Daniel 4

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

King Nebuchadnezzar sent this decree to all peoples, nations, and languages who lived on the earth: May your peace increase.

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 tell you about the signs and wonders that the Most High has done for 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 lasts from generation to generation.”

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

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living happily in my house, and I was enjoying prosperity 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.

But a dream I had made me afraid. As I lay there, the images I saw and the visions in my mind troubled me.

6 Derfor paabød jeg, at alle Babels Vismænd skulde føres frem for mig, for at de skulde tyde mig Drømmen.

So I gave a decree to bring before me all the men of Babylon who had wisdom so they could interpret the dream for me.

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

Then came the magicians, those who claimed to speak with the dead, the wise men, and the astrologers. I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.

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 at last Daniel came in—the one who is named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream.

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, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Tell me what I saw in my dream and what it means.

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

These were the sights that I saw in my mind as I lay upon my bed: I looked, and there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was very great.

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

The tree grew and became strong. Its top reached to the heavens, and it could be seen to the ends of the whole 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 beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and on it was food for all. The wild animals found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches. All living creatures were 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 my mind as I lay on my bed, and a holy messenger came down from the heavens.

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 shouted and said, 'Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds fly away 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;

Leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the middle of the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew from the heavens. Let it live with the animals among the plants on the ground.

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 a man's mind, and let an animal's mind be given to him until seven years pass by.

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 decision is by the decree reported by the messenger. It is a decision made by the holy ones so that those who are alive may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of people and gives them to anyone he wishes to place over them, even to the most humble 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.

I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had this dream. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the men with wisdom in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able to do so, because 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, who was also named Belteshazzar, was greatly upset for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar replied, “My master, may the dream be for those who hate you; may its interpretation be for your enemies.

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 became strong, and whose top reached up to the heavens, and which could be seen to the ends of the whole 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 whose fruit was abundant, so that in it was food for all, and under it the animals of the field found shade, and in which the birds of the heavens lived—

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.

this tree is you, king, you who have grown so strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your authority reaches to 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 —

You, king, saw a holy messenger coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the middle of the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew from the heavens. Let it live with the wild animals in the fields until seven years pass by.'

24 saa betyder det, o Konge, og det er den Højestes Raad, som er udgaaet over min Herre Kongen:

This is the interpretation, king. It is a decree of the Most High that has reached you, my master 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.

You will be driven from among men, and you will live with the wild animals in the fields. You will be made to eat grass like an ox, and you will be wet with the dew from the heavens, and seven years will pass by until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of people and that he gives them to anyone he wishes.

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.

As it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, in this way your kingdom will be returned to you from the time you learn that heaven rules.

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, king, let my advice be acceptable to you. Stop sinning and do what is right. Turn away from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, and it may be that your prosperity will be extended.”

28 Alt dette ramte nu Kong Nebukadnezar.

All these things happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.

29 Tolv Maaneder senere, da Kongen vandrede paa Taget af det kongelige Palads i Babel,

Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon,

30 udbrød han: »Er dette ikke det store Babel, som jeg byggede til Kongesæde ved min vældige Magt, min Herlighed til Ære?«

and he said, “Is this not the great Babylon, which I have built for my royal residence, 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 words were still on the lips of the king, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, it is announced to you that this kingdom has been taken away 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!«

You will be driven away from people, and your home will be with the wild animals in the fields. You will be made to eat grass like an ox. Seven years will pass until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of people and he gives them to anyone he wishes.”

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.

This decree against Nebuchadnezzar was carried out immediately. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew from the heavens. His hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails became 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, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was given back to me. “I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified the one who lives forever. For his reign is an everlasting reign, and his kingdom endures from all generations 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?«

All the earth's inhabitants are considered by him to be as nothing; he does among the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth whatever suits his will. No one can stop him or challenge him. No one can say to him, 'Why have you done this?'”

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 that my sanity returned to me, my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My counselors and my noblemen sought my favor. I was brought back to my throne, and even more greatness was given 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, extol, and honor the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right, and his ways are just. He can humble those who walk in their own pride.