Daniel 4

1 “Nebuchadnezzar the king to all peoples, nations, and languages, who are dwelling in all the earth: Your peace be great!

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

2 The signs and wonders that God Most High has done with me, it is good before me to show.

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

3 How great His signs! And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom [is] a continuous kingdom, and His rule [is] with generation and generation.

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.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, have been at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace:

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

5 a dream I have seen, and it makes me afraid, and the conceptions on my bed, and the visions of my head, trouble me.

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

6 And by me a decree is made, to cause all the wise men of Babylon to come up before me, that the interpretation of the dream they may cause me to know.

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.

7 Then coming up are the scribes, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers, and the dream I have told before them, and its interpretation they are not making known to me.

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.

8 And at last Daniel has come up before me, whose name [is] Belteshazzar—according to the name of my god—and in whom [is] the spirit of the holy gods, and the dream before him I have told:

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, ]

9 O Belteshazzar, master of the scribes, as I have known that the spirit of the holy gods [is] in you, and no secret presses you, the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation, tell.

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.

10 As for the visions of my head on my bed, I was looking, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height [is] great:

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.

11 the tree has become great, indeed, strong, and its height reaches to the heavens, and its vision to the end of the whole land;

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

12 its leaves [are] beautiful, and its budding great, and food for all [is] in it: under it the beast of the field takes shade, and in its boughs dwell the birds of the heavens, and of it are all flesh fed.

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.

13 I was looking, in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a sifter, even a holy one, from the heavens is coming down.

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.

14 He is calling mightily, and thus has said, Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its budding, move away let the beast from under it, and the birds from off its branches;

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:

15 but the stump of its roots leave in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and with the dew of the heavens is it wet, and with the beasts [is] his portion in the herb of the earth;

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;

16 his heart from man’s is changed, and the heart of a beast is given to him, and seven times pass over him;

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.

17 by the decree of the sifters [is] the sentence, and by the saying of the holy ones the requirement, to the intent that the living may know that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and to whom He wills He gives it, and the lowest of men He raises up over it.

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.

18 This dream I have seen, I King Nebuchadnezzar; and you, O Belteshazzar, tell the interpretation, because that all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to cause me to know the interpretation, and you [are] able, for the spirit of the holy gods [is] in you.”

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.

19 Then Daniel, whose name [is] Belteshazzar, has been astonished about one hour, and his thoughts trouble him; the king has answered and said, “O Belteshazzar, do not let the dream and its interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar has answered and said, “My lord, the dream—to those hating you, and its interpretation—to your enemies!

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.

20 The tree that you have seen, that has become great and strong, and its height reaches to the heavens, and its vision to all the land,

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;

21 and its leaves [are] beautiful, and its budding great, and food for all [is] in it, under it the beast of the field dwells, and on its boughs the birds of the heavens sit.

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: —

22 It [is] you, O king, for you have become great and mighty, and your greatness has become great, and has reached to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth;

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.

23 and that which the king has seen—a sifter, even a holy one, coming down from the heavens, and he has said, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; but the stump of its roots leave in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and with the dew of the heavens it is wet, and with the beast of the field [is] his portion, until seven times pass over him.

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: —

24 This [is] the interpretation, O king, and it [is] the decree of the Most High that has come against my lord the king:

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

25 and they are driving you away from men, and your dwelling is with the beast of the field, and they cause you to eat the herb as oxen, and they are wetting you by the dew of the heavens, and pass over you seven times, until you know that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and to whom He wills He gives it.

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.

26 And that which they said—to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom abides for you, after that you know that the heavens are ruling.

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.

27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and your sins by righteousness break off, and your perversity by pitying the poor, behold, it is a lengthening of your ease.”

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.

28 All—has come on Nebuchadnezzar the king.

All this came over king Nebuchadnezzar.

29 At the end of twelve months, on the palace of the kingdom of Babylon he has been walking;

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

30 the king has answered and said, “Is this not that great Babylon that I have built, for the house of the kingdom, in the might of my strength, and for the glory of my honor?”

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?

31 While the word is [in] the king’s mouth a voice from the heavens has fallen: “They are saying to you: O Nebuchadnezzar the king, the kingdom has passed from you,

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.

32 and from men they are driving you away, and your dwelling [is] with the beast of the field, they cause you to eat the herb as oxen, and pass over you seven times, until you know that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and to whom He wills He gives it.”

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.

33 In that hour the thing has been fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar, and from men he is driven, and he eats the herb as oxen, and his body is wet by the dew of the heavens, until his hair has become great as eagles, and his nails as birds.

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].—

34 “And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, have lifted up my eyes to the heavens, and my understanding returns to me, and I have blessed the Most High, and the Perpetual Living One I have praised and honored, whose dominion [is] a continuous dominion, and His kingdom with generation and generation;

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;

35 and all who are dwelling on the earth are reckoned as nothing, and according to His will He is doing among the forces of the heavens and those dwelling on the earth, and there is none that claps with his hand and says to Him, What have You done?

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?

36 At that time my understanding returns to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and my brightness return to me, and to me my counselors and my great men seek, and over my kingdom I have been made right, and abundant greatness has been added to me.

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.

37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, am praising and exalting and honoring the King of the heavens, for all His works [are] truth, and His paths judgment, and those walking in pride He is able to humble.”

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.