Daniel 4

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell on all the earth, May your welfare increase.

Nabuchodonosor the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.

2 The signs and wonders which the most high God hath wrought toward me I find it for good to make known.

The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders toward me. It hath seemed good to me therefore to publish

3 His signs—how great are they! and his wonders— how mighty are they! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his rule is over every generation.

His signs, because they are great: and his wonders, because they are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, I and his power to all generations.

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

I, Nabuchodonosor, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:

5 I saw a dream which terrified me; and the thoughts upon my couch and the visions of my head troubled me.

I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.

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

Then I set forth a decree, that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought in before me, and that they should shew me the interpretation of the dream.

7 Then came up the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and the dream did I recite before them; but its interpretation did they not make known unto me.

Then came in the diviners, the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers, and I told the dream before them: but they did not shew me the interpretation thereof:

8 But at the last came up before me Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and the dream did I recite before him, [saying, ]

Till their colleague Daniel came in before me, whose name is Baltassar, according to the name of my god, who hath in him the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him.

9 O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, of whom I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and that no secret is concealed from thee, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, with its interpretation.

Baltassar, prince of the diviners, because I know that thou hast in thee the spirit of the holy gods, and that no secret is impossible to thee: tell me the visions of my dreams that I have seen, and the interpretation of them.

10 And the visions of my head on my couch were, [that] I saw, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

This was the vision of my head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was exceeding great.

11 The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached unto heaven, and it was visible to the end of all the earth.

The tree was great, and strong: and the height thereof reached unto heaven: the sight thereof was even to the ends of all the earth.

12 Its foliage was splendid, and its fruit large, and on it was food for all: under it sought the beasts of the field for shade, and in its boughs dwelt the fowls of heaven, and from it was fed all flesh.

Its leaves were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much: and in it was food for all: under it dwelt cattle, and beasts, and in the branches thereof the fowls of the air had their abode: and all flesh did eat of it.

13 I saw in the visions of my head on my couch, and, behold, a watcher who was also a holy one came down from heaven.

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

14 He called with might, and thus he said, Hew down the trees and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves, and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee away from under it, and the fowls from among its branches:

He cried aloud, and said thus: Cut down the tree, and chop off the branches thereof: shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruits: let the beasts fly away that are under it, and the birds from its branches.

15 Nevertheless leave the body of its roots in the earth, but [bound] with fetters of iron and copper, among the grass of the field; and let it be made wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts on the herbage of the earth;

Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be tied with a band of iron, and of brass, among the grass, that is without, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the wild beasts in the grass of the earth.

16 Let his heart be changed not to be human, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times elapse over him.

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

17 Through the resolve of the watchers is this decree, and by the order of the holy ones is this decision: to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and that he can give it to whomsoever he pleaseth, and can set up over it the lowest of men.

This is the decree by the sentence of the watchers, and the word And demand of the holy ones; till the living know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men; and he will give it to whomsoever it shall please him, and he will appoint the basest man over it.

18 This dream have I, king Nebuchadnezzar, seen; but thou, O Belteshazzar, relate its 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.

I king Nabuchodonosor saw this dream: thou, therefore, O Baltassar, tell me quickly the interpretation: for all the wise men of my kingdom axe not able to declare the meaning of it to me: but thou art able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

19 Then was Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, astounded for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king then commenced, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or its interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, O that the dream might be for those that hate thee, and its interpretation for thy enemies.

Then Daniel, whose name was Baltassar, began silently to think within himself for about one hour: and his thoughts troubled him. But the king answering, said: Baltassar, let not the dream and the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Baltassar answered, and said: My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thy enemies.

20 The tree that thou hast seen, which grew, and was strong, the height of which reached unto the heaven, and which was visible to all the earth;

The tree which thou sawest which was high and strong, whose height reached to the skies, and the sight thereof into all tire earth:

21 The foliage of which was splendid, and the fruit of which was large, and on which was food for all; under which dwelt the beasts of the field, and in the boughs of which nestled the fowls of the heaven: —

And the branches thereof were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and the birds of the air had their abode in its branches.

22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; and thy greatness is grown apace, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion is to the end of the earth.

It is thou, O king, who art grown great and become mighty: for thy greatness hath grown, and hath reached to heaven, and thy power unto the ends of the earth.

23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, who said, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the body of its roots in the earth, but [bound] in fetters of iron and copper, among the grass of the field; and let it be made wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times elapse over it: —

And whereas the king saw a watcher, and a holy one come down from heaven, and say: Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and brass among the grass without, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, till seven times pass over him.

24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the resolve of the Most High, which will come over my lord the king:

This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king.

25 They will drive thee away from men, and with the beasts of the field is thy dwelling to be, and they will suffer thee to eat herbs like oxen, and they will suffer thee to be made wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times will elapse over thee; until that thou wilt know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he pleaseth.

They shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be with cattle and with wild beasts, and thou shalt eat grass as an ox, and shalt be wet 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.

26 And whereas they ordered to leave the body of the roots of the tree: thy kingdom will remain unto thee, as soon as thou wilt know that the Heavens do rule.

But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots thereof, that is, of the tree, should be left: thy kingdom shall remain to thee after thou shalt have known that power is from heaven.

27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be agreeable unto thee, and atone for thy sins by righteousness, and for thy iniquities by showing kindness to the poor: perhaps thy prosperity may [thereby] endure long.

Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with works of mercy to the poor: perhaps he will forgive thy offences.

28 All this came over king Nebuchadnezzar.

All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.

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

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

30 The king commenced, and said, Is not this Babylon the great, that I myself have built for a royal residence by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?

And the king answered, and said: Is not this the great Babylon, which I have built to be the seat of the kingdom, by the strength of my power, and in the glory of my excellence?

31 The word was still in the king's mouth, when there fell a voice from heaven, [saying, ] To thee it is said, O king Nebuchadnezzar, The kingdom departeth from thee.

And while the word was yet in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven: To thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, it is said: Thy kingdom shall pass from thee,

32 And from men will they drive thee away, and with the beasts of the field shall thy dwelling be; herbs like oxen will they suffer thee to eat, and seven times shall elapse over thee: until thou wilt know that the Most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he pleaseth.

And they shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be with cattle and wild beasts: thou shalt eat grass like an ox, 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.

33 At the same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and from men was he driven away, and herbs like oxen had he to eat, and with the dew of heaven was his body made wet: till his hair was grown like eagles' [feathers], and his nails were like birds' [claws].—

The same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor, and he was driven away from among men, and did eat grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: till his hairs grew like the feathers of eagles, and his nails like birds’ claws.

34 But at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and glorified the Everliving, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom is over every generation;

Now at the end of the days, I Nabuchodonosor lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my sense was restored to me: and I blessed the most High, and I praised and glorified him that liveth for ever: for his power is an everlasting power, and his kingdom is to all generations.

35 And [by whom] all the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nought; and [who] according to his pleasure doth with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth; while there is none that can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing before him: for he doth according to his will, I as well with the powers of heaven, as among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none that can resist his hand, and say to him: Why hast thou done it?

36 At the same time my understanding returned unto me; and with the glory of my kingdom, my honor and my splendor returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought for me: and I was replaced in my kingdom, and additional greatness was added unto me.

At the same time my sense returned to me, and I came to the honour and glory of my kingdom: and my shape returned to me: and my nobles, and my magistrates sought for me, and I was restored to my kingdom: and greater majesty was added to me.

37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and glorify the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and whose ways are justice; and who is able to bring low those that walk in pride.

Therefore I Nabuchodonosor do now praise, and magnify, and glorify the King of heaven: because all his works are true, and his ways judgments, and them that walk in pride he is able to abase.