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.

29 Post finem mensium duodecim in aula Babylonis deambulabat

At the end of twelve months he was walking in the 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

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 Cumque sermo adhuc esset in ore regis vox de caelo ruit Tibi dicitur Nabuchodonosor rex Regnum tuum transibit a te

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 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

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 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

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 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

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 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

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 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 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 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

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.