Daniel 4
1 [Several years after] Nebuchadnezzar [started to rule, he sent this message] to [the people of] every nation and people-group and all language groups in his empire. [He wrote, ] “I wish/hope that everything is going very well with you!
Nabuchodonosor rex, omnibus populis, gentibus, et linguis, qui habitant in universa terra, pax vobis multiplicetur.
2 I want you to know about [all] the wonderful miracles [DOU] that the Supreme God has performed for me.
Signa, et mirabilia fecit apud me Deus excelsus. Placuit ergo mihi prædicare
3 He performs great miracles, and does wonderful things. His kingdom will last forever; his rule [over people] will never end.
signa ejus, quia magna sunt: et mirabilia ejus, quia fortia: et regnum ejus regnum sempiternum, et potestas ejus in generationem et generationem.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace. I was living luxuriantly, and everything was going very well for me.
Ego Nabuchodonosor quietus eram in domo mea, et florens in palatio meo:
5 But one night I had a dream that caused me to be very afraid. I saw visions that terrified me as I lay on my bed.
somnium vidi, quod perterruit me: et cogitationes meæ in strato meo, et visiones capitis mei conturbaverunt me.
6 So I summoned all the wise men in Babylon, in order that they would come and tell me what it meant.
Et per me propositum est decretum ut introducerentur in conspectu meo cuncti sapientes Babylonis, et ut solutionem somnii indicarent mihi.
7 All the men who worked magic, the fortune-tellers, the men who worked sorcery, and men who studied the stars came to me. I told them what I had dreamed, but they could not tell me what it meant.
Tunc ingrediebantur arioli, magi, Chaldæi, et aruspices, et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum: et solutionem ejus non indicaverunt mihi,
8 Finally, Daniel came to me, and I [decided to] tell him what I had dreamed. One of my officials had given him a new name, Belteshazzar, to honor my own god. I knew that the spirit of the holy gods was in him.
donec collega ingressus est in conspectu meo Daniel, cui nomen Baltassar secundum nomen dei mei, qui habet spiritum deorum sanctorum in semetipso: et somnium coram ipso locutus sum.
9 So, [using the name that had been given to him], I said, ‘Belteshazzar, you are the most important of all my fortune-tellers. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and that you can reveal all mysteries. There is none that is too difficult for you. So, tell me what my dream means.
Baltassar, princeps ariolorum, quoniam ego scio quod spiritum sanctorum deorum habeas in te, et omne sacramentum non est impossibile tibi: visiones somniorum meorum, quas vidi, et solutionem earum narra.
10 This is what I dreamed while I was lying on my bed: I saw a large tree [growing] in the middle of the land.
Visio capitis mei in cubili meo: videbam, et ecce arbor in medio terræ, et altitudo ejus nimia.
11 The tree was very strong and had grown very tall; [it seemed that] its top reached up to the sky, with the result that everyone in the world [HYP] could see it.
Magna arbor, et fortis, et proceritas ejus contingens cælum: aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos universæ terræ.
12 It had beautiful leaves, and it had produced a lot of fruit for people to eat. Wild animals rested in the shade of that tree, and birds built nests in its branches. All the living creatures everywhere in the world got food from that tree.
Folia ejus pulcherrima, et fructus ejus nimius: et esca universorum in ea. Subter eam habitabant animalia et bestiæ, et in ramis ejus conversabantur volucres cæli: et ex ea vescebatur omnis caro.
13 While I was still lying on my bed, I saw another vision. In the vision I saw a holy angel coming down from heaven.
Videbam in visione capitis mei super stratum meum, et ecce vigil, et sanctus, de cælo descendit.
14 The angel shouted, “Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches! Strip/Shake off all of its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Chase away the animals that are lying in the shade of the tree, and the birds that are in its branches.
Clamavit fortiter, et sic ait: Succidite arborem, et præcidite ramos ejus: excutite folia ejus, et dispergite fructus ejus: fugiant bestiæ, quæ subter eam sunt, et volucres de ramis ejus.
15 But leave the stump of the tree and its roots in the ground. Fasten a band of iron and bronze around the stump, and allow it to stay there with grass around it.”
Verumtamen germen radicum ejus in terra sinite, et alligetur vinculo ferreo et æreo in herbis quæ foris sunt, et rore cæli tingatur, et cum feris pars ejus in herba terræ.
16 [That tree seems to have represented a man, because the angel also said], “Cause that man to live [out in the fields] among the animals and plants. Cause the dew from the sky to make his body damp [each morning]. Do not allow him to [continue to] have a mind like humans; instead, cause him to have a mind like animals have, for seven years.
Cor ejus ab humano commutetur, et cor feræ detur ei: et septem tempora mutentur super eum.
17 The holy angels have decided what must happen. They want to inform everyone that the Supreme God rules over all the kingdoms in this world. He is the one who chooses who will rule these kingdoms. He [sometimes] allows very unimportant people to become rulers.”
In sententia vigilum decretum est, et sermo sanctorum, et petitio: donec cognoscant viventes quoniam dominatur Excelsus in regno hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, dabit illud, et humillimum hominem constituet super eum.
18 Belteshazzar, that is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw in my dream. Now tell me what the dream means. No one else can tell me. [I asked] all the very wise men in my kingdom [to tell me] what it means, [but they were unable to do that]. But you can [tell me], because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Hoc somnium vidi ego Nabuchodonosor rex: tu ergo Baltassar interpretationem narra festinus, quia omnes sapientes regni mei non queunt solutionem edicere mihi: tu autem potes, quia spiritus deorum sanctorum in te est.
19 I, whose [new] name was Belteshazzar, did not say anything for some time, [because] I was very worried/disturbed [about the meaning of the dream. Finally], the king said to me, “Belteshazzar, do not be afraid about the dream and about what it means.” I replied, “Sir, I wish that the events that were predicted in your dream would happen to your enemies, [and not to you].
Tunc Daniel, cujus nomen Baltassar, cœpit intra semetipsum tacitus cogitare quasi una hora: et cogitationes ejus conturbabant eum. Respondens autem rex, ait: Baltassar, somnium et interpretatio ejus non conturbent te. Respondit Baltassar, et dixit: Domine mi, somnium his, qui te oderunt, et interpretatio ejus hostibus tuis sit.
20 [In your dream/vision] you saw a very strong and very tall tree. It [seemed to] reach to the sky, [with the result that] everyone in the world could see it.
Arborem, quam vidisti sublimem atque robustam, cujus altitudo pertingit ad cælum, et aspectus illius in omnem terram;
21 It had beautiful leaves and it had produced a lot of fruit for people to eat. Wild animals rested in the shade of that tree, and birds built nests in its branches.
et rami ejus pulcherrimi, et fructus ejus nimius, et esca omnium in ea, subter eam habitantes bestiæ agri, et in ramis ejus commorantes aves cæli:
22 (Your majesty/O King), that tree [represents] you! You have become very powerful. [It is as though] your greatness reaches up to the sky, and you rule people all over the world.
tu es rex, qui magnificatus es, et invaluisti: et magnitudo tua crevit, et pervenit usque ad cælum, et potestas tua in terminos universæ terræ.
23 [Then] you saw a holy angel coming down from heaven. That angel said, ‘Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches! Strip/Shake off all of its leaves, and scatter its fruit. But leave the stump of the tree and its roots in the ground. Fasten a band of iron and bronze around the stump and [allow it to stay there] with grass around it. [Each morning] cause the dew from the sky to make this man, [who was represented by the tree], damp. Cause him to live in the fields with the animals for seven years.’
Quod autem vidit rex vigilem, et sanctum descendere de cælo, et dicere: Succidite arborem, et dissipate illam, attamen germen radicum ejus in terra dimittite, et vinciatur ferro et ære in herbis foris, et rore cæli conspergatur, et cum feris sit pabulum ejus, donec septem tempora mutentur super eum:
24 (Your Majesty/O King), that is what your dream means. That is what the Supreme God has declared will happen to you.
hæc est interpretatio sententiæ Altissimi, quæ pervenit super dominum meum regem,
25 [Your advisors] will force you to live away from other people. You will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cows do, and dew from the sky will cause your [body] to be damp/wet [every morning]. You will live that way for seven years, until you learn that it is the Supreme God who rules over the kingdoms of the world, and he appoints the ones whom he chooses [to rule them].
Ejicient te ab hominibus, et cum bestiis ferisque erit habitatio tua, et fœnum ut bos comedes, et rore cæli infunderis: septem quoque tempora mutabuntur super te, donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus super regnum hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, det illud.
26 But the stump of the tree and its roots were left [in the ground]. That means that you will rule your kingdom again when you learn that it is God [MTY] who is [really] the ruler.
Quod autem præcepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum ejus, id est arboris: regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse cælestem.
27 (Your Majesty/O King), please do what I am telling you to do. Stop sinning, and do what is right. Turn away from your evil behavior. Act mercifully to poor people. If you do that, perhaps you will continue to be sucessful.”
Quam ob rem, rex, consilium meum placeat tibi, et peccata tua eleemosynis redime, et iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum: forsitan ignoscet delictis tuis.
28 But [the king refused to stop sinning. So what was predicted in the dream is] what happened to him.
Omnia hæc venerunt super Nabuchodonosor regem.
29 Twelve months later, [one day] he was walking [on the flat roof] of his palace in Babylon.
Post finem mensium duodecim, in aula Babylonis deambulabat.
30 As he [looked out over/across the city], he said [to those around him], “I have built this great [city of] Babylon to be the place where I rule! I have built it to display my own power, in order [to show people] my glory, to show them that I am very great!”
Responditque rex, et ait: Nonne hæc est Babylon magna, quam ego ædificavi in domum regni, in robore fortitudinis meæ, et in gloria decoris mei?
31 While he was still saying this, God [MTY] spoke from heaven and said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, this is what I am saying to you: You are no longer the ruler of this kingdom!
Cumque sermo adhuc esset in ore regis, vox de cælo ruit: Tibi dicitur, Nabuchodonosor rex: Regnum tuum transibit a te,
32 [Your advisors] will force you to live away from [other] people. You will live in the fields with wild animals, and you will eat grass like cows do. You will live that way for seven years, until you learn that [it is] I, the Supreme God, who rules over the kingdoms of this world, and I appoint the ones whom I have chosen to rule them.”
et ab hominibus ejicient te, et cum bestiis et feris erit habitatio tua: fœnum quasi bos comedes, et septem tempora mutabuntur super te, donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus in regno hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, det illud.
33 Immediately what [God] predicted happened. Nebuchadnezzar [became insane, so his advisors] forced him to live away from other people. He ate grass like cows [do], and dew from the sky caused his body to be damp/wet [every morning. He lived like that] until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers, and his fingernails became like birds’ claws.
Eadem hora sermo completus est super Nabuchodonosor, et ex hominibus abjectus est, et fœnum ut bos comedit, et rore cæli corpus ejus infectum est, donec capilli ejus in similitudinem aquilarum crescerent, et ungues ejus quasi avium.
34 “After those [seven] years ended, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven, [and I acknowledged that what God said was true]. Then I could think correctly again. I praised and worshiped the Supreme God, and I honored him, the one who lives forever. He rules forever; his kingdom will never end.
Igitur post finem dierum, ego Nabuchodonosor oculos meos ad cælum levavi, et sensus meus redditus est mihi: et Altissimo benedixi, et viventem in sempiternum laudavi et glorificavi: quia potestas ejus potestas sempiterna, et regnum ejus in generationem et generationem.
35 All the people in the world are very insignificant; we are not like him. He has the power to do whatever he wants to do, among the angels in heaven and among us people who live on the earth. [So] no one can stop him [SYN], and no one can [challenge him], saying to him, ‘Why [are you doing these things]?’
Et omnes habitatores terræ apud eum in nihilum reputati sunt: juxta voluntatem enim suam facit tam in virtutibus cæli quam in habitatoribus terræ: et non est qui resistat manui ejus, et dicat ei: Quare fecisti?
36 When I was able to think correctly again, I was honored again, and I [was able to] rule my glorious/great kingdom again. My advisors came to me again [to talk about what should be done], and I became greater and more powerful than I was before.
In ipso tempore sensus meus reversus est ad me, et ad honorem regni mei, decoremque perveni: et figura mea reversa est ad me, et optimates mei et magistratus mei requisierunt me, et in regno meo restitutus sum: et magnificentia amplior addita est mihi.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor [DOU] [God], the king who rules in heaven. All of his actions are just and right. And he is able to cause to become humble those who are proud, [like I was].”
Nunc igitur, ego Nabuchodonosor laudo, et magnifico, et glorifico regem cæli: quia omnia opera ejus vera, et viæ ejus judicia, et gradientes in superbia potest humiliare.
