< Daniel 4 >
1 King Nabuchodonosor to all nations, tribes, and tongues, who dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you.
拿步高王詔告居於普世的各民族,各邦國及各異語人民說:「願平安豐富地賜予你們!
2 It seemed good to me to declare to you the signs and wonders which the most high God has wrought with me,
至高天主對我所行的神蹟奇事,我以為最好宣布出來。
3 how great and mighty [they are]: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power to all generations.
他的神蹟何其偉大,他的奇事何其可畏! 他的王國是永遠的王國,他的主權世世常存!
4 I Nabuchodonosor was thriving in my house, and prospering.
我拿步高安居在家中,在宮內行樂的時候,
5 I saw a vision, and it terrified me, and I was troubled on my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.
忽然做了一夢,這夢使我害怕;我當時在床上所有的幻想,腦中所有的異象,使我心慌意亂,
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.
遂下了一道諭令,召巴比倫所有的智者到我面前來,給我解說那夢的意義。
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;
巫師、術士、占星者、占卜者都來了,我當面給他們說出了那夢,但他們卻不能給我解說那夢的意義。
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,
最後,達尼爾來到我面前,-他按我神的名字,起名叫貝耳特沙匝,這人身上具有至聖神明的精神;我給他講述夢說:「
9 O Baltasar, chief of the enchanters, of whom I know that the Holy Spirit of God is in you, and no mystery is too hard for you, hear the vision of my dream which I had, and tell me the interpretation of it.
巫師長貝耳特沙匝! 我知道你這個人具有至聖神明的精神,沒有什麼奧秘可以難住你,請聽我夢中所見的異象,給我一個解釋:
10 I had a vision upon my bed; and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.
我在床上腦中所有的異象是這樣:我忽然看見從地中生出一棵樹來,極其高大。
11 The tree grew large and strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its extent to the extremity of the whole earth:
這棵樹長的非常粗壯,高可摩天,大地四極都可見到;
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.
樹葉美麗,果實繁多,足以供養一切生靈,田野的走獸安息在它的蔭下,空中的飛鳥棲息在它的枝杈上,一切生物都由它獲得供養。
13 I saw 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,
我在床上,在我腦海所得的異象中,我看見有一位守衛兼聖者自天降下,
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.
他大聲呼喊說:砍倒這棵樹,砍斷它的枝條,搖落它的葉子,打下它的果實,叫走獸離開它下面,叫飛鳥飛離它的枝杈,
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.
但在地上只留下它根上的餘幹,用鐵索和銅鏈將它捆住,放在田野的青草,
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.
使他的心改變不像人心,給他一個獸心,在他身上要這樣經歷七段時期。
17 The matter is by the decree of the watcher, and the demand is a word of the holy ones; that the living may known that the Lord is most high [over] the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whoever he shall please, and will set up over it that which is set at nothing of men.
這是守衛者宣布的定案,這是聖者所出的命令,好使眾生知道:是至高者統治世人的國家,他將國權願意給誰,就給誰;他可以將人間最卑賤的立為最高者。
18 This is the vision which I king Nabuchodonosor saw: and do you, Baltasar, declare the interpretation, for none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to show me the interpretation of it: but you, Daniel, are able; for the Holy Spirit of God is in you.
這是我拿步高王所做的夢。現在,貝耳特沙匝! 請你給我說出這夢的意義,因為我國內所有的智者,都不能使我知道這夢的意義,只有你能,因為只有你具有至聖神明的精神。
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 you, and the interpretation of it to your enemies.
名叫貝特沙匝的達尼爾,一時愕然,他想像的事,使他恐懼;君王於是說道:「貝耳特沙匝! 不要為這夢和這夢的意義心亂! 」貝耳特沙匝回答說:「我的主上! 願這夢應驗在仇恨你的人身上,願這夢的朕兆應驗在你的敵人身上!
20 The tree which you saw, that grew large and strong, whose height reached to the sky and its extent to all the earth;
你所見的那棵樹,長的非常粗大,高可摩天,大地四極都可見到,
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: )
樹葉美麗,果實繁多,足以供養一切生靈,田野的走獸安息在它的蔭下,空中的飛鳥棲息在它的枝條上。
22 is yourself, O king; for you are grown great and powerful, and your greatness has increased and reached to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
大王! 那樹就是你,你長得高大強壯,你的偉大高可摩天,你的權勢達於地極。
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;
至於大王所見的那位警衛兼聖者自天降下說:砍倒、毀滅這棵樹! 只在地上留下它根子的餘幹,用鐵索和銅鏈將它捆住,放在田野的青草中,讓他為露水浸濕,與田野的走獸分食,這樣在他身上直到經歷了七段時期。-
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.
大王! 這是那夢的意義,這是要臨到我主,大王身上的至高者的判決:
25 And they shall drive you forth from men, and your dwelling shall be with wild beasts, and they shall feed you with grass as an ox, and you shall have your lodging under the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you known that the Most High is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whom he shall please.
你將由人間被驅逐,與田野的走獸為伍,你吃草如同牛一樣,為露水浸濕,要這樣經歷七段時期,直到你承認至高者統治世人的國度,願意給誰,就給誰。
26 And whereas they said, Leave the stumps of the roots of the tree; your kingdom abides [sure] to you from the time that you shall know the power of the heavens.
至於所說在地中只留下樹根的餘幹,是說到你承認上天統治一切時,你的國仍再歸於你。
27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel please you, and atone for your sins by alms, and [your] iniquities by compassion on the poor: it may be God will be longsuffering to your trespasses.
為此,大王! 望你接納我的勸告:厲行正義,補贖罪過,憐貧濟困,以抵償不義;如此你的福樂或許可得延長。」
28 All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.
這一切都臨在拿步高王身上:
29 After a twelvemonth, as he walked in his palace in Babylon,
十二個月以後,王在巴比倫王宮的樓台上散步時,
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?
自言自語說:「這不是我以大能大力,為彰顯我的威榮而建為王都的大巴比倫嗎﹖」
31 While the word was yet in the king's mouth, there came a voice from heaven, [saying], To you, king Nabuchodonosor, they say, The kingdom has departed from you.
這些話君王還未說出口,便有聲音從天上傳來說:「拿步高王! 現在有話告訴你:你的王位已被人奪去了!
32 And they [shall] drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the wild beasts of the field, and they shall feed you with grass as an ox: and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Lord of the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whoever he shall please.
你要由人間被驅逐,與田野的走獸為伍,你要吃草如同牛一樣,這樣,在你身上經歷七段時期,直到你承認至高者統治世人的國度,他願意給誰,就給誰。」
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].
這話立即在拿步高身上應驗了:他被逐離開了人群,吃草如同牛一樣,他的身體為露水浸濕,直報他的頭髮長得有如鷹的羽翼,指甲有如鳥的爪子。
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:
這期限過了以後,我拿步高舉目望天,我的理智恢復了常態,我立刻稱謝至高者,讚美頌揚永生者,因為他的主權永遠常存,他的王國世世常在。
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 amongst the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none who shall withstand his power, and say to him, What has you done?
地上的一切居民為他等於虛無,他對天上的軍旅和地上的居民隨意而行,沒有能阻止他的,或問他說:你作什麼﹖
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.
就在那一時刻,我的理智恢復了常態,恢復了我王國的光榮,仍享威嚴富貴,我的朝臣和大官仍前來求見;我的國又歸我所有,並且也給我增加了極大的權勢。
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 judgement: and all that walk in pride he is able to abase.
現在,我拿步高要稱頌、讚揚和光榮天上的君王,因為他的一切作為是真理,他的到路是正義;凡行動傲慢的,他都能壓伏。」