Danihelis Prophetæ 4
1 Nabuchodonosor rex, omnibus populis, gentibus, et linguis, qui habitant in universa terra, pax vobis multiplicetur.
Nebuchadnezzar the king to all people, nations, and languages that dwell upon the whole earth. Peace be multiplied to you!
2 Signa, et mirabilia fecit apud me Deus excelsus. Placuit ergo mihi prædicare
I have thought it good to show the signs and wonders which the Most High God hath wrought toward me.
3 signa ejus, quia magna sunt: et mirabilia ejus, quia fortia: et regnum ejus regnum sempiternum, et potestas ejus in generationem et generationem.
How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endureth from generation to generation.
4 Ego Nabuchodonosor quietus eram in domo mea, et florens in palatio meo:
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
5 somnium vidi, quod perterruit me: et cogitationes meæ in strato meo, et visiones capitis mei conturbaverunt me.
There I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
6 Et per me propositum est decretum ut introducerentur in conspectu meo cuncti sapientes Babylonis, et ut solutionem somnii indicarent mihi.
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me; that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7 Tunc ingrediebantur arioli, magi, Chaldæi, et aruspices, et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum: et solutionem ejus non indicaverunt mihi,
Then came in the scribes, the magicians, the Chaldaeans, and the astrologers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.
8 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.
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, and I told him the dream.
9 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.
O Belteshazzar, chief of the scribes, since I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret is too hard for thee, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
10 Visio capitis mei in cubili meo: videbam, et ecce arbor in medio terræ, et altitudo ejus nimia.
The visions of my head were these. I saw, and behold a tree in the midst, whose height was very great.
11 Magna arbor, et fortis, et proceritas ejus contingens cælum: aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos universæ terræ.
The tree was large and strong, and its height reached to heaven, and it might be seen to the end of the whole earth.
12 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.
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
13 Videbam in visione capitis mei super stratum meum, et ecce vigil, et sanctus, de cælo descendit.
I saw, in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watcher, even a holy one, came down from heaven;
14 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.
he cried aloud, and spake thus: Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches; shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit; let the beasts go away from under it, and the birds from its branches.
15 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.
Yet leave the stump of its roots in the earth, in bands of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and he shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and his portion shall be with the beasts in the grass of the field.
16 Cor ejus ab humano commutetur, et cor feræ detur ei: et septem tempora mutentur super eum.
His heart shall be changed, and be no more that of a man, and a beast's heart shall be given him, and seven times shall pass over him.
17 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.
By a decision of the watchers is the decree, and by a command of the holy ones is the sentence; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over them the lowest of men.
18 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.
This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw, and do thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
19 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.
Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was amazed for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the signification of it to thine enemies!
20 Arborem, quam vidisti sublimem atque robustam, cujus altitudo pertingit ad cælum, et aspectus illius in omnem terram;
The tree which thou sawest, which was large and strong, whose height reached to heaven, and which might be seen by all the earth,
21 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:
whose leaves were fair, and whose fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which all the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whoso branches the birds of heaven had their lodging, —
22 tu es rex, qui magnificatus es, et invaluisti: et magnitudo tua crevit, et pervenit usque ad cælum, et potestas tua in terminos universæ terræ.
it is thou, O king, who art become great and strong; for thy greatness is immense, and reacheth to heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
23 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:
And whereas the king saw a watcher, even a holy one, coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down and destroy it, yet leave the stump of its roots in the earth, in bands of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and he shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and his portion shall be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
24 hæc est interpretatio sententiæ Altissimi, quæ pervenit super dominum meum regem,
this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord, the king;
25 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.
they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall let thee eat grass as oxen, and be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will.
26 Quod autem præcepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum ejus, id est arboris: regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse cælestem.
And whereas it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, thy kingdom shall be sure to thee after thou shalt have acknowledged that Heaven ruleth.
27 Quam ob rem, rex, consilium meum placeat tibi, et peccata tua eleemosynis redime, et iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum: forsitan ignoscet delictis tuis.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thy iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening out of thy tranquility.
28 Omnia hæc venerunt super Nabuchodonosor regem.
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 Post finem mensium duodecim, in aula Babylonis deambulabat.
At the end of twelve months, he was walking in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon;
30 Responditque rex, et ait: Nonne hæc est Babylon magna, quam ego ædificavi in domum regni, in robore fortitudinis meæ, et in gloria decoris mei?
and the king spake and said, Is not this the great Babylon which I have built for the seat of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?
31 Cumque sermo adhuc esset in ore regis, vox de cælo ruit: Tibi dicitur, Nabuchodonosor rex: Regnum tuum transibit a te,
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven: “To thee it is said, O Nebuchadnezzar! the kingdom is departed from thee.
32 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.
And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will.”
33 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.
The same hour was the word fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
34 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.
But at the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom endureth from generation to generation.
35 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?
And all the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say to him, What doest thou?
36 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.
At the same time my reason returned to me, and also the glory of my kingdom, my honor, and my splendor returned to me; and my counsellors and my lords sought me; and I was established in my kingdom, and I received yet greater majesty.
37 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.
Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; all whose works are truth and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
