דניאל 4

1 נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא לְֽכָל־עַֽמְמַיָּא אֻמַיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא דִּֽי־דארין דָיְרִין בְּכָל־אַרְעָא שְׁלָמְכוֹן יִשְׂגֵּֽא׃

King Nabuchodonosor to all nations, tribes, and tongues, who dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you.

2 אָֽתַיָּא וְתִמְהַיָּא דִּי עֲבַד עִמִּי אֱלָהָא עליא עִלָּאָה שְׁפַר קֽ͏ָדָמַי לְהַחֲוָיָֽה׃

It seemed good to me to declare to you the signs and wonders which the most high God has wrought with me,

3 אָתוֹהִי כְּמָה רַבְרְבִין וְתִמְהוֹהִי כְּמָה תַקִּיפִין מַלְכוּתֵהּ מַלְכוּת עָלַם וְשָׁלְטָנֵהּ עִם־דָּר וְדָֽר׃

how great and mighty [they are]: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power to all generations.

4 אֲנָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שְׁלֵה הֲוֵית בְּבֵיתִי וְרַעְנַן בְּהֵיכְלִֽי׃

I Nabuchodonosor was thriving in my house, and prospering.

5 חֵלֶם חֲזֵית וִֽידַחֲלִנַּנִי וְהַרְהֹרִין עַֽל־מִשְׁכְּבִי וְחֶזְוֵי רֵאשִׁי יְבַהֲלֻנַּֽנִי׃

I saw a vision, and it terrified me, and I was troubled on my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.

6 וּמִנִּי שִׂים טְעֵם לְהַנְעָלָה קָֽדָמַי לְכֹל חַכִּימֵי בָבֶל דִּֽי־פְשַׁר חֶלְמָא יְהֽוֹדְעֻנַּֽנִי׃

And I made a decree to bring in before me all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

7 בֵּאדַיִן עללין עָלִּין חַרְטֻמַיָּא אָֽשְׁפַיָּא כשדיא כַּשְׂדָּאֵי וְגָזְרַיָּא וְחֶלְמָא אָמַר אֲנָה קֳדָמֵיהוֹן וּפִשְׁרֵהּ לָא־מְהוֹדְעִין לִֽי׃

So the enchanters, magicians, soothsayers, [and] Chaldeans came in: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation thereof;

8 וְעַד אָחֳרֵין עַל קָֽדָמַי דָּנִיֵּאל דִּֽי־שְׁמֵהּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר כְּשֻׁם אֱלָהִי וְדִי רֽוּחַ־אֱלָהִין קַדִּישִׁין בֵּהּ וְחֶלְמָא קָֽדָמוֹהִי אַמְרֵֽת׃

until Daniel came, whose name is Baltasar, according to the name of my God, who has within him the Holy Spirit of God; to whom I said,

9 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר רַב חַרְטֻמַיָּא דִּי ׀ אֲנָה יִדְעֵת דִּי רוּחַ אֱלָהִין קַדִּישִׁין בָּךְ וְכָל־רָז לָא־אָנֵס לָךְ חֶזְוֵי חֶלְמִי דִֽי־חֲזֵית וּפִשְׁרֵהּ אֱמַֽר׃

O Baltasar, chief of the enchanters, of whom I know that the Holy Spirit of God is in thee, and no mystery is too hard for thee, hear the vision of my dream which I had, and tell me the interpretation of it.

10 וְחֶזְוֵי רֵאשִׁי עַֽל־מִשְׁכְּבִי חָזֵה הֲוֵית וַאֲלוּ אִילָן בְּגוֹא אַרְעָא וְרוּמֵהּ שַׂגִּֽיא׃

I had a vision upon my bed; and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

11 רְבָה אִֽילָנָא וּתְקִף וְרוּמֵהּ יִמְטֵא לִשְׁמַיָּא וַחֲזוֹתֵהּ לְסוֹף כָּל־אַרְעָֽא׃

The tree grew large and strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its extent to the extremity of the whole earth:

12 עָפְיֵהּ שַׁפִּיר וְאִנְבֵּהּ שַׂגִּיא וּמָזוֹן לְכֹלָּא־בֵהּ תְּחֹתוֹהִי תַּטְלֵל ׀ חֵיוַת בָּרָא וּבְעַנְפוֹהִי ידרון יְדוּרָן צִפֲּרֵי שְׁמַיָּא וּמִנֵּהּ יִתְּזִין כָּל־בִּשְׂרָֽא׃

its leaves were fair, and its fruit abundant, and in it was meat for all; and under it the wild beasts of the field took shelter, and the birds of the sky lodged in the branches of it, and all flesh was fed of it.

13 חָזֵה הֲוֵית בְּחֶזְוֵי רֵאשִׁי עַֽל־מִשְׁכְּבִי וַאֲלוּ עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ מִן־שְׁמַיָּא נָחִֽת׃

I beheld in the night vision upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven, and cried aloud, and thus he said,

14 קָרֵא בְחַיִל וְכֵן אָמַר גֹּדּוּ אִֽילָנָא וְקַצִּצוּ עַנְפוֹהִי אַתַּרוּ עָפְיֵהּ וּבַדַּרוּ אִנְבֵּהּ תְּנֻד חֵֽיוְתָא מִן־תַּחְתּוֹהִי וְצִפְּרַיָּא מִן־עַנְפֽוֹהִי׃

Cut down the tree, and pluck off its branches, and shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the wild beasts be removed from under it, and the birds from its branches.

15 בְּרַם עִקַּר שָׁרְשׁוֹהִי בְּאַרְעָא שְׁבֻקוּ וּבֶֽאֱסוּר דִּֽי־פַרְזֶל וּנְחָשׁ בְּדִתְאָא דִּי בָרָא וּבְטַל שְׁמַיָּא יִצְטַבַּע וְעִם־חֵיוְתָא חֲלָקֵהּ בַּעֲשַׂב אַרְעָֽא׃

Only leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and [bind it] with an iron and brass band; and it shall lie in the grass that is without and in the dew of heaven, and its portion [shall be] with the wild beasts in the grass of the field.

16 לִבְבֵהּ מִן־אנושא אֲנָשָׁא יְשַׁנּוֹן וּלְבַב חֵיוָה יִתְיְהִב לֵהּ וְשִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן עֲלֽוֹהִי׃

His heart shall be changed from that of man, and the heart of a wild beast shall be given to him; and seven times shall pass over him.

17 בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵֽלְתָא עַד־דִּבְרַת דִּי יִנְדְּעוּן חַיַּיָּא דִּֽי־שַׁלִּיט עליא עִלָּאָה בְּמַלְכוּת אנושא אֲנָשָׁא וּלְמַן־דִּי יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּהּ וּשְׁפַל אֲנָשִׁים יְקִים עליה עֲלַֽהּ׃

The matter is by the decree of the watcher, and the demand is a word of the holy ones; that the living may know that the Lord is most high [over] the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whomsoever he shall please, and will set up over it that which is set at nought of men.

18 דְּנָה חֶלְמָא חֲזֵית אֲנָה מַלְכָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר ואנתה וְאַנְתְּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר פִּשְׁרֵא ׀ אֱמַר כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי ׀ כָּל־חַכִּימֵי מַלְכוּתִי לָֽא־יָכְלִין פִּשְׁרָא לְהוֹדָעֻתַנִי ואנתה וְאַנְתְּ כָּהֵל דִּי רֽוּחַ־אֱלָהִין קַדִּישִׁין בָּֽךְ׃

This is the vision which I king Nabuchodonosor saw: and do thou, Baltasar, declare the interpretation, for none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to shew me the interpretation of it: but thou, Daniel, art able; for the Holy Spirit of God is in thee.

19 אֱדַיִן דָּֽנִיֵּאל דִּֽי־שְׁמֵהּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר אֶשְׁתּוֹמַם כְּשָׁעָה חֲדָה וְרַעְיֹנֹהִי יְבַהֲלֻנֵּהּ עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵא אַֽל־יְבַהֲלָךְ עָנֵה בֵלְטְשַׁאצַּר וְאָמַר מראי מָרִי חֶלְמָא לשנאיך לְשָֽׂנְאָךְ וּפִשְׁרֵהּ לעריך לְעָרָֽךְ׃

Then Daniel, whose name is Baltasar, was amazed about one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. And Baltasar answered and said, [My] lord, let the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation of it to thine enemies.

20 אִֽילָנָא דִּי חֲזַיְתָ דִּי רְבָה וּתְקִף וְרוּמֵהּ יִמְטֵא לִשְׁמַיָּא וַחֲזוֹתֵהּ לְכָל־אַרְעָֽא׃

The tree which thou sawest, that grew large and strong, whose height reached to the sky and its extent to all the earth;

21 וְעָפְיֵהּ שַׁפִּיר וְאִנְבֵּהּ שַׂגִּיא וּמָזוֹן לְכֹלָּא־בֵהּ תְּחֹתוֹהִי תְּדוּר חֵיוַת בָּרָא וּבְעַנְפוֹהִי יִשְׁכְּנָן צִפֲּרֵי שְׁמַיָּֽא׃

and whose leaves were flourishing, and its fruit abundant, (and it was meat for all; under it the wild beasts lodged, and the birds of the sky took shelter in its branches: )

22 אנתה־אַנְתְּ־הוּא מַלְכָּא דִּי רְבַית וּתְקֵפְתְּ וּרְבוּתָךְ רְבָת וּמְטָת לִשְׁמַיָּא וְשָׁלְטָנָךְ לְסוֹף אַרְעָֽא׃

is thyself, O king; for thou art grown great and powerful, and thy greatness has increased and reached to heaven, and thy dominion to the ends of the earth.

23 וְדִי חֲזָה מַלְכָּא עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ נָחִת ׀ מִן־שְׁמַיָּא וְאָמַר גֹּדּוּ אִֽילָנָא וְחַבְּלוּהִי בְּרַם עִקַּר שָׁרְשׁוֹהִי בְּאַרְעָא שְׁבֻקוּ וּבֶאֱסוּר דִּֽי־פַרְזֶל וּנְחָשׁ בְּדִתְאָא דִּי בָרָא וּבְטַל שְׁמַיָּא יִצְטַבַּע וְעִם־חֵיוַת בָּרָא חֲלָקֵהּ עַד דִּֽי־שִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן עֲלֽוֹהִי׃

And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and he said, Strip the tree, and destroy it; only leave the stump of its roots in the ground, and [bind it] with a band of iron and brass; and it shall lie in the grass that is without, and in the dew of heaven, and its portion shall be with wild beasts, until seven times have passed over it;

24 דְּנָה פִשְׁרָא מַלְכָּא וּגְזֵרַת עליא עִלָּאָה הִיא דִּי מְטָת עַל־מראי מָרִי מַלְכָּֽא׃

this is the interpretation of it, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king.

25 וְלָךְ טָֽרְדִין מִן־אֲנָשָׁא וְעִם־חֵיוַת בָּרָא לֶהֱוֵה מְדֹרָךְ וְעִשְׂבָּא כְתוֹרִין ׀ לָךְ יְטַֽעֲמוּן וּמִטַּל שְׁמַיָּא לָךְ מְצַבְּעִין וְשִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן עֲלָיךְ עַד דִּֽי־תִנְדַּע דִּֽי־שַׁלִּיט עִלָּיָא בְּמַלְכוּת אֲנָשָׁא וּלְמַן־דִּי יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּֽהּ׃

And they shall drive thee forth from men, and thy dwelling shall be with wild beasts, and they shall feed thee with grass as an ox, and thou shalt have thy lodging under the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whom he shall please.

26 וְדִי אֲמַרוּ לְמִשְׁבַּק עִקַּר שָׁרְשׁוֹהִי דִּי אִֽילָנָא מַלְכוּתָךְ לָךְ קַיָּמָה מִן־דִּי תִנְדַּע דִּי שַׁלִּטִן שְׁמַיָּֽא׃

And whereas they said, Leave the stumps of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom abides [sure] to thee from the time that thou shalt know the power of the heavens.

27 לָהֵן מַלְכָּא מִלְכִּי יִשְׁפַּר עליך עֲלָךְ וחטיך וַחֲטָאָךְ בְּצִדְקָה פְרֻק וַעֲוָיָתָךְ בְּמִחַן עֲנָיִן הֵן תֶּהֱוֵא אַרְכָה לִשְׁלֵוְתָֽךְ׃

Therefore, O king, let my counsel please thee, and atone for thy sins by alms, and [thine] iniquities by compassion on the poor: it may be God will be long-suffering to thy trespasses.

28 כֹּלָּא מְּטָא עַל־נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּֽא׃

All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.

29 לִקְצָת יַרְחִין תְּרֵֽי־עֲשַׂר עַל־הֵיכַל מַלְכוּתָא דִּי בָבֶל מְהַלֵּךְ הֲוָֽה׃

After a twelvemonth, as he walked in his palace in Babylon,

30 עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר הֲלָא דָא־הִיא בָּבֶל רַבְּתָא דִּֽי־אֲנָה בֱנַיְתַהּ לְבֵית מַלְכוּ בִּתְקַף חִסְנִי וְלִיקָר הַדְרִֽי׃

the king answered and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal residence, by the might of my power, for the honour of my glory?

31 עוֹד מִלְּתָא בְּפֻם מַלְכָּא קָל מִן־שְׁמַיָּא נְפַל לָךְ אָֽמְרִין נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא מַלְכוּתָה עֲדָת מִנָּֽךְ׃

While the word was yet in the king’s mouth, there came a voice from heaven, [saying], To thee, king Nabuchodonosor, they say, The kingdom has departed from thee.

32 וּמִן־אֲנָשָׁא לָךְ טָֽרְדִין וְֽעִם־חֵיוַת בָּרָא מְדֹרָךְ עִשְׂבָּא כְתוֹרִין לָךְ יְטַעֲמוּן וְשִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן עליך עֲלָךְ עַד דִּֽי־תִנְדַּע דִּֽי־שַׁלִּיט עִלָּיָא בְּמַלְכוּת אֲנָשָׁא וּלְמַן־דִּי יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּֽהּ׃

And they [shall] drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the wild beasts of the field, and they shall feed thee with grass as an ox: and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High is Lord of the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whomsoever he shall please.

33 בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָא מִלְּתָא סָפַת עַל־נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וּמִן־אֲנָשָׁא טְרִיד וְעִשְׂבָּא כְתוֹרִין יֵאכֻל וּמִטַּל שְׁמַיָּא גִּשְׁמֵהּ יִצְטַבַּע עַד דִּי שַׂעְרֵהּ כְּנִשְׁרִין רְבָה וְטִפְרוֹהִי כְצִפְּרִֽין׃

In the same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor: and he was driven forth from men, and he ate grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hairs were grown like lions’ [hairs], and his nails as birds’ [claws].

34 וְלִקְצָת יֽוֹמַיָּה אֲנָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר עַיְנַי ׀ לִשְׁמַיָּא נִטְלֵת וּמַנְדְּעִי עֲלַי יְתוּב ולעליא וּלְעִלָּאָה בָּרְכֵת וּלְחַי עָלְמָא שַׁבְּחֵת וְהַדְּרֵת דִּי שָׁלְטָנֵהּ שָׁלְטָן עָלַם וּמַלְכוּתֵהּ עִם־דָּר וְדָֽר׃

And at the end of the time I Nabuchodonosor lifted up mine eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised him that lives for ever, and gave [him] glory; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [lasts] to all generations:

35 וְכָל־דארי דָּיְרֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין וּֽכְמִצְבְּיֵהּ עָבֵד בְּחֵיל שְׁמַיָּא ודארי וְדָיְרֵי אַרְעָא וְלָא אִיתַי דִּֽי־יְמַחֵא בִידֵהּ וְיֵאמַר לֵהּ מָה עֲבַֽדְתְּ׃

and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none who shall withstand his power, and say to him, What hast thou done?

36 בֵּהּ־זִמְנָא מַנְדְּעִי ׀ יְתוּב עֲלַי וְלִיקַר מַלְכוּתִי הַדְרִי וְזִוִי יְתוּב עֲלַי וְלִי הַדָּֽבְרַי וְרַבְרְבָנַי יְבַעוֹן וְעַל־מַלְכוּתִי הָתְקְנַת וּרְבוּ יַתִּירָה הוּסְפַת לִֽי׃

At the same time my reason returned to me, and I came to the honour of my kingdom; and my [natural] form returned to me, and my princes, and my nobles, sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and more abundant majesty was added to me.

37 כְּעַן אֲנָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מְשַׁבַּח וּמְרוֹמֵם וּמְהַדַּר לְמֶלֶךְ שְׁמַיָּא דִּי כָל־מַעֲבָדוֹהִי קְשֹׁט וְאֹרְחָתֵהּ דִּין וְדִי מַהְלְכִין בְּגֵוָה יָכִל לְהַשְׁפָּלָֽה׃

Now therefore I Nabuchodonosor praise and greatly exalt and glorify the King of heaven; for all his works are true, and his paths are judgment: and all that walk in pride he is able to abase.