Daniel 4

1 King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.

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

2 I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

It has seemed good to me to tell you about the signs and wonders that the Most High has done for me.

3 How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation.

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

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

5 I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.

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 So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.

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 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, and they could not interpret it for me.

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 But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream:

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 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation.

“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 In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great.

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 The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.

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 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.

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 As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.

I saw in my mind as I lay on my bed, and a holy messenger came down from the heavens.

14 He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

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 But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.

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 Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.

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 This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’

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 This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

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 For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” “My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!

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 The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,

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 whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested—

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 you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.

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 And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’

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 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:

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

25 You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.

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 As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules.

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 Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”

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 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.

All these things happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.

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

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

30 the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

and he said, “Is this not the great Babylon, which I have built for my royal residence, for the glory of my majesty?”

31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you.

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 You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”

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 At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

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 But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

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 All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

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 At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me.

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 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

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.