Daniel 4
1 Nabugodonosor, the kyng, writith thus to alle puplis and langagis, that dwellen in al erthe, pees be multiplied to you.
King Nebuchadnezzar, to people of every nation and language in the whole world: I wish you well!
2 Hiy God made at me myraclis and merueils;
It is my pleasure to share with you an account of the signs and wonders the Most High God has done for me.
3 therfor it pleside me to preche hise myraclis, for tho ben greet, and hise merueils, for tho ben stronge; and his rewme is an euerlastynge rewme, and his power is in generacioun and in to generacioun.
His signs are incredible. His wonders are amazing! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and his rule will last for all generations!
4 I, Nabugodonosor, was restful in myn hous, and flourynge in my paleis;
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was doing well at home, living happily in my palace.
5 Y siy a dreem, that made me aferd; and my thouytis in my bed, and the siytis of myn heed disturbliden me.
But then one night I had a dream that really scared me—I saw visions that terrified me while I lay in my bed.
6 And a decre was set forth bi me, that alle the wise men of Babiloyne schulden be brouyt in bifor my siyt, and that thei schulden schewe to me the soilyng of the dreem.
So I ordered all the wise men of Babylon brought before me to explain the dream to me.
7 Than false dyuynours, astronomyens, Caldeis, and biholderis of auteris entriden; and Y telde the dreem in the siyt of hem, and thei schewiden not to me the soilyng therof, til the felowe in office,
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in I told them the dream, but they couldn't explain to me what it meant.
8 Danyel, to whom the name was Balthasar, bi the name of my God, entride in my siyt, which Danyel hath the spirit of hooli goddis in hym silf; and Y spak the dreem bifor hym.
In the end Daniel came before me and I told him the dream. (He is also called Belteshazzar after my god, and he has the spirit of the holy gods in him.)
9 Balthasar, prince of dyuynouris, whom Y knowe, that thou hast in thee the spirit of hooli goddis, and ech sacrament, ether preuytee, is not vnpossible to thee, telle thou to me the visiouns of my dreemes, whiche Y siy, and the soilyng of tho.
“Belteshazzar, chief of magicians,” I said, “I certainly know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is difficult for you to explain. So tell me about what I saw in my dream and explain what it means.
10 This is the visioun of myn heed in my bed. Y siy, and lo! a tree was in the myddis of erthe, and the hiynesse therof was ful greet.
As I lay in bed dreaming, I saw a tree in the middle of the earth—a really large tree.
11 And the tree was greet and strong, and the heiythe therof touchide heuene, and the biholdynge therof was `til to the endis of al erthe.
It grew strong and tall, reaching high into the sky so it could be seen by everyone in the whole world.
12 The leeuys therof weren ful faire, and the fruyt therof was ful myche, and the mete of alle was in it; beestis and wielde beestis dwelliden vndur it, and briddis of the eir lyuyden in the braunchis therof, and ech man ete of it.
Its leaves were beautiful, and it was full of fruit for all to eat. Wild animals rested in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. It fed all living creatures.
13 Thus Y siy in the visioun of myn heed, on my bed. And lo! a wakere, and hooli man cam doun fro heuene,
As I went on dreaming, lying on my bed, I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14 and he criede strongli, and seide thus, Hewe ye doun the tree, and kitte ye doun the bowis therof, and schake ye awei the leeuys therof, and scatere ye abrood the fruytis therof; beestis fle awei, that be vndur it, and briddis fro the bowis therof.
He cried out in a loud voice, ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Drive the animals away from its shade, and scare off the birds from its branches.
15 Netheles suffre ye the seed of rootis therof in erthe, and be he boondun with a boond of irun and of bras, in erbis that ben with out forth, and in the deew of heuene be he died, and his part be with wielde beestis in the erbe of erthe.
But leave the stump and its roots in the ground, and bind it with iron and bronze, surrounded by the new grass of the field. Let him become soaked with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals outside in the undergrowth.
16 His herte be chaungid fro mannus herte, and the herte of a wielde beeste be youun to hym, and seuene tymes be chaungid on hym.
Let his mind become like that of an animal. Let him be like this for seven times.
17 In the sentence of wakeris it is demed, and it is the word and axyng of seyntis, til lyuynge men knowe, that hiy God is Lord in the rewme of men; and he schal yyue it to whom euere he wole, and he schal ordeyne on it the mekeste man.
This is the decree conveyed by the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones in order that everyone alive may know that the Most High rules over human kingdoms. He gives them to whoever he chooses—he puts the most humble individuals in charge.’
18 Y, Nabugodonosor, the kyng, siy this dreem. Therfor thou, Balthasar, telle hastili the interpretyng, for alle the wise men of my rewme moun not seie to me the soilyng; but thou maist, for the spirit of hooli goddis is in thee.
This is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw in my dream. Now it's up to you, Belteshazzar, to give me the explanation as you have before. None of the wise men in my kingdom could explain it to me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19 Thanne Danyel, to whom the name was Balthasar, began to thenke priueli with ynne hym silf, as in oon our, and hise thouytis disturbliden hym. Forsothe the kyng answeride, and seide, Balthasar, the dreem and the interpretyng therof disturble not thee. Balthasar answeride, and seide, My lord, the dreem be to hem that haten thee, and the interpretyng therof be to thin enemyes.
When Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) heard this, he was upset for a while, disturbed as he thought about it. The king told him, “Belteshazzar, don't be worried about the dream and what it means.” “My lord, I only wish this dream was for those who hate you and the explanation for your enemies,” Daniel replied.
20 The tree which thou siyest hiy and strong, whos heiythe stretchith `til to heuene, and the biholdyng therof in to ech lond,
“The tree you saw was growing strong and tall, reaching high into the sky so it could be seen by everyone in the whole world.
21 and the faireste braunchis therof, and the fruyt therof ful myche, and the mete of alle in it, and beestis of the feeld dwellynge vndur it, and the briddis of the eir dwellynge in the boowis therof,
Its leaves were beautiful, and it was full of fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived under its shade, and birds nested in its branches.
22 thou art, kyng, that art magnefied, and wexidist strong, and thi greetnesse encreesside, and cam `til to heuene, and thi power in to the endis of al erthe.
This is you, Your Majesty. You have grown strong, your power has become so great that it has reached high into the sky, and your rule extends to the ends of the earth.
23 Sotheli that the kyng siy a wakere and hooli come doun fro heuene, and seie, Hewe ye doun the tree, and distrie ye it, netheles leeue ye the seed of rootis therof in erthe, and be he boundun with irun and bras, in erbis with out forth, and be he bispreynt with the deew of heuene, and his mete be with wielde beestis, til seuene tymes be chaungid on hym;
Then Your Majesty saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven who said, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump and its roots in the ground, and bind it with iron and bronze, surrounded by the new grass of the field. Let him become soaked with the dew of heaven and let him live with the animals outside in the undergrowth. Let his mind become like that of an animal. Let him be like this for seven times.’
24 this is the interpretyng of the sentence of the hiyeste, which sentence is comun on my lord, the kyng.
This is what it means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has decreed will happen to my lord the king.
25 Thei schulen caste thee out fro men, and thi dwellyng schal be with beestys and wielde beestis, and thou schalt ete hey, as an oxe doith, but also thou schalt be bisched with the dew of heuene, also seuene tymes schulen be chaungid on thee, til thou knowe, that hiy God is Lord `on the rewme of men, and yyueth it to whom euer he wole.
You will be driven away from human society and you will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like the cattle, and you will be soaked with the dew of heaven. You will be like this for seven times until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over human kingdoms, and that he gives them to those he chooses.
26 Forsothe that he comaundide, that the seed of rootis therof, that is, of the tree, schulde be left, thi rewme schal dwelle to thee, aftir that thou knowist that the power is of heuene.
However, as it was decreed, the stump and its roots were to be left in the ground. Your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 Wherfor, kyng, my counsel plese thee, and ayenbie thi synnes with almesdedis, and ayenbie thi wickidnessis with mercies of pore men; in hap God schal foryyue thi trespassis.
So, Your Majesty, please take my advice. Stop sinning and do what's right. End your iniquities and be merciful to the oppressed. Maybe then things will continue to go well for you.”
28 Alle these thingis camen on Nabugodonosor, the kyng.
(However, all this did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 After the ende of twelue monethis he walkide in the halle of Babiloyne;
Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon.
30 and the kyng answeride, and seide, Whether this is not Babiloyne, the greet citee, which Y bildide in to the hous of rewme, in the miyt of my strengthe, and in the glorie of my fairnesse?
He said, “I was the one who built this great city of Babylon! By my own great power I built it as my royal residence for my majestic glory!”
31 Whanne the word was yit in the mouth of the kyng, a vois felle doun fro heuene, Nabugodonosor, kyng, it is seid to thee, Thi rewme is passid fro thee,
The words were still on the king's lips when a voice came from heaven, “King Nebuchadnezzar, this is what is decreed concerning you: the kingdom has been taken away from you.
32 and thei schulen caste thee out fro men, and thi dwellyng schal be with beestis and wielde beestis; thou schalt ete hey, as an oxe doith, and seuene tymes schulen be chaungid on thee, til thou knowe, that hiy God is Lord in the rewme of men, and yyueth it to whom euere he wole.
You will be driven away from human society and you will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like the cattle, and you will become soaked with the dew of heaven. You will be like this for seven times until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over human kingdoms, and that he gives them to whoever he chooses.”
33 In the same our the word was fillid on Nabugodonosor, and he was cast out fro men, and he eet hey, as an oxe doith, and his bodi was colouryd with the deew of heuene, til hise heeris wexiden at the licnesse of eglis, and hise nailis as the nailis of briddis.
Immediately the decree was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven away from human society. He ate grass like the cattle, and his body was soaked with the dew of heaven. His hair grew matted like a vulture, and his nails like bird claws.)
34 Therfor after the ende of daies, Y, Nabugodonosor, reiside myn iyen to heuene, and my wit was yoldun to me; and Y blesside the hiyeste, and Y heriede, and glorifiede hym that lyueth with outen ende; for whi his power is euerlastynge power, and his rewme is in generacioun and in to generacioun.
Once the time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven and my sanity returned to me. I blessed and praised the Most High and worshiped the One who lives forever. His rule is an eternal rule, and his kingdom lasts for all generations.
35 And alle the dwelleris of erthe ben arettid in to noyt at hym; for bi his wille he doith, bothe in the vertues of heuene, and in the dwelleris of erthe, and noon is, that ayenstondith his hond, and seith to hym, Whi didist thou so?
Everyone who lives on earth are as nothing compared to him. He does whatever he chooses among the heavenly host and among those who live on earth. No one can hold him back from what he does, or ask him, “What are you doing?”
36 In that tyme my wit turnede ayen to me, and Y cam fulli to the onour and fairnesse of my rewme, and my figure turnede ayen to me; and my beste men and my magistratis souyten me, and Y was set in my rewme, and my greet doyng was encreessid grettir to me.
When my sanity returned, then my kingdom, majesty, and splendor also returned to me. My advisors and nobles came looking for me, and I was restored as ruler over my kingdom, even greater than before.
37 Now therfor Y Nabugodonosor herie, and magnefie, and glorifie the kyng of heuene; for alle hise werkis ben trewe, and alle his weies ben domes; and he may make meke hem that goon in pride.
So now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, honor, and glorify the King of Heaven, for everything he does is right, and his ways are true. He is able to humble those who are proud.
