但以理書 4
1 拿步高王詔告居於普世的各民族，各邦國及各異語人民說：「願平安豐富地賜予你們!
King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.
2 至高天主對我所行的神蹟奇事，我以為最好宣布出來。
I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3 他的神蹟何其偉大，他的奇事何其可畏! 他的王國是永遠的王國，他的主權世世常存!
How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation.
4 我拿步高安居在家中，在宮內行樂的時候，
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
5 忽然做了一夢，這夢使我害怕；我當時在床上所有的幻想，腦中所有的異象，使我心慌意亂，
I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
6 遂下了一道諭令，召巴比倫所有的智者到我面前來，給我解說那夢的意義。
So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
7 巫師、術士、占星者、占卜者都來了，我當面給他們說出了那夢，但他們卻不能給我解說那夢的意義。
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, and they could not interpret it for me.
8 最後，達尼爾來到我面前，－他按我神的名字，起名叫貝耳特沙匝，這人身上具有至聖神明的精神；我給他講述夢說：「
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 巫師長貝耳特沙匝! 我知道你這個人具有至聖神明的精神，沒有什麼奧秘可以難住你，請聽我夢中所見的異象，給我一個解釋：
“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 我在床上腦中所有的異象是這樣：我忽然看見從地中生出一棵樹來，極其高大。
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 這棵樹長的非常粗壯，高可摩天，大地四極都可見到；
The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12 樹葉美麗，果實繁多，足以供養一切生靈，田野的走獸安息在它的蔭下，空中的飛鳥棲息在它的枝杈上，一切生物都由它獲得供養。
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 我在床上，在我腦海所得的異象中，我看見有一位守衛兼聖者自天降下，
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 他大聲呼喊說：砍倒這棵樹，砍斷它的枝條，搖落它的葉子，打下它的果實，叫走獸離開它下面，叫飛鳥飛離它的枝杈，
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 但在地上只留下它根上的餘幹，用鐵索和銅鏈將它捆住，放在田野的青草，
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 使他的心改變不像人心，給他一個獸心，在他身上要這樣經歷七段時期。
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 這是守衛者宣布的定案，這是聖者所出的命令，好使眾生知道：是至高者統治世人的國家，他將國權願意給誰，就給誰；他可以將人間最卑賤的立為最高者。
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 這是我拿步高王所做的夢。現在，貝耳特沙匝! 請你給我說出這夢的意義，因為我國內所有的智者，都不能使我知道這夢的意義，只有你能，因為只有你具有至聖神明的精神。
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 名叫貝特沙匝的達尼爾，一時愕然，他想像的事，使他恐懼；君王於是說道：「貝耳特沙匝! 不要為這夢和這夢的意義心亂! 」貝耳特沙匝回答說：「我的主上! 願這夢應驗在仇恨你的人身上，願這夢的朕兆應驗在你的敵人身上!
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 你所見的那棵樹，長的非常粗大，高可摩天，大地四極都可見到，
The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
21 樹葉美麗，果實繁多，足以供養一切生靈，田野的走獸安息在它的蔭下，空中的飛鳥棲息在它的枝條上。
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 大王! 那樹就是你，你長得高大強壯，你的偉大高可摩天，你的權勢達於地極。
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 至於大王所見的那位警衛兼聖者自天降下說：砍倒、毀滅這棵樹! 只在地上留下它根子的餘幹，用鐵索和銅鏈將它捆住，放在田野的青草中，讓他為露水浸濕，與田野的走獸分食，這樣在他身上直到經歷了七段時期。－
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 大王! 這是那夢的意義，這是要臨到我主，大王身上的至高者的判決：
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25 你將由人間被驅逐，與田野的走獸為伍，你吃草如同牛一樣，為露水浸濕，要這樣經歷七段時期，直到你承認至高者統治世人的國度，願意給誰，就給誰。
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 至於所說在地中只留下樹根的餘幹，是說到你承認上天統治一切時，你的國仍再歸於你。
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 為此，大王! 望你接納我的勸告：厲行正義，補贖罪過，憐貧濟困，以抵償不義；如此你的福樂或許可得延長。」
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 這一切都臨在拿步高王身上：
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 十二個月以後，王在巴比倫王宮的樓台上散步時，
Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
30 自言自語說：「這不是我以大能大力，為彰顯我的威榮而建為王都的大巴比倫嗎﹖」
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 這些話君王還未說出口，便有聲音從天上傳來說：「拿步高王! 現在有話告訴你：你的王位已被人奪去了!
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 你要由人間被驅逐，與田野的走獸為伍，你要吃草如同牛一樣，這樣，在你身上經歷七段時期，直到你承認至高者統治世人的國度，他願意給誰，就給誰。」
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 這話立即在拿步高身上應驗了：他被逐離開了人群，吃草如同牛一樣，他的身體為露水浸濕，直報他的頭髮長得有如鷹的羽翼，指甲有如鳥的爪子。
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 這期限過了以後，我拿步高舉目望天，我的理智恢復了常態，我立刻稱謝至高者，讚美頌揚永生者，因為他的主權永遠常存，他的王國世世常在。
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 地上的一切居民為他等於虛無，他對天上的軍旅和地上的居民隨意而行，沒有能阻止他的，或問他說：你作什麼﹖
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 就在那一時刻，我的理智恢復了常態，恢復了我王國的光榮，仍享威嚴富貴，我的朝臣和大官仍前來求見；我的國又歸我所有，並且也給我增加了極大的權勢。
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 現在，我拿步高要稱頌、讚揚和光榮天上的君王，因為他的一切作為是真理，他的到路是正義；凡行動傲慢的，他都能壓伏。」
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.
