< 但以理书 4 >
1 尼布甲尼撒王晓谕住在全地各方、各国、各族的人说:“愿你们大享平安!
Nabuchodonosor the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.
2 我乐意将至高的 神向我所行的神迹奇事宣扬出来。
The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders toward me. It hath seemed good to me therefore to publish
3 他的神迹何其大! 他的奇事何其盛! 他的国是永远的; 他的权柄存到万代!
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.
I, Nabuchodonosor, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:
5 我做了一梦,使我惧怕。我在床上的思念,并脑中的异象,使我惊惶。
I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.
6 所以我降旨召巴比伦的一切哲士到我面前,叫他们把梦的讲解告诉我。
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 于是那些术士、用法术的、迦勒底人、观兆的都进来,我将那梦告诉了他们,他们却不能把梦的讲解告诉我。
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 末后那照我神的名,称为伯提沙撒的但以理来到我面前,他里头有圣神的灵,我将梦告诉他说:
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 ‘术士的领袖伯提沙撒啊,因我知道你里头有圣神的灵,什么奥秘的事都不能使你为难。现在要把我梦中所见的异象和梦的讲解告诉我。’
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 “我在床上脑中的异象是这样:我看见地当中有一棵树,极其高大。
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 那树渐长,而且坚固,高得顶天,从地极都能看见,
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 叶子华美,果子甚多,可作众生的食物;田野的走兽卧在荫下,天空的飞鸟宿在枝上;凡有血气的都从这树得食。
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 “我在床上脑中的异象,见有一位守望的圣者从天而降。
I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, and a holy one came down from heaven.
14 大声呼叫说:‘伐倒这树!砍下枝子!摇掉叶子!抛散果子!使走兽离开树下,飞鸟躲开树枝。
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 树丕却要留在地内,用铁圈和铜圈箍住,在田野的青草中让天露滴湿,使他与地上的兽一同吃草,
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 使他的心改变,不如人心,给他一个兽心,使他经过七期。
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 这是守望者所发的命,圣者所出的令,好叫世人知道至高者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁,或立极卑微的人执掌国权。’
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 “这是我—尼布甲尼撒王所做的梦。伯提沙撒啊,你要说明这梦的讲解;因为我国中的一切哲士都不能将梦的讲解告诉我,惟独你能,因你里头有圣神的灵。”
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 于是称为伯提沙撒的但以理惊讶片时,心意惊惶。王说:“伯提沙撒啊,不要因梦和梦的讲解惊惶。”伯提沙撒回答说:“我主啊,愿这梦归与恨恶你的人,讲解归与你的敌人。
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 你所见的树渐长,而且坚固,高得顶天,从地极都能看见;
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 叶子华美,果子甚多,可作众生的食物;田野的走兽住在其下;天空的飞鸟宿在枝上。
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 “王啊,这渐长又坚固的树就是你。你的威势渐长及天,你的权柄管到地极。
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 王既看见一位守望的圣者从天而降,说:‘将这树砍伐毁坏,树丕却要留在地内,用铁圈和铜圈箍住;在田野的青草中,让天露滴湿,使他与地上的兽一同吃草,直到经过七期。’
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 “王啊,讲解就是这样:临到我主我王的事是出于至高者的命。
This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king.
25 你必被赶出离开世人,与野地的兽同居,吃草如牛,被天露滴湿,且要经过七期。等你知道至高者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁。
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 守望者既吩咐存留树丕,等你知道诸天掌权,以后你的国必定归你。
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 王啊,求你悦纳我的谏言,以施行公义断绝罪过,以怜悯穷人除掉罪孽,或者你的平安可以延长。”
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.
All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.
At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of Babylon.
30 他说:“这大巴比伦不是我用大能大力建为京都,要显我威严的荣耀吗?”
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 这话在王口中尚未说完,有声音从天降下,说:“尼布甲尼撒王啊,有话对你说,你的国位离开你了。
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 你必被赶出离开世人,与野地的兽同居,吃草如牛,且要经过七期。等你知道至高者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁。”
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 当时这话就应验在尼布甲尼撒的身上,他被赶出离开世人,吃草如牛,身被天露滴湿,头发长长,好像鹰毛;指甲长长,如同鸟爪。
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 日子满足,我—尼布甲尼撒举目望天,我的聪明复归于我,我便称颂至高者,赞美尊敬活到永远的 神。 他的权柄是永有的; 他的国存到万代。
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 世上所有的居民都算为虚无; 在天上的万军和世上的居民中, 他都凭自己的意旨行事。 无人能拦住他手, 或问他说,你做什么呢?
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 那时,我的聪明复归于我,为我国的荣耀、威严,和光耀也都复归于我;并且我的谋士和大臣也来朝见我。我又得坚立在国位上,至大的权柄加增于我。
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 现在我—尼布甲尼撒赞美、尊崇、恭敬天上的王;因为他所做的全都诚实,他所行的也都公平。那行动骄傲的,他能降为卑。
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.