< Daniel 4 >
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto 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 hath seemed good unto me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath wrought toward 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 are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
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 Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
我拿步高安居在家中,在宮內行樂的時候,
5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon 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 all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto 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 Then came in the scribes, the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation of it.
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 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and before him I told the dream:
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 Belteshazzar, master of the scribes, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret is too hard for thee, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, and 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 Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, 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, and was strong, and its height reached unto the heavens, and the sight thereof to the end of all the 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 beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, and all flesh was fed from 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 visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from the heavens;
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 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 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 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 bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
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 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.
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 This sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the decision by the word of the holy ones: that the living may know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest 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 dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, Belteshazzar, tell 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.
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 Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, nor its interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and its interpretation to thine 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 that thou sawest, which grew and was strong, whose height reached unto the heavens, and the sight of it 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 whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation:
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 it is thou, O king, who art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto the heavens, and thy dominion to the end 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 the heavens, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; 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 bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him:
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, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which cometh 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 They shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and thou shalt be bathed with the dew of heaven; and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
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 it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall remain unto thee, after that thou shalt know that the heavens do rule.
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 be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
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 this came upon king Nebuchadnezzar.
這一切都臨在拿步高王身上:
29 At the end of twelve months he was walking upon the royal palace of Babylon:
十二個月以後,王在巴比倫王宮的樓台上散步時,
30 the king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?
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 in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from the heavens: King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee;
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 thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
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 The same hour was the word fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen; and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, till his hair grew like eagles' [feathers], and his nails like 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 days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto the heavens, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.
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 doeth according to his will in the army of the heavens, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
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 mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my nobles sought me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto 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 I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of the heavens, all whose works are truth, and his paths judgment: and those 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。」