Daniel 4

1 King Nabuchodonosor to all nations, tribes, and tongues, who dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you.

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.

2 It seemed good to me to declare to you the signs and wonders which the most high God has wrought with me,

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

3 how great and mighty [they are]: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power to all generations.

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 Nabuchodonosor was thriving in my house, and prospering.

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

5 I saw a vision, and it terrified me, and I was troubled on my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.

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

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

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

7 So the enchanters, magicians, soothsayers, [and] Chaldeans came in: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation thereof;

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

8 until Daniel came, whose name is Baltasar, according to the name of my God, who has within him the Holy Spirit of God; to whom I said,

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 Baltasar, chief of the enchanters, of whom I know that the Holy Spirit of God is in thee, and no mystery is too hard for thee, hear the vision of my dream which I had, and tell me the interpretation of it.

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

10 I had a vision upon my bed; and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

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 thereof was great.

11 The tree grew large and strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its extent to the extremity of the whole earth:

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

12 its leaves were fair, and its fruit abundant, and in it was meat for all; and under it the wild beasts of the field took shelter, and the birds of the sky lodged in the branches of it, and all flesh was fed of it.

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

13 I beheld in the night vision upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven, and cried aloud, and thus he said,

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

14 Cut down the tree, and pluck off its branches, and shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the wild beasts be removed from under it, and the birds from its branches.

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 Only leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and [bind it] with an iron and brass band; and it shall lie in the grass that is without and in the dew of heaven, and its portion [shall be] with the wild beasts in the grass of the field.

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 His heart shall be changed from that of man, and the heart of a wild beast shall be given to him; and seven times shall pass over him.

let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

17 The matter is by the decree of the watcher, and the demand is a word of the holy ones; that the living may know that the Lord is most high [over] the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whomsoever he shall please, and will set up over it that which is set at nought of men.

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 ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men.

18 This is the vision which I king Nabuchodonosor saw: and do thou, Baltasar, declare the interpretation, for none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to shew me the interpretation of it: but thou, Daniel, art able; for the Holy Spirit of God is in thee.

This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the 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 is Baltasar, was amazed about one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. And Baltasar answered and said, [My] lord, let the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation of it to thine enemies.

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken dumb 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, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries.

20 The tree which thou sawest, that grew large and strong, whose height reached to the sky and its extent to all the earth;

The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

21 and whose leaves were flourishing, and its fruit abundant, (and it was meat for all; under it the wild beasts lodged, and the birds of the sky took shelter in its branches: )

whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof 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 is thyself, O king; for thou art grown great and powerful, and thy greatness has increased and reached to heaven, and thy dominion to the ends of the earth.

it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto 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 he said, Strip the tree, and destroy it; only leave the stump of its roots in the ground, and [bind it] with a band of iron and brass; and it shall lie in the grass that is without, and in the dew of heaven, and its portion shall be with wild beasts, until seven times have passed over it;

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 thereof 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 of it, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king.

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

25 And they shall drive thee forth from men, and thy dwelling shall be with wild beasts, and they shall feed thee with grass as an ox, and thou shalt have thy lodging under the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whom he shall please.

that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

26 And whereas they said, Leave the stumps of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom abides [sure] to thee from the time that thou shalt know the power of the heavens.

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

27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel please thee, and atone for thy sins by alms, and [thine] iniquities by compassion on the poor: it may be God will be long-suffering to thy trespasses.

Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto 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 tranquillity.

28 All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.

All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

29 After a twelvemonth, as he walked in his palace in Babylon,

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

30 the king answered and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal residence, by the might of my power, for the honour of my glory?

The king spake 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 yet in the king’s mouth, there came a voice from heaven, [saying], To thee, king Nabuchodonosor, they say, The kingdom has departed from thee.

While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee:

32 And they [shall] drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the wild beasts of the field, and they shall feed thee with grass as an ox: and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High is Lord of the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whomsoever he shall please.

and thou shalt be driven from men; and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

33 In the same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor: and he was driven forth from men, and he ate grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hairs were grown like lions’ [hairs], and his nails as birds’ [claws].

The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat 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 time I Nabuchodonosor lifted up mine eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised him that lives for ever, and gave [him] glory; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [lasts] to all generations:

And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; 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 there is none who shall withstand his power, and say to him, What hast thou done?

and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and I came to the honour of my kingdom; and my [natural] form returned to me, and my princes, and my nobles, sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and more abundant majesty was added to me.

At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me.

37 Now therefore I Nabuchodonosor praise and greatly exalt and glorify the King of heaven; for all his works are true, and his paths are judgment: and all that walk in pride he is able to abase.

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