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 in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you.

2 Signa, et mirabilia fecit apud me Deus excelsus. Placuit ergo mihi prædicare

I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

3 signa eius, quia magna sunt: et mirabilia eius, quia fortia: et regnum eius regnum sempiternum, et potestas eius in generationem et generationem.

How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

4 Ego Nabuchodonosor quietus eram in domo mea, et florens in palatio meo:

I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest 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.

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 I made 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 eius non indicaverunt mihi:

Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation of it.

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 before him I told the dream, saying,

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, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation of it.

10 Visio capitis mei in cubili meo: Videbam, et ecce arbor in medio terræ, et altitudo eius nimia.

Thus were the visions of my head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

11 Magna arbor, et fortis: et proceritas eius contingens cælum: aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos universæ terræ.

The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to heaven, and the sight of it to the end of all the earth:

12 Folia eius pulcherrima, et fructus eius nimius: et esca universorum in ea: subter eam habitabant animalia, et bestiæ, et in ramis eius conversabantur volucres cæli: et ex ea vescebatur omnis caro.

Its leaves were fair, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it, and the fowls of heaven dwelt among its boughs, and all flesh was fed from 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 and an holy one came down from heaven;

14 Clamavit fortiter, et sic ait: Succidite arborem, et præcidite ramos eius: excutite folia eius, et dispergite fructus eius: fugiant bestiæ, quæ subter eam sunt, et volucres de ramis eius.

He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts escape from under it, and the fowls from its branches:

15 Verumtamen germen radicum eius in terra sinite, et alligetur vinculo ferreo et æreo in herbis, quæ foris sunt, et rore cæli tingatur, et cum feris pars eius in herba terræ.

Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

16 Cor eius ab humano commutetur, et cor feræ detur ei: et septem tempora mutentur super eum.

Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given to him; and let seven times 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.

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomever he will, and setteth up over it the basest 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 have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation of it, 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, cuius nomen Baltassar, cœpit intra semetipsum tacitus cogitare quasi una hora: et cogitationes eius conturbabant eum. Respondens autem rex ait: Baltassar, somnium et interpretatio eius non conturbent te. Respondit Baltassar, et dixit: Domine mi, somnium his, qui te oderunt, et interpretatio eius hostibus tuis sit.

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation of it, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation of it to thy enemies.

20 Arborem, quam vidisti sublimem, atque robustam, cuius altitudo pertingit ad cælum, et aspectus illius in omnem terram:

The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the heaven, and the sight of it to all the earth;

21 et rami eius pulcherrimi, et fructus eius nimius, et esca omnium in ea, subter eam habitantes bestiæ agri, et in ramis eius commorantes aves cæli:

Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit of it abundant, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of heaven had their habitation:

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, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, 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 eius in terra dimittite, et vinciatur ferro et ære in herbis foris, et rore cæli conspergatur, et cum feris sit pabulum eius, donec septem tempora mutentur super eum:

And in that the king saw a watcher and an 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, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times shall 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 Eiicient 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.

That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou shalt know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomever he will.

26 Quod autem præcepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum eius, id est arboris: regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse cælestem.

And though they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure to thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

27 Quam ob rem rex consilium meum placeat tibi, et peccata tua eleemosynis redime, et iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum: forsitan ignoscet delictis tuis.

Therefore, 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 of thy tranquillity.

28 Omnia hæc venerunt super Nabuchodonosor regem.

All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

29 Post finem mensium duodecim, in aula Babylonis deambulabat.

At the end of twelve months he walked 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?

The king spoke, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour 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, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom hath departed from thee.

32 et ab hominibus eiicient 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 to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou shalt know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomever he will.

33 Eadem hora sermo completus est super Nabuchodonosor, et ex hominibus abiectus est, et fœnum ut bos comedit, et rore cæli corpus eius infectum est: donec capilli eius in similitudinem aquilarum crescerent, et ungues eius quasi avium.

The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and ate 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 eius potestas sempiterna, et regnum eius in generationem et generationem.

And 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 honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

35 Et omnes habitatores terræ apud eum in nihilum reputati sunt: iuxta voluntatem enim suam facit tam in virtutibus cæli quam in habitatoribus terræ: et non est qui resistat manui eius, et dicat ei: Quare fecisti?

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed 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 for the glory of my kingdom, my honour and brightness returned to me; and my counsellors and my lords sought to me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.

37 Nunc igitur ego Nabuchodonosor laudo, et magnifico, et glorifico regem cæli: quia omnia opera eius vera, et viæ eius iudicia, et gradientes in superbia potest humiliare.

Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.