Daniel 4

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

Kong Nebukadnezar til alle Folk: der bor på hele Jorden: Fred være med eder i rigt Mål!

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

De Tegn og Undere, den højeste Gud har øvet imod mig, finder jeg for godt at kundgøre.

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.

Hvor store er dog hans Tegn, hvor vældige dog hans Undere! Hans Rige er et evigt Rige, hans Herredømme fra Slægt til Slægt.

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

Jeg, Nebukadnezar, levede tryg i mit Slot og livsglad i mit Palads.

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

Men da skuede jeg et Drømmesyn, og det slog mig med Rædsel, og Tankebilleder på mit Leje og mit Hoveds Syner forfærdede mig.

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.

Derfor påbød jeg, at alle Babels Vismænd skulde føres frem for mig, for at de skulde tyde mig Drømmen.

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.

Så kom Drømmetyderne, Manerne, Kaldæerne og Stjernetyderne ind, og jeg sagde dem Drømmen, men de kunde ikke tyde mig den.

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:

Men til sidst trådte Daniel, som har fået Navnet Beltsazzar efter min Guds Navn, og i hvem hellige Guders Ånd er, frem for mig, og jeg sagde ham Drømmen:

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.

Beltsazzar, du Øverste for Drømmetyderne, i hvem jeg ved, at hellige Guders Ånd er, og hvem ingen Hemmelighed er for svar! Hør, hvad jeg så i Drømme, og tyd mig det!

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.

Dette var mit Hoveds Syner på mit Leje: Jeg skuede, og se, et Træ stod midt på Jorden, og det var såre højt.

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.

Træet voksede og blev vældigt, dets Top nåede Himmelen, og det sås til Jordens Ende;

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.

dets Løv var fagert, dets Frugter mange, så der var Føde til alle derpå; under det fandt Markens Dyr Skygge, i dets Grene boede Himmelens Fugle, og alt Kød fik Næring deraf.

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;

Og videre skuede jeg i mit Hoveds Syner på mit Leje, og se, en Vægter, en Hellig, kom ned fra Himmelen.

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.

Han råbte med høj Røst: "Fæld Træet, hug Grenene af, afriv Løvet og spred Frugterne; Dyrene skal fly fra deres Bo derunder og Fuglene fra dets Grene!

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.

Dog skal I lade Stubben med Rødderne blive i Jorden, men bundet med en Kæde af Jern og kobber i Markens Græs; af Himmelens Dug skal han vædes, og som Dyrene skal han æde Markens Urter;

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.

hans Menneskehjerte skal fratages ham og et Dyrehjerte gives ham, og syv Tider skal gå hen over ham.

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.

Således er det fastsat ved Vægternes Råd, og ved de Helliges Bud er Sagen afgjort, for at de levende må sande, at den Højeste er Herre over Menneskenes Rige og kan give det, til hvem han vil, og ophøje den ringeste blandt Menneskene til Hersker over det!"

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.

Det var dette Drømmesyn, som jeg, Kong Nebukadnezar, skuede, og du, Beltsazzar, tyd mig det! Thi ingen af mit Riges Vismænd kan tyde mig det; du derimod evner det, thi i dig bor hellige Guders Ånd.

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!

Så stod Daniel, som havde fået Navnet Beltsazzar, en Stund rædselslagen, og hans Tanker forfærdede ham. Men Kongen tog til Orde og sagde: Beltsazzar, lad ikke Drømmen og dens Udtydning forfærde dig!" Men Beltsazzar svarede: "Herre, måtte drømmen gælde dine Fjender og dens Udtydning dine Avindsmænd!

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;

Det Træ, du så, og som voksede og blev vældigt, så Toppen nåede Himmelen og det sås over hele Jorden,

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:

hvis Løv var fagert, og hvis Frugter var mange, det, som alle fik Næring af, under hvilket Markens Dyr fandt Bo, og i hvis Grene Himmelens Fugle byggede Rede,

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.

det er dig selv, o Konge, som er blevet stor og mægtig, hvis Storhed er vokset, så den når Himmelen, og hvis Herredømme rækker til Jordens Ende.

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:

Og når Kongen så, at en Vægter, en Hellig, steg ned fra Himmelen og bød: Fæld Træet og ødelæg det! Dog skal I lade Stubben med Rødderne blive i Jorden, men bundet med en Kæde af Jern og kobber i Markens Græs; af Himmelens Dug skal han vædes, og med Markens Dyr skal han dele Lod, indtil syv Tider er gået hen over ham

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

så betyder det, o Konge, og det er den Højestes Råd, som er udgået over min Herre Kongen:

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.

Du skal udstødes af Menneskenes Samfund og bo hlandt Markens Dyr; Urter skal du have til Føde som Kvæget, og af Himmelens Dug skal du vædes; og syv Tider skal gå hen over dig, til du skønner, at den Højeste er Herre over Menneskenes Rige og kan give det, til hvem han vil.

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.

Men når der blev givet Påbud om at levne Træets Stub med Rødderne, så betyder det, at dit Rige atter skal blive dit, så snart du skønner, at Himmelen har Magten.

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.

Derfor, o Konge, lad mit Råd være dig til Behag. Gør Ende på dine Synder med Retfærd og på dine Misgerninger med Barmhjertighed mod de fattige, om din Lykke måske kunde vare!"

28 All this came upon king Nebuchadnezzar.

Alt dette ramte nu Kong Nebukadnezar.

29 At the end of twelve months he was walking upon the royal palace of Babylon:

Tolv Måneder senere, da Kongen vandrede på Taget af det kongelige Palads i Babel,

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?

udbrød han: "Er dette ikke det store Babel, som jeg byggede til Kongesæde ved min vældige Magt, min Herlighed til Ære?"

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;

Men før Kongen endnu havde talt ud, lød en Røst fra Himmelen: "Det gives dig til Kende, Kong Nebukadnezar, at dit Kongedømme er taget fra dig!

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.

Af Menneskenes Samfund skal du udstødes og bo blandt Markens Dyr; Urter skal du have til Føde som Kvæget; og syv Tider skal gå hen over dig, til du skønner, at den Højeste er Herre over Menneskenes Rige og kan give det, til hvem han vil!"

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].

I samme Stund fuldbyrdedes Ordet på Nebukadnezar; han blev udstødt af Menneskenes Samfund og åd Græs som Kvæget, og hans Legeme vædedes af Himmelens Dug, til hans Hår blev langt som Ørnefjer og hans Negle som Fuglekløer.

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.

Men da Tiden var omme, løftede jeg, Nebukadnezar, mine Øjne til Himmelen og fik min forstand igen, og jeg priste den Højeste og lovede og ærede ham, som lever evindelig, hvis Herredømme er evigt, og hvis Rige står fra Slægt til Slægt.

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?

Alle, som bor på Jorden, er for intet at regne; han handler efter sit Tykke med Himmelens Hær og med dem, som bor på Jorden, og ingen kan holde hans Hånd tilbage og sige til ham: "Hvad gør du?"

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.

I samme Stund fik jeg min Forstand igen; jeg fik også min Herlighed og Glans igen, mit Rige til Ære; mine Rådsherrer og Stormænd søgte mig, jeg blev genindsat i mit Rige, og endnu større Magt blev mig givet.

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.

Nu lover, ophøjer og ærer jeg, Nebukadnezar, Himmelens Konge: Alle hans Gerninger er Sandhed, hans Veje Retfærd, og han kan ydmyge dem, som vandrer i Hovmod.