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 praedicare

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 meae 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 Chaldaei 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 terrae 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 caelum aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos universae terrae

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 bestiae et in ramis eius conversabantur volucres caeli 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 caelo 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 praecidite ramos eius excutite folia eius et dispergite fructus eius fugiant bestiae quae 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 aereo in herbis quae foris sunt et rore caeli tingatur et cum feris pars eius in herba terrae

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 ferae 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 coepit 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 caelum 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 bestiae agri et in ramis eius commorantes aves caeli

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 caelum et potestas tua in terminos universae terrae

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 caelo et dicere Succidite arborem et dissipate illam attamen germen radicum eius in terra dimittite et vinciatur ferro et aere in herbis foris et rore caeli 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 Haec est interpretatio sententiae Altissimi quae 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 foenum ut bos comedes et rore caeli 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 praecepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum eius id est arboris regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse caelestem

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 haec 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 haec est Babylon magna quam ego aedificavi in domum regni in robore fortitudinis meae 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 caelo 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 foenum 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 foenum ut bos comedit et rore caeli 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 caelum 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 terrae apud eum in nihilum reputati sunt iuxta voluntatem enim suam facit tam in virtutibus caeli quam in habitatoribus terrae 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 caeli quia omnia opera eius vera et viae 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.