Daniel 2
1 In the secounde yeer of the rewme of Nabugodonosor, Nabugodonosor siy a dreem; and his spirit was aferd, and his dreem fledde awei fro hym.
In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.
2 Therfor the kyng comaundide, that the dyuynours, and astronomyens, and witchis, and Caldeis schulden be clepid togidere, that thei schulden telle to the kyng hise dremys; and whanne thei weren comun, thei stoden bifor the king.
Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be called to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
3 And the king seide to hem, Y siy a dreem, and Y am schent in mynde, and Y knowe not what Y siy.
The king said to them, “I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”
4 And Caldeis answeriden the kyng bi Sirik langage, Kyng, liue thou with outen ende; seie thi dreem to thi seruauntis, and we schulen schewe to thee the expownyng therof.
Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
5 And the kyng answeride, and seide to Caldeis, The word is goen awei fro me; if ye schewen not to me the dreem, and expownyng therof, ye schulen perische, and youre housis schulen be forfetid.
The king answered the Chaldeans, “The thing has gone from me. If you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill.
6 Forsothe if ye tellen the dreem, and the expownyng therof, ye schulen take of me meedis and yiftis, and myche onour; therfor schewe ye to me the dreem, and the interpretyng therof.
But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 Thei answeriden the secounde tyme, and seiden, The kyng seie the dreem to hise seruauntis, and we schulen schewe the interpretyng therof.
They answered the second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
8 The kyng answeride, and seide, Certis Y woot, that ye ayenbien the tyme, and witen that the word is goen awei fro me.
The king answered, “I know of a certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see the thing has gone from me.
9 Therfor if ye schewen not to me the dreem, o sentence is of you, for ye maken an interpretyng bothe fals and ful of disseit, that ye speke to me til the tyme passe; therfor seie ye the dreem to me, that Y wite, that ye speke also the veri interpretyng therof.
But if you do not make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.”
10 Therfor Caldeis answeriden bifor the kyng, and seiden, Kyng, no man is on erthe, that mai fille thi word; but nether ony greet man and myyti of kyngis axith siche a word of ony dyuynour, and astronomyen, and of a man of Caldee.
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can show the king’s matter, because no king, lord, or ruler has asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or Chaldean.
11 For the word which thou, kyng, axist, is greuouse, nether ony schal be foundun, that schal schewe it in the siyt of the king, outakun goddis, whos lyuyng is not with men.
It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 And whanne this word was herd, the kyng comaundide, in woodnesse and in greet ire, that alle the wise men of Babiloyne schulden perische.
Because of this, the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
13 And bi the sentence goon out, the wise men weren slayn; and Danyel and hise felows weren souyt, that thei schulden perische.
So the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain. They sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
14 Thanne Danyel axide of the lawe and sentence, of Ariok, prynce of chyualrie of the kyng, that was gon out to sle the wise men of Babiloyne.
Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
15 And he axide hym, that hadde take power of the kyng, for what cause so cruel a sentence yede out fro the face of the kyng. Therfor whanne Ariok hadde schewid the thing to Danyel,
He answered Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 Danyel entride, and preyede the kyng, that he schulde yyue tyme to hym to schewe the soilyng to the kyng.
Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.
17 And he entride in to his hous, and schewide the nede to Ananye, and to Misael, and Asarie,
Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
18 hise felowis, that thei schulden axe merci of the face of God of heuene on this sacrament; and that Danyel and hise felowis schulden not perische with othere wise men of Babiloyne.
that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret, that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Thanne the priuyte was schewid to Danyel bi a visioun in nyyt. And Danyel blesside God of heuene, and seide,
Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 The name of the Lord be blessid fro the world, and til in to the world, for wisdom and strengthe ben hise;
Daniel answered, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his.
21 and he chaungith tymes and ages, he translatith rewmes and ordeyneth; he yyueth wisdom to wise men, and kunnyng to hem that vndurstonden techyng, ether chastisyng;
He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 he schewith deepe thingis and hid, and he knowith thingis set in derknessis, and liyt is with hym.
He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.
23 God of oure fadris, Y knowleche to thee, and Y herie thee, for thou hast youe wisdom and strengthe to me; and now thou hast schewid to me tho thingis, whiche we preieden thee, for thou hast openyd to vs the word of the kyng.
I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
24 Aftir these thingis Danyel entride to Ariok, whom the kyng hadde ordeyned, that he schulde leese the wise men of Babiloyne, and thus he spak to hym, Leese thou not the wise men of Babiloyne; leede thou me in bifor the siyt of the kyng, and Y schal telle the soilyng to the kyng.
Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.”
25 Thanne Ariok hastynge ledde in Danyel to the kyng, and seide to him, Y haue foundun a man of the sones of passyng ouer of Juda, that schal telle the soilyng to the kyng.
Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him: “I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
26 The kyng answeride, and seide to Danyel, to whom the name was Balthasar, Whethir gessist thou, that thou maist verili schewe to me the dreem which Y siy, and the interpretyng therof?
The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”
27 And Danyel answeride bifore the king, and seide, The priuytee which the kyng axith, wise men, and astronomyens, and dyuynours, and lokeris of auteris, moun not schewe to the kyng.
Daniel answered before the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded cannot be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers;
28 But God is in heuene, that schewith priuytees, which hath schewid to thee, thou king Nabugodonosor, what thingis schulen come in the laste tymes. Thi dreem and visiouns of thin heed, in thi bed, ben sich.
but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head on your bed are these:
29 Thou, kyng, bigunnest to thenke in thi bed, what was to comynge aftir these thingis; and he that schewith priuetees, schewide to thee what thingis schulen come.
“As for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen.
30 And this sacrament is schewid to me, not bi wisdom which is in me more than in alle lyuynge men, but that the interpretyng schulde be maad opyn to the kyng, and thou schuldist knowe the thouytis of thi soule.
But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
31 Thou, kyng, siyest, and lo! as o greet ymage; thilke ymage was greet, and hiy in stature, and stood bifore thee, and the loking therof was ferdful.
“You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying.
32 The heed of this ymage was of best gold, but the brest and armes weren of siluer; certis the wombe and thies weren of bras,
As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,
33 but the leggis weren of irun; forsothe sum part of the feet was of irun, sum was of erthe.
its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay.
34 Thou siyest thus, til a stoon was kit doun of the hil, with outen hondis, and smoot the ymage in the irun feet therof and erthene feet, and al to-brak tho.
You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
35 Thanne the irun, tijl stoon, ether erthene vessel, bras, siluer, and gold, weren al to-brokun togidere, and dryuun as in to a deed sparcle of a large somer halle, that ben rauyschid of wynd, and no place is foundun to tho; forsothe the stoon, that smoot the ymage, was maad a greet hil, and fillide al erthe.
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dreem. Also, thou kyng, we schulen seie bifor thee the interpretyng therof.
“This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation before the king.
37 Thou art kyng of kyngis, and God of heuene yaf to thee rewme, strengthe, and empire, and glorie;
You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory.
38 and he yaf in thin hond alle thingis, in whiche the sones of men, and the beestis of the feeld, and the briddis of the eir dwellen, and ordeynede alle thingis vndur thi lordschip; therfor thou art the goldun heed.
Wherever the children of men dwell, he has given the animals of the field and the birds of the sky into your hand, and has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.
39 And another rewme lesse than thou schal rise aftir thee; and the thridde rewme, an other of bras, that schal haue the empire of al erthe.
“After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you; and another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourthe rewme schal be as irun, as irun makith lesse, and makith tame alle thingis, so it schal make lesse, and schal al to-breke alle these rewmes.
The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.
41 Forsothe that thou siest a part of the feet and fyngris of erthe of a pottere, and a part of irun, the rewme shal be departid; which netheles schal rise of the plauntyng of irun, `bi that that thou siest irun meynd with a tijl stoon of clei,
Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay and part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 and the toos of the feet in parti of irun, and in parti of erthe, in parti the rewme schal be sad, and in parti to-brokun.
As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
43 Forsothe that thou siest irun meynd with a tiel stoon of clei, sotheli tho schulen be meynd togidere with mannus seed; but tho schulen not cleue to hem silf, as irun mai not be meddlid with tyel stoon.
Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they will not cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.
44 Forsothe in the daies of tho rewmes, God of heuene shal reise a rewme, that schal not be distried with outen ende, and his rewme schal not be youun to another puple; it schal make lesse, and schal waste alle these rewmes, and it schal stonde with outen ende,
“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.
45 bi this that thou siest, that a stoon was kit doun of the hil with outen hondis, and maad lesse the tiel stoon, and irun, and bras, and siluer, and gold. Greet God hath schewid to the kyng, what thingis schulen come aftirward; and the dreem is trewe, and the interpretyng therof is feithful.
Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
46 Thanne king Nabugodonosor felle doun on his face, and worschipide Danyel, and comaundide sacrifices and encense to be brouyt, that tho schulden be sacrifised to hym.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors to him.
47 Therfor the kyng spak, and seide to Danyel, Verili youre God is God of goddis, and Lord of kyngis, that schewith mysteries, for thou miytist opene this sacrament.
The king answered to Daniel, and said, “Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.”
48 Thanne the kyng reiside Danyel an hiy, and yaf many yiftis and grete to hym; and ordeynede hym prince and prefect, ether cheef iustise, ouer alle the prouynces of Babiloyne, and maister ouer alle the wise men of Babiloyne.
Then the king made Daniel great and gave him many great gifts, and made him rule over the whole province of Babylon and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Forsothe Danyel axide of the kyng, and ordeynede Sidrac, Misaac, and Abdenago ouer alle the werkis of the prouynce of Babiloyne; but Danyel hym silf was in the yatis of the kyng.
Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, but Daniel was in the king’s gate.
