Danihelis Prophetæ 4
1 Nabuchodonosor rex, omnibus populis, gentibus, et linguis, qui habitant in universa terra, pax vobis multiplicetur.
King Nebuchadnezzar, to people of every nation and language in the whole world: I wish you well!
2 Signa, et mirabilia fecit apud me Deus excelsus. Placuit ergo mihi prædicare
It is my pleasure to share with you an account of the signs and wonders the Most High God has done for me.
3 signa ejus, quia magna sunt: et mirabilia ejus, quia fortia: et regnum ejus regnum sempiternum, et potestas ejus in generationem et generationem.
His signs are incredible. His wonders are amazing! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and his rule will last for all generations!
4 Ego Nabuchodonosor quietus eram in domo mea, et florens in palatio meo:
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was doing well at home, living happily in my palace.
5 somnium vidi, quod perterruit me: et cogitationes meæ in strato meo, et visiones capitis mei conturbaverunt 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 Et per me propositum est decretum ut introducerentur in conspectu meo cuncti sapientes Babylonis, et ut solutionem somnii indicarent mihi.
So I ordered all the wise men of Babylon brought before me to explain the dream to me.
7 Tunc ingrediebantur arioli, magi, Chaldæi, et aruspices, et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum: et solutionem ejus non indicaverunt mihi,
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 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.
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 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.
“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 Visio capitis mei in cubili meo: videbam, et ecce arbor in medio terræ, et altitudo ejus nimia.
As I lay in bed dreaming, I saw a tree in the middle of the earth—a really large tree.
11 Magna arbor, et fortis, et proceritas ejus contingens cælum: aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos universæ terræ.
It grew strong and tall, reaching high into the sky so it could be seen by everyone in the whole world.
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.
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 Videbam in visione capitis mei super stratum meum, et ecce vigil, et sanctus, de cælo descendit.
As I went on dreaming, lying on my bed, I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming 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 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 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.
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 Cor ejus ab humano commutetur, et cor feræ detur ei: et septem tempora mutentur super eum.
Let his mind become like that of an animal. Let him be like this for seven times.
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 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 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 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 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.
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 Arborem, quam vidisti sublimem atque robustam, cujus altitudo pertingit ad cælum, et aspectus illius in omnem terram;
“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 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:
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 tu es rex, qui magnificatus es, et invaluisti: et magnitudo tua crevit, et pervenit usque ad cælum, et potestas tua in terminos universæ terræ.
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 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:
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 hæc est interpretatio sententiæ Altissimi, quæ pervenit super dominum meum regem,
This is what it means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has decreed will happen to 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.
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 Quod autem præcepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum ejus, id est arboris: regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse cælestem.
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 Quam ob rem, rex, consilium meum placeat tibi, et peccata tua eleemosynis redime, et iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum: forsitan ignoscet delictis tuis.
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 Omnia hæc venerunt super Nabuchodonosor regem.
(However, all this did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 Post finem mensium duodecim, in aula Babylonis deambulabat.
Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in 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?
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 Cumque sermo adhuc esset in ore regis, vox de cælo ruit: Tibi dicitur, Nabuchodonosor rex: Regnum tuum transibit a te,
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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?
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 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.
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 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.
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.
