Daniel 4

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

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell on all the earth, May your welfare increase.

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

The signs and wonders which the most high God hath wrought toward me I find it for good to make known.

3 How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation.

His signs—how great are they! and his wonders— how mighty are they! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his rule is over every generation.

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

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

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

I saw a dream which terrified me; and the thoughts upon my couch 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.

Therefore made I a decree to bring before me all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

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

Then came up the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and the dream did I recite before them; but its interpretation did they not make known unto me.

8 But at 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. I told the dream before him, saying,

But at the last came up before me Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and the dream did I recite before him, [saying, ]

9 “Belteshazzar, master 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.

O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, of whom I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and that no secret is concealed from thee, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, with its interpretation.

10 These were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth; and its height was great.

And the visions of my head on my couch were, [that] I saw, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

11 The tree grew and was strong. Its height reached to the sky and its sight to the end of all the earth.

The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached unto heaven, and it was visible to the end of all the earth.

12 Its leaves were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

Its foliage was splendid, and its fruit large, and on it was food for all: under it sought the beasts of the field for shade, and in its boughs dwelt the fowls of heaven, and from it was fed all flesh.

13 “I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a holy watcher came down from the sky.

I saw in the visions of my head on my couch, and, behold, a watcher who was also a holy one came down from heaven.

14 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 birds from its branches.

He called with might, and thus he said, Hew down the trees and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves, and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee away from under it, and the fowls from among its branches:

15 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. Let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth.

Nevertheless leave the body of its roots in the earth, but [bound] with fetters of iron and copper, among the grass of the field; and let it be made wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts on the herbage of the earth;

16 Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him. Then let seven times pass over him.

Let his heart be changed not to be human, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times elapse 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.’

Through the resolve of the watchers is this decree, and by the order of the holy ones is this decision: to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and that he can give it to whomsoever he pleaseth, and can set up over it the lowest of men.

18 “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.”

This dream have I, king Nebuchadnezzar, seen; but thou, O Belteshazzar, relate its interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art 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, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation, trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.

Then was Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, astounded for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king then commenced, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or its interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, O that the dream might be for those that hate thee, and its interpretation for thy enemies.

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

The tree that thou hast seen, which grew, and was strong, the height of which reached unto the heaven, and which was visible to all the earth;

21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit plentiful, 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—

The foliage of which was splendid, and the fruit of which was large, and on which was food for all; under which dwelt the beasts of the field, and in the boughs of which nestled the fowls of the heaven: —

22 it is you, O king, that have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; and thy greatness is grown apace, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion is to the end of the earth.

23 “Whereas the king saw a holy watcher 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. Let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.’

And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, who said, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the body of its roots in the earth, but [bound] in fetters of iron and copper, among the grass of the field; and let it be made wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times elapse over it: —

24 “This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king:

This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the resolve of the Most High, which will come over my lord the king:

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

They will drive thee away from men, and with the beasts of the field is thy dwelling to be, and they will suffer thee to eat herbs like oxen, and they will suffer thee to be made wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times will elapse over thee; until that thou wilt know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he pleaseth.

26 Whereas it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be sure to you after you know that Heaven rules.

And whereas they ordered to leave the body of the roots of the tree: thy kingdom will remain unto thee, as soon as thou wilt know that the Heavens do rule.

27 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. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your tranquility.”

Therefore, O king, let my counsel be agreeable unto thee, and atone for thy sins by righteousness, and for thy iniquities by showing kindness to the poor: perhaps thy prosperity may [thereby] endure long.

28 All this came on the King Nebuchadnezzar.

All this came over king Nebuchadnezzar.

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

At the end of twelve months he was walking upon the royal palace at 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?”

The king commenced, and said, Is not this Babylon the great, that I myself have built for a royal residence by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?

31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from the sky, saying, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: ‘The kingdom has departed from you.

The word was still in the king's mouth, when there fell a voice from heaven, [saying, ] To thee it is said, O king Nebuchadnezzar, The kingdom departeth from thee.

32 You shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen. 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.’”

And from men will they drive thee away, and with the beasts of the field shall thy dwelling be; herbs like oxen will they suffer thee to eat, and seven times shall elapse over thee: until thou wilt know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he pleaseth.

33 This was fulfilled the same hour on Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; and his body was wet with the dew of the sky until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

At the same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and from men was he driven away, and herbs like oxen had he to eat, and with the dew of heaven was his body made wet: till his hair was grown like eagles' [feathers], and his nails were like birds' [claws].—

34 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.

But at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and glorified the Everliving, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom is over every generation;

35 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 no one can stop his hand, or ask him, “What are you doing?”

And [by whom] all the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nought; and [who] according to his pleasure doth with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth; while there is none that can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

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

At the same time my understanding returned unto me; and with the glory of my kingdom, my honor and my splendor returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought for me: and I was replaced in my kingdom, and additional greatness was added unto 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 those who walk in pride he is able to abase.

Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and glorify the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and whose ways are justice; and who is able to bring low those that walk in pride.