Daniel 2

1 I sit andet regeringsår drømte Nebukadnezar, og hans sind blev uroligt, så han ikke kunde sove

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, whereat his spirit was troubled, and his sleep that was upon him was gone.

2 Så lod Kongen Drømmetyderne, Manerne, Sandsigerne og Kaldæerne kalde, for at de skulde sige ham, hvad han havde drømt. Og de kom og trådte frem for Kongen.

Then said the king to call the magicians, and the astrologers and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to solve for the king his dreams: and they came and placed themselves before the king.

3 Da sagde Kongen til dem: "Jeg har haft en Drøm, og mit Sind falder ikke til Ro, før jeg får at vide, hvad den betyder."

And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.

4 Kaldæerne svarede Kongen (på Aramaisk") ): "Kongen leve evindelig! Sig dine Trælle Drømmen, så skal vi tyde den."

Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in Aramic, O king, live for ever: recite the dream to thy servants, and we will tell the interpretation.

5 Men Kongen svarede Kaldæerne: "Mit Ord står fast! Hvis I ikke både kundgør mig Drømmen og tyder den, skal I hugges sønder og sammen og eders Huse gøres til Skarndynger;

The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The decree is firmly resolved on by me: If ye do not make known unto me the dream with its interpretation, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be changed into a dunghill.

6 men gengiver I mig Drømmen og tyder den, får I Skænk og Gave og stor Ære af mig. Gengiv mig, derfor Drømmen og tyd den!"

But if ye tell the dream and its interpretation, then shall ye receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.

7 De svarede atter: "Kongen sige sine Trælle Drømmen, så skal vi tyde den."

They answered the second time and said, Let the king recite the dream to his servants, and we will tell its interpretation.

8 Kongen svarede: "Nu ved jeg for vist, at I kun søger at vinde Tid, fordi I ser, mit Ord står fast,

The king answered and said, I know of a certainty that ye wish to gain time, because ye see the decree is firmly resolved on by me:

9 så eders Dom kun kan blive een, hvis I ikke kundgør mig Drømmen, og at I derfor er blevet enige om at lyve for mig og føre mig bag Lyset, til der kommer andre Tider. Sig mig derfor Drømmen, så jeg kan vide, at I også kan tyde mig den."

That if ye do not make known unto me the dream, there is but one sentence for you; for ye have prepared lying and deceptive words to speak before me, till the time be changed. Therefore relate to me the dream, and I shall know that ye can tell me its interpretation.

10 Kaldæerne svarede Kongen: "Der findes ikke et Menneske på Jorden, som kan sige, hvad Kongen ønsker at vide; aldrig har jo heller nogen Konge, hvor stor og tnægtig han end var, krævet sligt af nogen Drømmetyder, Maner eller Kaldæer;

The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the habitable earth that can tell the king's matter: wherefore no mighty and powerful king ever hath asked such a thing of any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

11 hvad Kongen kræver, er umuligt, og der er ingen, som kan sige kongen det, undtagen Guderne, og de bor ikke hos de dødelige."

And the matter which the king requireth is difficult, and there is no other that can tell it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

12 Herover blev Kongen vred og såre harmfuld, og han bød, at alle Babels Vismænd skulde henrettes.

For all this cause the king became angry, and very furious; and he commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

13 Da nu Befalingen var udgået, og man skulde til at slå Vismændene ihjel, ledte man også efter Daniel og hans Venner for at slå dem ihjel.

And the law went forth and [some of] the wise men were slain: and they sought Daniel and his companions to slay them.

14 Da henvendte Daniel sig med kloge og vel overvejede Ord til Arjok, Øversten for Kongens Livvagt, som var draget ud for at slå Babels Vismænd ihjel.

Then made Daniel representations with intelligence and prudence to Aryoch the captain of the king's guard, who was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon.

15 Han tog til Orde og spurgte Arjok, Kongens Høvedsmand: "Hvorfor er så skarp en Befaling udgået fra Kongen?" Og da Arjok havde sat ham ind i Sagen,

He commenced and said to Aryoch the king's commander, Wherefore is the law so hasty from the king? Then made Aryoch the matter known to Daniel.

16 gik Daniel ind til Kongen og bad ham give sig en Frist, så skulde han tyde Kongen Drømmen.

But Daniel went in, and requested of the king that he would give him time, that he might tell the interpretation to the king.

17 Så gik Daniel hjem og satte sine Venner Hananja, Misjael og Azarja ind i Sagen,

Then went Daniel to his house, and made the matter known to Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah, his companions.

18 og han pålagde dem at bede Himmelens Gud om Barmbjertighed, så han åbenbarede Hemmeligheden, for at ikke Daniel og hans Venner skulde blive henrettet med Babels andre Vismænd.

In order that they might pray for mercy of the God of heaven concerning this secret: so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Da blev Hemmeligheden åbenbaret Daniel i et Nattesyn; og Daniel priste Himmelens Gud,

Thereupon was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision of the night. Then did Daniel bless the God of heaven.

20 tog til Orde og sagde: "Lovet være Guds Navn fra Evighed og til Evighed, thi ham tilhører Visdom og Styrke!

Daniel commenced and said, May the name of God be blessed from eternity and to all eternity; for wisdom and might are his;

21 Han lader Tider og Stunder skifte, afsætter og indsætter konger, giver de vise deres Visdom og de indsigtsfulde deres Viden;

And he changeth times and seasons; he removeth kings, and raiseth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to those that possess understanding.

22 han åbenbarer det dybe og lønlige; han ved, hvad Mørket gemmer, og Lyset bor hos ham.

He it is that revealeth what is deep and secret; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

23 Dig, mine Fædres Gud, takker og priser jeg, fordi du gav mig Visdom og Styrke, og nu har du kundgjort mig, hvad vi bad dig om; thi hvad Kongen vil vide, har du kundgjort os!"

To thee, O God of my father, do I give thanks, and I praise thee, who hast given me wisdom and might, and because thou hast made known unto me what we prayed for of thee; for thou hast made known unto us the king's matter.

24 Derfor gik Daniel til Arjok, hvem Kongen havdepålagt at henrette Babels Vismænd, og sagde til ham: "Henret ikke Babels Vismænd, men før mig frem for Kongen, så vil jeg tyde ham Drømmen!"

Therefore did Daniel go in unto Aryoch, whom the king had ordered to destroy the wise men of Babylon, He went and said thus unto him, the wise men of Babylon must thou not destroy: bring me before the king, and I will tell unto the king the interpretation.

25 Så førte Arjok i Hast Daniel frem for Kongen og sagde til ham: "Jeg har blandt de bortførte Judæere fundet en Mand, som vil tyde Kongen Drømmen!"

Then did Aryoch bring Daniel before the king in haste, and thus he said unto him, Here have I found a man out of the children of the exiles of Judah, who will make known unto the king the interpretation.

26 Kongen tog til Orde og spurgte Daniel, som havde fået Navnet Beltsazzar: "Er du i Stand til at kundgøre mig den Drøm, jeg har haft, og tyde den?"

The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?

27 Daniel svarede Kongen: "Den Hemmelighed, Kongen ønsker at vide, kan Vismænd, Manere, Drømmetydere og Stjernetydere ikke sige kongen;

Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or soothsayers, can tell unto the king;

28 men der er en Gud i Himmelen, som åbenbarer Hemmeligheder, og han har kundgjort Kong Nebukadnezar, hvad der skal ske i de sidste Dage:

But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and he hath made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what is to be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy couch, were these.

29 Du tænkte, o Konge, på dit Leje over, hvad der skal ske i Fremtiden, og han, som åbenbarer Hemmeligheder, kundgjorde dig, hvad der skal ske.

As for thee, O king, thy thoughts, when thou wast on thy couch, rose [within thee] concerning what is to come to pass hereafter; and the Revealer of secrets hath made known to thee what is to come to pass.

30 Og mig er denne Hemmelighed åbenbaret, ikke ved nogen Visdom, som jeg har forud for alle andre levende Væsener, men for at Drømmen kan blive tydet Kongen, så du kan kende dit Hjertes Tanker.

But as for me, this secret hath not been revealed to me because of any wisdom that is in me more than in all other living; but for the sake that men might make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest understand the thoughts of thy heart.

31 Du så, o Konge, for dig en vældig Billedstøtte; denne Billedstøtte var stor og dens Glans overmåde stærk; den stod foran dig, og dens Udseende var forfærdeligt.

Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was a large image; this image was mighty, and its brightness was excellent; it stood opposite to thee; and its form was fear-inspiring.

32 Billedstøttens Hoved var af fint Guld, Bryst og Arme af Sølv, Bug og Lænder af Kobber.

As regardeth this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms were of silver, its belly and its thighs of copper,

33 Benene af Jern og Fødderne halvt af Jern og halvt af Ler.

Its legs of iron, its feet part of them of iron and part of them of clay.

34 Således skuede du, indtil en Sten reves løs, dog ikke ved Menneskehænder, og ramte Billedstøttens Jern og Lerfødder og knuste dem;

Thou didst look on till the moment that a stone tore itself loose, not through [human] hands, and it struck the image upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and ground them to pieces.

35 og på een Gang knustes Jern, Ler, Kobber, Sølv og Guld og blev som Avner fra Sommerens Tærskepladser, og Vinden bar det sporløst bort; men Stenen, som ramte Billedstøtten, blev til et stort Bjerg, der fyldte hele Jorden.

Then were the iron, the clay, the copper, the silver, and the gold ground up together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no trace was found of them; and the stone that had stricken the image became a mighty mountain, and filled the whole earth.

36 Således var Drømmen, og nu vil vi tyde Kongen den:

This is the dream; and its interpretation will we relate before the king.

37 Du, o Konge, Kongernes Konge, hvem Himmelens Gud gav Kongedømme, Magt, Styrke og Ære,

Thou, O king, art a king of kings, to whom the God of heaven hath given kingdom, power, and strength, and honor:

38 i hvis Hånd han gav Menneskene, så vide de bor, Markens Dyr og Himmelens Fugle, så han gjorde dig til Hersker over dem alle du er Hovedet, som var af Guld.

And wheresoever the children of men dwell, hath he given the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven into thy hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art the head of gold.

39 Men efter dig skal der komme et andet Rige, ringere end dit, og derpå atter et tredje Rige, som er af Kobber, og hvis Herredømme skal strække sig over hele Jorden.

And after thee there will arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of copper, which will bear rule over all the earth.

40 Siden skal der komme et fjerde Rige, stærkt som Jern; thi Jern knuser og søndrer alt; og som Jem sønderslår, skal det knuse og sønderslå alle hine Riger.

And the fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron; forasmuch as iron grindeth up and beateth down all things, and as iron that breaketh [every thing], will it grind up and break all these.

41 Men når du så Fødderne og Tæerne halvt af Pottemagerler og halvt af Jern, betyder det, at det skal være et Rige uden Sammenhold; dog skal det have noget af Jernets Fasthed, thi du så jo, at Jern var blandet med Ler.

And that thou sawest the feet and toes, and part of them of potter's clay, and part of them of iron, [signifieth] that it will be a divided kingdom, although there will be in it of the strength of the iron; forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mingled with miry clay.

42 Og at Tæerne var halvt af Jern og halvt af Ler, betyder, at Riget delvis skal være stærkt, delvis svagt.

And as the toes of the feet were part of them of iron, and part of them of clay: so will the kingdom be partly strong and partly brittle.

43 Og når du så, at Jernet var blandet med Ler, betyder det, at de skal indgå Ægteskaber med hverandre, men dog ikke indbyrdes holde sammen, så lidt som Jern kan blandes med Ler.

And whereas thou sawest iron mingled with miry clay: so will they mingle themselves among the seed of men; but they will not cleave firmly one to another, even as iron cannot be mingled with clay.

44 Men i hine Kongers Dage vil Himmelens Gud oprette et Rige, som aldrig i Evighed skal forgå. og Herredømmet skal ikke gå over til noget andet Folk; det skal knuse og tilintetgøre alle hine Riger, men selv stå i al Evighed;

But in the days of these kings will the God of heaven set up a kingdom: which shall to eternity not be destroyed, and its rule shall not be transferred to any other people; [but] it will grind up and make an end of all these kingdoms, while it will itself endure for ever.

45 thi du så jo, at en Sten reves løs fra Klippen, dog ikke ved Menneskehænder, og knuste Jern, Ler, Kobber, Sølv og Guld. En stor Gud har kundgjort Kongen, hvad der skal ske herefter; og Drømmen er sand og Tydningen troværdig."

Whereas thou sawest that out of the mountain a stone tore itself loose, not through [human] hands, and that it ground up the iron, the copper, the clay, the silver, and the gold: the great God hath made known to the king what is to come to pass after this. And the dream is reliable, and its interpretation certain.

46 Så faldt Kong, Nebukadnezar på sit Ansigt og bøjede sig for Daniel, og han bød, at man skulde bringe ham Ofre og Røgelse.

Then did king Nebuchadnezzar fall upon his face, and he bowed down to Daniel, and ordered that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him.

47 Og Kongen tog til Orde og sagde til Daniel "I Sandhed, eders Gud er Gudernes Gud og Kongernes Herre, og han kan åbenbare Hemmeligheder, siden du har kunnet åbenbare denne Hemmelighed."

The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and the revealer of secrets; because thou hast been able to reveal this secret.

48 Derpå ophøjede Kongen Daniel og, gav ham mange store Gaver, og han satte ham til Herre over hele Landsdelen Babel og til Overherre over alle Babels Vismænd.

Then did the king elevate Daniel, and gave him many great presents, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the superintendents over all the wise men of Babylon.

49 Men på Daniels Bøn overdrog kongen Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed Nego at styre Landsdelen Babel, medens Daniel selv blev i Kongens Gård.

Then requested Daniel of the king, that he might appoint Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego, over the public service of the province of Babylon; but Daniel remained in the gate of the king.