Daniel 4

1 Kong Nebukadnezar til alle Folk, Stammer og Tungemaal, som bor paa hele Jorden: Fred være med eder i rigt Maal!

"Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

2 De Tegn og Undere, den højeste Gud har øvet imod mig, finder jeg for godt at kundgøre.

It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me.

3 Hvor store er dog hans Tegn, hvor vældige dog hans Undere! Hans Rige er et evigt Rige, hans Herredømme fra Slægt til Slægt.

How great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

4 Jeg, Nebukadnezar, levede tryg i mit Slot og livsglad i mit Palads.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, 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 which made me afraid; and the thoughts on 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.

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 Saa kom Drømmetyderne, Manerne, Kaldæerne og Stjernetyderne ind, og jeg sagde dem Drømmen, men de kunde ikke tyde mig den.

Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.

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:

But finally 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: and I told the dream before him, saying,

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!

"Belteshazzar, chief 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 Dette var mit Hoveds Syner paa mit Leje: Jeg skuede, og se, et Træ stod midt paa Jorden, og det var saare højt.

Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and look, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great.

11 Træet voksede og blev vældigt, dets Top naaede Himmelen, og det saas til Jordens Ende;

The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to the sky, and it could be seen anywhere on 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.

The leaves of it were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from 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 visions of my head on my bed, and look, a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky.

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 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 fowls 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, 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: and let his portion be with the animals 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 mind be changed from man's, and let an animal's mind be given to 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!«

The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the decision is a command of the holy ones; so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to anyone he wants, and sets up over it the lowliest of men.

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.

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 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 Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, Belteshazzar, "Do not let the dream, or the interpretation, trouble you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, the dream concerns those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.

20 Det Træ, du saa, og som voksede og blev vældigt, saa Toppen naaede Himmelen og det saas over hele Jorden,

The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the 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,

whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit much, 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 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 you, O king, that are grown and become strong; for your greatness is grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the most distant part 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 —

Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one 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: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until 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, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come on 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.

that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall 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 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.

Whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom shall be restored to you. After that you shall have known that the heavens do rule.

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!«

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; if there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."

28 Alt dette ramte nu Kong Nebukadnezar.

All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar.

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 royal 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?«

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 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!

While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from the sky, saying, "O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken. The kingdom has departed from you,

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 you shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field; you shall be made to eat grass as oxen; 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 wants."

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 was the thing fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, 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.

"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 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?«

All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing; and he does according to his will in the host of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or tell him, "What have you done?"

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 understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me; and my counselors and my lords sought me out; and I was reinstated over my kingdom, and even more greatness 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.

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 humble."