4
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king,
to all the peoples, nations,
and languages, who dwell in all
the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
2 It has seemed
good to me to show
the signs and wonders
that the Most High God has worked
toward me.
3 How great are
his signs!
How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom is
an everlasting kingdom.
His dominion is
from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest
in my house, and flourishing
in my palace.
5 I saw
a dream which made
me afraid; and
the thoughts on
my bed and
the visions of
my head troubled me.
6 Therefore
I made a decree
to bring in all
the wise men of Babylon before me,
that they might
make known to me
the interpretation
of the dream.
7 Then
the magicians, the enchanters,
the Chaldeans, and
the soothsayers came in;
and I told them
the dream, but they didn’t make
known to me its
interpretation.
8 But at last,
Daniel came in before me,
whose name was Belteshazzar
according to the name
of my god, and
in whom is
the spirit of
the holy gods. I told the dream
before him, saying,
9 “Belteshazzar, master
of the magicians,
because I know
that the spirit of
the holy gods is
in you and
no secret troubles you, tell
me the visions of
my dream that
I have seen, and
its interpretation.
10 These
were the visions
of my head
on my bed:
I saw, and behold,
a tree in
the middle of
the earth; and
its height was great.
11 The tree
grew and was strong.
Its height reached to
the sky and
its sight to
the end of all
the earth.
12 Its leaves
were beautiful, and it
had much fruit, and
in it was food
for all. The
animals of the
field had shade under it,
and the birds of
the sky lived
in its branches, and all flesh
was fed from it.
13 “I saw
in the visions of
my head on my bed,
and behold, a holy watcher
came down from
the sky.
14 He cried
aloud and said this: ‘Cut down
the tree, and cut off
its branches! Shake off its leaves
and scatter its fruit! Let
the animals get away from under
it and the birds
from its branches.
15 Nevertheless leave
the stump of
its roots in
the earth, even
with a band of iron
and bronze, in
the tender grass of
the field; and let it
be wet with the dew
of the sky. Let
his portion be
with the animals
in the grass of
the earth.
16 Let
his heart be changed
from man’s, and let
an animal’s heart be given
to him. Then let
seven times pass over him.
17 “ ‘The
sentence is by the decree
of the watchers
and the demand by
the word of
the holy ones, to
the intent that
the living may know that
the Most High rules in
the kingdom of men,
and gives it to
whomever he will,
and sets up over it the lowest
of men.’
18 “This dream
I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you,
Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation,
because all
the wise men of my kingdom are not
able to make known to me
the interpretation; but you are
able, for the spirit
of the holy gods
is in you.”
19 Then Daniel,
whose name was Belteshazzar,
was stricken mute for
a while, and
his thoughts troubled him. The
king answered, “Belteshazzar, don’t let
the dream or
the interpretation, trouble you.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may
the dream be for
those who hate you,
and its interpretation to
your adversaries.
20 The tree
that you saw,
which grew and
was strong, whose height reached
to the sky
and its sight
to all the earth;
21 whose leaves
were beautiful and
its fruit plentiful, and
in it was food
for all; under which
the animals of
the field lived, and
on whose branches
the birds of
the sky had their habitation—
22 it
is you, O king,
that have grown
and become strong; for
your greatness has grown,
and reaches to the
sky, and
your dominion to
the end of
the earth.
23 “Whereas
the king saw a holy watcher coming
down from the sky
and saying, ‘Cut down the tree,
and destroy it; nevertheless
leave the stump
of its roots
in the earth,
even with a band
of iron and bronze,
in the tender grass
of the field,
and let it be wet with
the dew of the
sky. Let his portion be with
the animals of
the field, until seven times pass
over him.’
24 “This is
the interpretation, O
king, and it is
the decree of
the Most High, which has come
on my lord the
king:
25 You
will be driven from men and
your dwelling shall be
with the animals
of the field. You
will be made to eat grass
as oxen, and
will be wet with
the dew of the sky,
and seven times shall pass
over you, until
you know that
the Most High rules in
the kingdom of men,
and gives it
to whomever he
will.
26 Whereas
it was commanded
to leave the stump
of the roots of
the tree, your
kingdom shall
be sure to you
after you know
that Heaven rules.
27 Therefore,
O king, let
my counsel be acceptable
to you, and break
off your sins by righteousness, and
your iniquities by showing mercy to
the poor. Perhaps there may
be a lengthening
of your tranquility.”
28 All this
came on the King
Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At
the end of twelve months
he was walking in
the royal palace
of Babylon.
30 The king
spoke and said, “Is not
this great Babylon,
which I have built
for the royal dwelling place
by the might of
my power and for
the glory of
my majesty?”
31 While
the word was in
the king’s mouth, a voice
came from the
sky, saying, “O King
Nebuchadnezzar, to
you it is spoken:
‘The kingdom
has departed from
you.
32 You
shall be driven
from men, and
your dwelling shall
be with the animals
of the field. You
shall be made
to eat grass like oxen. Seven times
shall pass over
you, until you know
that the Most High
rules in the kingdom
of men, and gives it
to whomever he
will.’ ”
33 This
was fulfilled the same hour
on Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven
from men and ate
grass like oxen; and his body
was wet with
the dew of the sky
until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers,
and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 At the end
of the days I,
Nebuchadnezzar, lifted
up my eyes to
heaven, and
my understanding returned to me;
and I blessed
the Most High, and
I praised and
honored him who lives forever,
for his dominion
is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom
from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the
earth are reputed as nothing;
and he does according to his will in the army of heaven,
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and no one can stop his hand,
or ask him, “What are you doing?”
36 At the same time my
understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my
majesty and brightness returned to me. My counselors and my lords
sought me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent
greatness was added to me.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise
and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth,
and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.