< Daniel 4 >

1 'Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; peace be multiplied unto you.
2 It hath seemed good unto me to declare the signs and wonders that God Most High hath wrought toward me.
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.
4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
ἔτους ὀκτωκαιδεκάτου τῆς βασιλείας Ναβουχοδονοσορ εἶπεν εἰρηνεύων ἤμην ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου καὶ εὐθηνῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου μου
5 I saw a dream which made me afraid; and imaginings upon my bed and the visions of my head affrighted me.
ἐνύπνιον εἶδον καὶ εὐλαβήθην καὶ φόβος μοι ἐπέπεσεν
6 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 Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
8 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:
9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret causeth thee trouble, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
10 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.
ἐκάθευδον καὶ ἰδοὺ δένδρον ὑψηλὸν φυόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἡ ὅρασις αὐτοῦ μεγάλη καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἄλλο ὅμοιον αὐτῷ
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth.
καὶ ἡ ὅρασις αὐτοῦ μεγάλη ἡ κορυφὴ αὐτοῦ ἤγγιζεν ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τὸ κύτος αὐτοῦ ἕως τῶν νεφελῶν πληροῦν τὰ ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη ἐν αὐτῷ ᾤκουν καὶ ἐφώτιζον πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν
12 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 fowls of the heaven dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
οἱ κλάδοι αὐτοῦ τῷ μήκει ὡς σταδίων τριάκοντα καὶ ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ ἐσκίαζον πάντα τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐνόσσευον ὁ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ πολὺς καὶ ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἐχορήγει πᾶσι τοῖς ζῴοις
13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven.
ἐθεώρουν ἐν τῷ ὕπνῳ μου καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος ἀπεστάλη ἐν ἰσχύι ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ
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 fowls from its branches.
καὶ ἐφώνησε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἐκκόψατε αὐτὸ καὶ καταφθείρατε αὐτό προστέτακται γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑψίστου ἐκριζῶσαι καὶ ἀχρειῶσαι αὐτό
15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even in 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;
καὶ οὕτως εἶπε ῥίζαν μίαν ἄφετε αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ γῇ ὅπως μετὰ τῶν θηρίων τῆς γῆς ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι χόρτον ὡς βοῦς νέμηται
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.
καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δρόσου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἀλλοιωθῇ καὶ ἑπτὰ ἔτη βοσκηθῇ σὺν αὐτοῖς
17 The matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence 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.
ἕως ἂν γνῷ τὸν κύριον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν πάντων τῶν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ὅσα ἂν θέλῃ ποιεῖ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐνώπιόν μου ἐξεκόπη ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ καὶ ἡ καταφθορὰ αὐτοῦ ἐν ὥρᾳ μιᾷ τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ οἱ κλάδοι αὐτοῦ ἐδόθησαν εἰς πάντα ἄνεμον καὶ εἱλκύσθη καὶ ἐρρίφη καὶ τὸν χόρτον τῆς γῆς μετὰ τῶν θηρίων τῆς γῆς ἤσθιε καὶ εἰς φυλακὴν παρεδόθη καὶ ἐν πέδαις καὶ ἐν χειροπέδαις χαλκαῖς ἐδέθη ὑπ’ αὐτῶν σφόδρα ἐθαύμασα ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις καὶ ὁ ὕπνος μου ἀπέστη ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου
18 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.'
καὶ ἀναστὰς τὸ πρωὶ ἐκ τῆς κοίτης μου ἐκάλεσα τὸν Δανιηλ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῶν σοφιστῶν καὶ τὸν ἡγούμενον τῶν κρινόντων τὰ ἐνύπνια καὶ διηγησάμην αὐτῷ τὸ ἐνύπνιον καὶ ὑπέδειξέ μοι πᾶσαν τὴν σύγκρισιν αὐτοῦ
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while, and his thoughts affrighted him. The king spoke and said: 'Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, affright thee.' Belteshazzar answered and said: 'My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries.
μεγάλως δὲ ἐθαύμασεν ὁ Δανιηλ καὶ ὑπόνοια κατέσπευδεν αὐτόν καὶ φοβηθεὶς τρόμου λαβόντος αὐτὸν καὶ ἀλλοιωθείσης τῆς ὁράσεως αὐτοῦ κινήσας τὴν κεφαλὴν ὥραν μίαν ἀποθαυμάσας ἀπεκρίθη μοι φωνῇ πραείᾳ βασιλεῦ τὸ ἐνύπνιον τοῦτο τοῖς μισοῦσί σε καὶ ἡ σύγκρισις αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου ἐπέλθοι
20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
τὸ δένδρον τὸ ἐν τῇ γῇ πεφυτευμένον οὗ ἡ ὅρασις μεγάλη σὺ εἶ βασιλεῦ
21 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 fowls of the heaven had their habitation;
καὶ πάντα τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὰ νοσσεύοντα ἐν αὐτῷ ἡ ἰσχὺς τῆς γῆς καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ τῶν γλωσσῶν πασῶν ἕως τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ χῶραι σοὶ δουλεύουσι
22 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.
τὸ δὲ ἀνυψωθῆναι τὸ δένδρον ἐκεῖνο καὶ ἐγγίσαι τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ τὸ κύτος αὐτοῦ ἅψασθαι τῶν νεφελῶν σύ βασιλεῦ ὑψώθης ὑπὲρ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς ὄντας ἐπὶ προσώπου πάσης τῆς γῆς ὑψώθη σου ἡ καρδία ὑπερηφανίᾳ καὶ ἰσχύι τὰ πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα σου ὤφθη καθότι ἐξερήμωσας τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος ἐπὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ ἡγιασμένου
23 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 in 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 —
καὶ ἡ ὅρασις ἣν εἶδες ὅτι ἄγγελος ἐν ἰσχύι ἀπεστάλη παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ὅτι εἶπεν ἐξᾶραι τὸ δένδρον καὶ ἐκκόψαι ἡ κρίσις τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου ἥξει ἐπὶ σέ
24 this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king,
καὶ ὁ ὕψιστος καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σὲ κατατρέχουσιν
25 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.
εἰς φυλακὴν ἀπάξουσί σε καὶ εἰς τόπον ἔρημον ἀποστελοῦσί σε
26 And whereas it was 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.
καὶ ἡ ῥίζα τοῦ δένδρου ἡ ἀφεθεῖσα ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐξερριζώθη ὁ τόπος τοῦ θρόνου σού σοι συντηρηθήσεται εἰς καιρὸν καὶ ὥραν ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ σὲ ἑτοιμάζονται καὶ μαστιγώσουσί σε καὶ ἐπάξουσι τὰ κεκριμένα ἐπὶ σέ
27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by almsgiving, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of thy prosperity.'
κύριος ζῇ ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ γῇ αὐτοῦ δεήθητι περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν σου καὶ πάσας τὰς ἀδικίας σου ἐν ἐλεημοσύναις λύτρωσαι ἵνα ἐπιείκεια δοθῇ σοι καὶ πολυήμερος γένῃ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου τῆς βασιλείας σου καὶ μὴ καταφθείρῃ σε τούτους τοὺς λόγους ἀγάπησον ἀκριβὴς γάρ μου ὁ λόγος καὶ πλήρης ὁ χρόνος σου
28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
καὶ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν λόγων Ναβουχοδονοσορ ὡς ἤκουσε τὴν κρίσιν τοῦ ὁράματος τοὺς λόγους ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ συνετήρησε
29 At the end of twelve months he was walking upon the royal palace of Babylon.
καὶ μετὰ μῆνας δώδεκα ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τῶν τειχῶν τῆς πόλεως μετὰ πάσης τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ περιεπάτει καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πύργων αὐτῆς διεπορεύετο
30 The king spoke, and said: 'Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?'
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὕτη ἐστὶ Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη ἣν ἐγὼ ᾠκοδόμησα καὶ οἶκος βασιλείας μου ἐν ἰσχύι κράτους μου κληθήσεται εἰς τιμὴν τῆς δόξης μου
31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven: 'O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: the kingdom is departed from thee.
καὶ ἐπὶ συντελείας τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἤκουσε σοὶ λέγεται Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλεῦ ἡ βασιλεία Βαβυλῶνος ἀφῄρηταί σου καὶ ἑτέρῳ δίδοται ἐξουθενημένῳ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ καθίστημι αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλείας σου καὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν σου καὶ τὴν δόξαν σου καὶ τὴν τρυφήν σου παραλήψεται ὅπως ἐπιγνῷς ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ θεὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ᾧ ἐὰν βούληται δώσει αὐτήν ἕως δὲ ἡλίου ἀνατολῆς βασιλεὺς ἕτερος εὐφρανθήσεται ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου καὶ κρατήσει τῆς δόξης σου καὶ τῆς ἰσχύος σου καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας σου
32 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.'
καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι διώξονταί σε ἐπὶ ἔτη ἑπτά καὶ οὐ μὴ ὀφθῇς οὐδ’ οὐ μὴ λαλήσῃς μετὰ παντὸς ἀνθρώπου χόρτον ὡς βοῦν σε ψωμίσουσι καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς χλόης τῆς γῆς ἔσται ἡ νομή σου ἰδοὺ ἀντὶ τῆς δόξης σου δήσουσί σε καὶ τὸν οἶκον τῆς τρυφῆς σου καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἕτερος ἕξει
33 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.
ἕως δὲ πρωὶ πάντα τελεσθήσεται ἐπὶ σέ Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλεῦ Βαβυλῶνος καὶ οὐχ ὑστερήσει ἀπὸ πάντων τούτων οὐθέν ἐγὼ Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλεὺς Βαβυλῶνος ἑπτὰ ἔτη ἐπεδήθην χόρτον ὡς βοῦν ἐψώμισάν με καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς χλόης τῆς γῆς ἤσθιον καὶ μετὰ ἔτη ἑπτὰ ἔδωκα τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς δέησιν καὶ ἠξίωσα περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου κατὰ πρόσωπον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀγνοιῶν μου τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν θεῶν τοῦ μεγάλου ἐδεήθην καὶ αἱ τρίχες μου ἐγένοντο ὡς πτέρυγες ἀετοῦ οἱ ὄνυχές μου ὡσεὶ λέοντος ἠλλοιώθη ἡ σάρξ μου καὶ ἡ καρδία μου γυμνὸς περιεπάτουν μετὰ τῶν θηρίων τῆς γῆς ἐνύπνιον εἶδον καὶ ὑπόνοιαί με εἰλήφασι καὶ διὰ χρόνου ὕπνος με ἔλαβε πολὺς καὶ νυσταγμὸς ἐπέπεσέ μοι
34 '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 honoured Him that liveth for ever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom from generation to generation;
καὶ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν ὁ χρόνος μου τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως ἦλθε καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι μου καὶ αἱ ἄγνοιαί μου ἐπληρώθησαν ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐδεήθην περὶ τῶν ἀγνοιῶν μου τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν θεῶν τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος εἷς ἐκάλεσέ με ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λέγων Ναβουχοδονοσορ δούλευσον τῷ θεῷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ δὸς δόξαν τῷ ὑψίστῳ τὸ βασίλειον τοῦ ἔθνους σού σοι ἀποδίδοται
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His will in the host 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 mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and my splendour returned unto me; and my ministers and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and surpassing greatness was added unto me.
ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἀποκατεστάθη ἡ βασιλεία μου ἐμοί καὶ ἡ δόξα μου ἀπεδόθη μοι
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour 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.'
τῷ ὑψίστῳ ἀνθομολογοῦμαι καὶ αἰνῶ τῷ κτίσαντι τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰς θαλάσσας καὶ τοὺς ποταμοὺς καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐξομολογοῦμαι καὶ αἰνῶ ὅτι αὐτός ἐστι θεὸς τῶν θεῶν καὶ κύριος τῶν κυρίων καὶ βασιλεὺς τῶν βασιλέων

< Daniel 4 >