Daniel 4
1 Kong Nebukadnezar til alle Folk, Stammer og Tungemaal, som bor paa hele Jorden: Fred være med eder i rigt Maal!
Nabuchodonosor the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.
2 De Tegn og Undere, den højeste Gud har øvet imod mig, finder jeg for godt at kundgøre.
The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders toward me. It hath seemed good to me therefore to publish
3 Hvor store er dog hans Tegn, hvor vældige dog hans Undere! Hans Rige er et evigt Rige, hans Herredømme fra Slægt til Slægt.
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 Jeg, Nebukadnezar, levede tryg i mit Slot og livsglad i mit Palads.
I, Nabuchodonosor, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:
5 Men da skuede jeg et Drømmesyn, og det slog mig med Rædsel, og Tankebilleder paa mit Leje og mit Hoveds Syner forfærdede mig.
I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.
6 Derfor paabød jeg, at alle Babels Vismænd skulde føres frem for mig, for at de skulde tyde mig Drømmen.
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 Saa kom Drømmetyderne, Manerne, Kaldæerne og Stjernetyderne ind, og jeg sagde dem Drømmen, men de kunde ikke tyde mig den.
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 Men til sidst traadte Daniel, som har faaet Navnet Beltsazzar efter min Guds Navn, og i hvem hellige Guders Aand er, frem for mig, og jeg sagde ham Drømmen:
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 Beltsazzar, du Øverste for Drømmetyderne, i hvem jeg ved, at hellige Guders Aand er, og hvem ingen Hemmelighed er for svar! Hør, hvad jeg saa i Drømme, og tyd mig det!
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 Dette var mit Hoveds Syner paa mit Leje: Jeg skuede, og se, et Træ stod midt paa Jorden, og det var saare højt.
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 Træet voksede og blev vældigt, dets Top naaede Himmelen, og det saas til Jordens Ende;
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 dets Løv var fagert, dets Frugter mange, saa der var Føde til alle derpaa; under det fandt Markens Dyr Skygge, i dets Grene boede Himmelens Fugle, og alt Kød fik Næring deraf.
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 Og videre skuede jeg i mit Hoveds Syner paa mit Leje, og se, en Vægter, en Hellig, kom ned fra Himmelen.
I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, and a holy one came down from heaven.
14 Han raabte med høj Røst: »Fæld Træet, hug Grenene af, afriv Løvet og spred Frugterne; Dyrene skal fly fra deres Bo derunder og Fuglene fra dets Grene!
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 Dog skal I lade Stubben med Rødderne blive i Jorden, men bundet med en Kæde af Jern og Kobber i Markens Græs; af Himmelens Dug skal han vædes, og som Dyrene skal han æde Markens Urter;
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 hans Menneskehjerte skal fratages ham og et Dyrehjerte gives ham, og syv Tider skal gaa hen over ham.
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 Saaledes er det fastsat ved Vægternes Raad, og ved de Helliges Bud er Sagen afgjort, for at de levende maa sande, at den Højeste er Herre over Menneskenes Rige og kan give det, til hvem han vil, og ophøje den ringeste blandt Menneskene til Hersker over det!«
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 Det var dette Drømmesyn, som jeg, Kong Nebukadnezar, skuede, og du, Beltsazzar, tyd mig det! Thi ingen af mit Riges Vismænd kan tyde mig det; du derimod evner det, thi i dig bor hellige Guders Aand.
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 Saa stod Daniel, som havde faaet Navnet Beltsazzar, en Stund rædselslagen, og hans Tanker forfærdede ham. Men Kongen tog til Orde og sagde: »Beltsazzar, lad ikke Drømmen og dens Udtydning forfærde dig!« Men Beltsazzar svarede: »Herre, maatte Drømmen gælde dine Fjender og dens Udtydning dine Avindsmænd!
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 Det Træ, du saa, og som voksede og blev vældigt, saa Toppen naaede Himmelen og det saas over hele Jorden,
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 hvis Løv var fagert, og hvis Frugter var mange, det, som alle fik Næring af, under hvilket Markens Dyr fandt Bo, og i hvis Grene Himmelens Fugle byggede Rede,
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 det er dig selv, o Konge, som er blevet stor og mægtig, hvis Storhed er vokset, saa den naar Himmelen, og hvis Herredømme rækker til Jordens Ende.
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 Og naar Kongen saa, at en Vægter, en Hellig, steg ned fra Himmelen og bød: Fæld Træet og ødelæg det! Dog skal I lade Stubben med Rødderne blive i Jorden, men bundet med en Kæde af Jern og Kobber i Markens Græs; af Himmelens Dug skal han vædes, og med Markens Dyr skal han dele Lod, indtil syv Tider er gaaet hen over ham —
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 saa betyder det, o Konge, og det er den Højestes Raad, som er udgaaet over min Herre Kongen:
This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king.
25 Du skal udstødes af Menneskenes Samfund og bo blandt Markens Dyr; Urter skal du have til Føde som Kvæget, og af Himmelens Dug skal du vædes; og syv Tider skal gaa hen over dig, til du skønner, at den Højeste er Herre over Menneskenes Rige og kan give det, til hvem han vil.
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 Men naar der blev givet Paabud om at levne Træets Stub med Rødderne, saa betyder det, at dit Rige atter skal blive dit, saa snart du skønner, at Himmelen har Magten.
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 Derfor, o Konge, lad mit Raad være dig til Behag. Gør Ende paa dine Synder med Retfærd og paa dine Misgerninger med Barmhjertighed mod de fattige, om din Lykke maaske kunde vare!«
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 Alt dette ramte nu Kong Nebukadnezar.
All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.
29 Tolv Maaneder senere, da Kongen vandrede paa Taget af det kongelige Palads i Babel,
At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of Babylon.
30 udbrød han: »Er dette ikke det store Babel, som jeg byggede til Kongesæde ved min vældige Magt, min Herlighed til Ære?«
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 Men før Kongen endnu havde talt ud, lød en Røst fra Himmelen: »Det gives dig til Kende, Kong Nebukadnezar, at dit Kongedømme er taget fra dig!
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 Af Menneskenes Samfund skal du udstødes og bo blandt Markens Dyr; Urter skal du have til Føde som Kvæget; og syv Tider skal gaa hen over dig, til du skønner, at den Højeste er Herre over Menneskenes Rige og kan give det, til hvem han vil!«
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 I samme Stund fuldbyrdedes Ordet paa Nebukadnezar; han blev udstødt af Menneskenes Samfund og aad Græs som Kvæget, og hans Legeme vædedes af Himmelens Dug, til hans Haar blev langt som Ørnefjer og hans Negle som Fuglekløer.
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 Men da Tiden var omme, løftede jeg, Nebukadnezar, mine Øjne til Himmelen og fik min Forstand igen, og jeg priste den Højeste og lovede og ærede ham, som lever evindelig, hvis Herredømme er evigt, og hvis Rige staar fra Slægt til Slægt.
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 Alle, som bor paa Jorden, er for intet at regne; han handler efter sit Tykke med Himmelens Hær og med dem, som bor paa Jorden, og ingen kan holde hans Haand tilbage og sige til ham: »Hvad gør du?«
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 I samme Stund fik jeg min Forstand igen; jeg fik ogsaa min Herlighed og Glans igen, mit Rige til Ære; mine Raadsherrer og Stormænd søgte mig, jeg blev genindsat i mit Rige, og endnu større Magt blev mig givet.
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 Nu lover, ophøjer og ærer jeg, Nebukadnezar, Himmelens Konge: Alle hans Gerninger er Sandhed, hans Veje Retfærd, og han kan ydmyge dem, som vandrer i Hovmod.
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.
