Daniel 4

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, the races and the tongues who are dwelling in all the earth, Let, your prosperity, abound!

King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.

2 The signs, and the wonders, which the most high God, hath wrought with me, it is pleasing before me to declare.

I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

3 His signs, how great! and, his wonders, how mighty! His kingdom, is an age-abiding kingdom, and, his dominion, lasteth from generation to generation.

How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at peace in mine own house, and was prosperous in my palace.

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

5 A dream, I saw, and it made me afraid, —and, fancies upon my bed, and visions of my head, terrified me.

I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.

6 Therefore made I a decree, to bring in before me, all the wise men of Babylon, —who, the interpretation of the dream, should make known to me.

So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.

7 Then came in the sacred scribes, the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers, —and, the dream, told I before them, but, the interpretation, could they not make known to me.

When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, and they could not interpret it for me.

8 Howbeit, at last, came 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—before him, I told [saying]:

But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream:

9 O Belteshazzar, chief of the sacred scribes, because I know that, the spirit of the holy gods, is in thee, —and no secret giveth thee trouble, [therefore], the visions of my dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof, do thou tell.

“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation.

10 The visions then of my head upon my bed [were these], —I was looking, when lo! a tree in the midst of the land, and, the height thereof, was great.

In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great.

11 The tree, grew, and became strong, —and, the height thereof, reached unto the heavens, and, the view thereof, unto the end of all the land:

The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.

12 The foliage thereof, was beautiful, and, the fruit thereof, abundant, and there was food for all therein, —under it, the wild beast of the field found shade, and, among its branches, dwelt the birds of the heavens, and, therefrom, was well fed, all flesh.

Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.

13 I was looking, in the visions of my head, upon my bed, when lo! a watcher and holy one, outer the heavens, coming down.

As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.

14 He cried aloud, and, thus, he said—Hew ye down the tree, and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves, and scatter its fruit, —let the wild beasts flee from under it, and the birds, out of its branches;

He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

15 Nevertheless, the stock of its roots in the earth, leave ye, yea in a bond of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and, with the dew of the heavens, let it be drenched, and, with the wild beasts, be its portion, amongst, the herbage of the earth;

But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.

16 Let, its heart, from a man’s, be changed, and, the heart of a wild beast, be given to it, —and let seven seasons pass over it.

Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.

17 By the decree of the watchers, is the thing, and [by] the mandate of the holy ones, the matter: to the intent that the living, may get to know, that the Most High, hath dominion, over the kingdom of men, and, to whomsoever he pleaseth, he giveth it, and, one low among men, he setteth up over it.

This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’

18 This dream, have, I, King Nebuchadnezzar, seen. Thou, therefore, O Belteshazzar, the interpretation, do thou tell, forasmuch as, all the wise men of my kingdom, are unable, the interpretation, to make known to me, but, thou, art able, because, the spirit of the holy gods, is in thee.

This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

19 Then, Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for about one moment, and, his thoughts, troubled him. The king spake and said, O Belteshazzar, let neither, the dream, nor the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My Lord, The dream, be for them who hate thee, and, the interpretation, for them who are thy foes.

For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” “My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!

20 The tree which thou sawest, which grew and became strong, whose, height, reached unto the heavens, and, the view, thereof to all the earth:

The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,

21 Whose, foliage, was beautiful, and whose, fruit, abundant, and, food for all, was in it, —under it, dwelt the wild beasts of the field, and, in the branches thereof, nestled the birds of the heavens:

whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested—

22 Thyself, it is, O king, in that thou art grown, and become strong, —and, thy greatness hath grown, and reached to the heavens, and, thy dominion, to the end of the earth.

you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.

23 And, whereas the king saw a watcher and holy one coming down out of the heavens, who said, Hew ye down the tree and despoil it, nevertheless, the stock of its roots—in the earth, leave ye, even in a bond of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, —and, with the dew of the heavens, let it he drenched, and, along with the wild beasts of the field, be its portion, until that, seven seasons, pass over it.

And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’

24 This, is the interpretation, O king, —and, the decree of the Most High, it is, which hath come upon my lord the king:

This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:

25 That, thee, are they going to drive forth from among men, and, along with the wild beasts of the field, shall be thy dwelling, and, grass—like oxen, will they suffer, thee, to eat, and, with the dew of the heavens, will they suffer, thee, to be drenched, and, seven seasons, shall pass over thee, —until that thou come to know, that the Most High, hath dominion, over the kingdom of men, and, to whomsoever he pleaseth, he giveth it.

You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.

26 And, whereas they gave word to leave the stock of the roots of the tree, thy kingdom, unto thee, is sure, —after that thou come to know, that the heavens, have dominion.

As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules.

27 Wherefore, O king, let, my counsel, be pleasing unto thee, thy sin, then, —by righteousness, break thou off, and, thine iniquities, by shewing favour to the oppressed, —if so be it may become the lengthening out of thy security.

Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”

28 All this, came upon Nebuchadnezzar the king.

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.

29 At the end of twelve months, over the palace of the kingdom of Babylon, was he walking:

Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,

30 the king spake and said, Is not, this, Babylon the great, —which, I myself, have built as the home of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the dignity of my majesty?

the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

31 While yet the word was in the mouth of the king, a voice, out of the heavens, fell, —Unto thee, is it said, O Nebuchadnezzar the king, The kingdom, hath departed from thee;

While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you.

32 And, from among men, are they going to drive, thee, forth, and, with the wild beast of the field, shall be thy dwelling, grass—like oxen, will they suffer, thee, to eat, and, seven seasons, shall pass over thee, —until that thou come to know that the Most High, hath dominion, over the kingdom of men, and, to whomsoever he pleaseth, he giveth it.

You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”

33 Immediately, the word, was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and, from among men, was he driven forth, and, grass—like oxen, did he eat, and, with the dew of the heavens, his body was drenched, —until that, his hair, like to eagles’ feathers, was grown, and his nails, like birds’ claws.

At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

34 And, at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, mine eyes unto the heavens, did uplift, and, mine understanding, unto me, returned, and, the Most High, I blessed, and, to him that liveth age-abidingly, I rendered praise and honour, —whose dominion, is an age-abiding dominion, and, his kingdom, lasteth from generation to generation;

But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

35 And, all the inhabitants of the earth, as nothing, are accounted, and, according to his own pleasure, dealeth he—with the army of the heavens, and the inhabitants of the earth, —and none there is who can smite upon his hand, or say to him, What hast thou done?

All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

36 At the same time, mine understanding, returned unto me, and, for the dignity of my kingdom, my majesty and my brightness, returned unto me, and, unto me, my nearest friends and my nobles, did seek, —and, over my kingdom, was I restored, and, surpassing greatness, was added unto me.

At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me.

37 Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, am praising and extolling and honouring the King of the Heavens, all whose works, are truth, and, his ways, right; and, them who walk in pride, he is able to abase,

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.