Daniel 4

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

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

3 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 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

6 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 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told the dream before them, but they did not make the interpretation of it known to me.

8 But at the last 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 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubles thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

10 Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height of it was great.

11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height of it reached to heaven, and the sight of it to the end of all the earth.

12 The leaves of it were fine, and the fruit of it much, and food was in it for all. The beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches of it. And all flesh was fed from it.

13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven.

14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches. Shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.

15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.

16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given to him. And let seven times pass over him.

17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.

18 This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. And thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, inasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation. But thou are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, may the dream be to those who hate thee, and the interpretation of it to thine adversaries.

20 The tree that thou saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to heaven, and the sight of it to all the earth,

21 whose leaves were fine, and the fruit of it much, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation,

22 it is thou, O king, who have grown and become strong. For thy greatness has grown, and reaches to heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it. Nevertheless leave the stump of the roots of it in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

24 this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:

25 That thou shall be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And thou shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of heaven. And seven times shall pass over thee till thou know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, thy kingdom shall be sure to thee, after thou shall have known that the heavens do rule.

27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.

28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

29 At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.

30 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 While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice from heaven fell, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee.

32 And thou shall be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. Thou shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

33 The same hour the thing was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen. And his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

34 And 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 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay his hand, or say to him, What are thou doing?

36 At the same time my understanding returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me, and my counselors and my lords sought to me. And I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me.

37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are truth, and his ways justice. And he is able to abase those who walk in pride.