Daniel 2
1 En el segundo año del reinado de Nabucodonosor, éste soñó sueños, y su espíritu se turbó, y se le fue el sueño.
[One night] during the second year that Nebuchadnezzar ruled, he had a dream. The dream worried him very much; and [as a result] he could not sleep.
2 Entonces el rey ordenó que se llamara a los magos, a los encantadores, a los hechiceros y a los caldeos para que le contaran al rey sus sueños. Así que entraron y se presentaron ante el rey.
[The next morning] he summoned his men who worked magic, fortune-tellers, those who worked sorcery, and those who studied the stars. [Because he had forgotten what he had dreamed, ] he insisted that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood there in front of the king,
3 El rey les dijo: “He soñado un sueño, y mi espíritu está turbado por conocer el sueño”.
he said, “I had a dream [last night] that worries me. [Tell me what I dreamed, because] I want to know what the dream [means].”
4 Entonces los caldeos hablaron al rey en lengua siria: “¡Oh rey, vive para siempre! Cuenta a tus siervos el sueño, y nosotros te mostraremos la interpretación”.
The men who studied the stars replied to the king, speaking in the Aramaic [language]. They said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we hope that you will live a long time! Tell us what you dreamed, and [then] we will tell you what it means!”
5 El rey respondió a los caldeos: “La cosa se me ha ido de las manos. Si no me dan a conocer el sueño y su interpretación, serán despedazados, y sus casas serán convertidas en un estercolero.
But the king replied, “I have firmly decided that you must tell me the dream, and [also tell me] what it means. If you do not do that, I will [order my soldiers to] cut you into pieces, and to cause your houses to become only piles of stones!
6 Pero si me muestran el sueño y su interpretación, recibirán de mí regalos, recompensas y gran honor. Por lo tanto, muéstrame el sueño y su interpretación”.
But if you tell me what I dreamed and what it means, I will reward you. I will give you wonderful gifts and greatly honor you. So tell me what I dreamed and what it means!”
7 Respondieron la segunda vez y dijeron: “Que el rey cuente el sueño a sus siervos y nosotros mostraremos la interpretación”.
But again they said, “Tell us what you dreamed, and [then] we will tell you what it means.”
8 El rey respondió: “Sé con certeza que tratas de ganar tiempo, porque ves que la cosa se me ha ido de las manos.
The king replied, “I know that you are just trying to get more time, because you know that I will do to you what I said that I would do.
9 Pero si no me das a conocer el sueño, no hay más que una ley para ti, pues has preparado palabras mentirosas y corruptas para hablar ante mí, hasta que la situación cambie. Por tanto, dime el sueño, y sabré que puedes mostrarme su interpretación”.
If you do not tell me what I dreamed, you will be punished. [I think that] you have all agreed to tell me lies and [other] wicked things, because you hope that I will change ([my mind/what I am thinking]). But tell me the dream, and [then] I will know that you can [also] tell me what it means.”
10 Los caldeos respondieron al rey y dijeron: “No hay hombre en la tierra que pueda mostrar el asunto del rey, porque ningún rey, señor o gobernante ha pedido tal cosa a ningún mago, encantador o caldeo.
The men who studied the stars replied, “There is no one on the earth who can do what you ask! There is no king, [even] a great and mighty king, who has [ever] asked his men who work magic or his fortune-tellers or men who study the stars to do something like that!
11 Es una cosa rara la que requiere el rey, y no hay otro que pueda mostrarla ante el rey, excepto los dioses, cuya morada no es con la carne.”
What you are asking [us to do] is impossible. Only the gods can tell you what you dreamed, and they do not live among us!”
12 A causa de esto, el rey se enojó y se puso muy furioso, y ordenó que todos los sabios de Babilonia fueran destruidos.
The king was very angry when he heard that, so he commanded [his soldiers] that they execute all such wise men in Babylon.
13 Así que el decreto salió, y los sabios debían ser asesinados. Buscaron a Daniel y a sus compañeros para matarlos.
And because of what the king commanded, they sent some men to find me and my [three] friends, to execute us [also].
14 Entonces Daniel respondió con consejo y prudencia a Arioc, capitán de la guardia del rey, que había salido a matar a los sabios de Babilonia.
Arioch, the commander of the king’s guards, came to kill us. But I spoke to him very wisely and tactfully/skillfully.
15 El respondió a Arioc, el capitán del rey: “¿Por qué es tan urgente el decreto del rey?” Entonces Arioc dio a conocer el asunto a Daniel.
I asked Arioch, “Why has the king made such a harsh/terrible decree?” So Arioch told me all that had happened [because of the king’s dream].
16 Daniel entró y pidió al rey que le diera un plazo para mostrarle la interpretación.
I [immediately] went to talk to the king and requested that the king give me some time, so that I could find out [what the dream was and] what the dream meant.
17 Entonces Daniel fue a su casa y dio a conocer el asunto a Ananías, Misael y Azarías, sus compañeros
Then I went home, and I told my friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, what had happened.
18 para que pidieran misericordia al Dios del cielo respecto a este secreto, a fin de que Daniel y sus compañeros no perecieran con el resto de los sabios de Babilonia.
I urged them to ask God, who lives/rules in heaven, to have mercy on us by telling us the secret [meaning of what the king dreamed], in order that we and the other wise men in Babylon would not be executed.
19 Entonces el secreto le fue revelado a Daniel en una visión nocturna. Entonces Daniel bendijo al Dios del cielo.
And that night [God] gave to me a vision in which he revealed the secret. Then I praised God,
20 Daniel respondió, “Bendito sea el nombre de Dios por los siglos de los siglos; porque la sabiduría y la fuerza son suyas.
saying, “We should praise God [MTY] forever, because [only] he truly is wise and powerful.
21 Él cambia los tiempos y las estaciones. El quita reyes y pone reyes. Él da sabiduría a los sabios, y el conocimiento a los que tienen entendimiento.
He determines what events will happen through the years. He removes [some] kings and gives their authority to [new] kings. He is the one who causes people to become wise and enables those who study to understand [many] things.
22 Él revela las cosas profundas y secretas. Sabe lo que hay en la oscuridad, y la luz habita en él.
He reveals things that are very mysterious; he is surrounded by light, but he knows things that are hidden [as though they were] in the darkness.
23 Te doy las gracias y te alabo, Oh, Dios de mis padres, que me han dado sabiduría y poder, y ahora me han hecho saber lo que deseamos de ti; porque nos has dado a conocer el asunto del rey”.
God, whom my ancestors [worshiped], I thank you and I praise you, because you have caused me to be wise and made me strong. You have told me what my friends and I asked you to tell us; and you have revealed to us what the king demanded to know.”
24 Por lo tanto, Daniel fue a ver a Arioc, a quien el rey había designado para destruir a los sabios de Babilonia. Fue y le dijo lo siguiente “No destruyas a los sabios de Babilonia. Llévame ante el rey y le mostraré la interpretación”.
Then I went to Arioch, the man whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men in Babylon. I said to him, “Do not kill those wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means.”
25 Entonces Arioc llevó a Daniel ante el rey a toda prisa, y le dijo lo siguiente “He encontrado un hombre de los hijos del cautiverio de Judá que dará a conocer al rey la interpretación”.
So Arioch quickly took me to the king. He said to the king, “I have found [this man], one of the men whom we brought from Judah who [says he can] can tell you what your dream means!”
26 El rey respondió a Daniel, cuyo nombre era Beltsasar: “¿Eres capaz de darme a conocer el sueño que he visto y su interpretación?”
The king said to me, whose [new] name was Belteshazzar, “[Is this true]? Can you tell me what I dreamed and what it means?”
27 Daniel respondió ante el rey y dijo: “El secreto que el rey ha exigido no puede ser mostrado al rey por sabios, encantadores, magos o adivinos;
I replied, “There are no wise men or fortune-tellers or men who work magic or men who work sorcery who can tell such things to you.
28 pero hay un Dios en el cielo que revela los secretos, y él ha dado a conocer al rey Nabucodonosor lo que sucederá en los últimos días. Su sueño y las visiones de su cabeza en su lecho son estos:
But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets. And he has shown in [your dream] what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you what you dreamed, the vision you saw [as you were lying] on your bed.
29 “En cuanto a ti, oh rey, tus pensamientos vinieron en tu lecho, lo que debe suceder en adelante; y el que revela los secretos te ha dado a conocer lo que sucederá.
O King, while you were sleeping, you dreamed about events that will happen in the future. The one who reveals mysteries has shown you what is going to happen.
30 Pero en cuanto a mí, este secreto no me ha sido revelado por ninguna sabiduría que yo tenga más que cualquier otro viviente, sino con el propósito de que la interpretación sea dada a conocer al rey, y para que tú conozcas los pensamientos de tu corazón.
And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else on earth that I know the meaning of this mysterious dream. It is because God wanted you to understand what you were thinking.
31 “Tú, oh rey, viste, y he aquí, una gran imagen. Esta imagen, que era poderosa, y cuyo brillo era excelente, estaba delante de ti; y su aspecto era aterrador.
O King, [in your vision] you saw in front of you a huge and terrifying statue [of a man. It was] shining very brightly, and it was frightening and awesome.
32 En cuanto a esta imagen, su cabeza era de oro fino, su pecho y sus brazos de plata, su vientre y sus muslos de bronce,
The head of the statue was [made] of pure gold. Its chest and arms [were made of] silver. Its belly and thighs [were made of] bronze.
33 sus piernas de hierro, sus pies en parte de hierro y en parte de barro.
Its legs [were made of] iron, and its feet were a mixture of clay and iron.
34 Viste hasta que se cortó una piedra sin manos, que golpeó la imagen en sus pies que eran de hierro y de barro, y los hizo pedazos.
As you watched, something cut a rock [from a mountain, but it was] not a human [who cut it]. The rock [tumbled down and] smashed the feet of the statue, feet [that were made of] iron and clay. It smashed them to bits.
35 Entonces el hierro, el barro, el bronce, la plata y el oro se hicieron pedazos juntos, y se convirtieron en paja de las eras de verano. El viento se los llevó, de modo que no se encontró lugar para ellos. La piedra que golpeó la imagen se convirtió en una gran montaña y llenó toda la tierra.
Then the rest of the statue collapsed into a big heap of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. The pieces of the statue were as small as bits of chaff on the ground where it is threshed, and the wind blew away all the tiny pieces. There was nothing left. But the rock that smashed the statue became a large mountain that covered the whole earth.
36 “Este es el sueño, y vamos a contar su interpretación ante el rey.
That was what you dreamed. Now I will tell you what it means.
37 Tú, oh rey, eres rey de reyes, a quien el Dios del cielo ha dado el reino, el poder, la fuerza y la gloria.
You are a king [who rules] over [many other] kings. The God who rules in heaven has caused you to rule over them and has given you great power [DOU] and has honored you.
38 Dondequiera que habiten los hijos de los hombres, él ha entregado en tu mano los animales del campo y las aves del cielo, y te ha hecho gobernar sobre todos ellos. Tú eres la cabeza de oro.
He has caused you to be the ruler over all people, and [even] the animals and birds are controlled by you. [So] the head [of the statue] represents you.
39 “Después de ti, se levantará otro reino inferior a ti; y otro tercer reino de bronce, que dominará toda la tierra.
But after your [kingdom/rule] ends, there will be another [great] kingdom, [but it] will not be as great as yours. [The silver parts of the statue represent that kingdom]. Then there will be a third [great] kingdom [whose king] will rule over the whole earth. The bronze parts [of the statue represent] that kingdom.
40 El cuarto reino será fuerte como el hierro, porque el hierro rompe en pedazos y somete todas las cosas; y como el hierro que aplasta a todos estos, se romperá en pedazos y aplastará.
After that kingdom ends, there will be a fourth [great] kingdom. The iron [parts of the statue represent that kingdom]. [The army of] that kingdom will smash the previous kingdoms, just like iron smashes everything that it strikes.
41 Como viste los pies y los dedos de los pies, en parte de barro de alfarero y en parte de hierro, será un reino dividido; pero habrá en él de la fuerza del hierro, porque viste el hierro mezclado con barro cenagoso.
The feet and toes of the statue that you saw, that were a mixture of iron and clay, indicate that the kingdom they represent will [later] be divided.
42 Como los dedos de los pies eran en parte de hierro y en parte de barro, así el reino será en parte fuerte y en parte frágil.
Some parts of that kingdom will be as strong as iron, but some parts will not remain together, just as iron and clay do not stick together.
43 Mientras que viste el hierro mezclado con el barro mirífico, se mezclarán con la semilla de los hombres; pero no se pegarán unos a otros, como el hierro no se mezcla con el barro.
The mixture of iron and clay [in the statue] shows also that the rulers of those kingdoms that separate from each other will try to form alliances with each other as a result of members of the royal families of those kingdoms marrying each other. But that will not succeed, just as iron and clay do not stick together.
44 “En los días de esos reyes, el Dios del cielo establecerá un reino que nunca será destruido, ni su soberanía será dejada a otro pueblo; sino que romperá en pedazos y consumirá todos estos reinos, y permanecerá para siempre.
But while those kings are ruling, God who rules in heaven will establish a kingdom that will never end. No one will ever defeat its king. He will completely destroy all those kingdoms, but his kingdom will remain forever.
45 Porque viste que una piedra fue cortada de la montaña sin manos, y que hizo pedazos el hierro, el bronce, el barro, la plata y el oro, el gran Dios ha dado a conocer al rey lo que sucederá en adelante. El sueño es cierto, y su interpretación segura”.
That is the meaning of the rock that something cut from the mountain, the rock that will crush to tiny bits the statue that is made of iron, bronze, silver, and gold. O king, the great God has shown you what will truly happen in the future. And you can trust [what I told you about] the meaning of the dream.”
46 Entonces el rey Nabucodonosor se postró sobre su rostro, adoró a Daniel y ordenó que le ofrecieran una ofrenda y dulces olores.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar prostrated himself in front of me [in great respect]. He commanded [his people] that they burn incense and burn an offering of grain to honor me.
47 El rey respondió a Daniel y le dijo: “En verdad, tu Dios es el Dios de los dioses, y el Señor de los reyes, y un revelador de secretos, ya que has podido revelar este secreto.”
The king said to me, “[Your God has enabled] you to tell me the meaning of this dream/mystery, so now I truly know that your God is greater than all the other gods and all other kings. He reveals [to people] things that they cannot know.”
48 Entonces el rey engrandeció a Daniel y le dio muchos y grandes regalos, y lo puso a gobernar toda la provincia de Babilonia y a ser gobernador principal de todos los sabios de Babilonia.
Then the king gave many gifts to me, and he [also] appointed me to rule over the entire province of Babylon, and [also] to be the boss of all his wise men.
49 Daniel pidió al rey que nombrara a Sadrac, Mesac y Abednego sobre los asuntos de la provincia de Babilonia, pero Daniel estaba en la puerta del rey.
I asked the king to appoint Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to [also] have important positions in Babylon province, and the king did what I asked him to do. But [I did my work while] I stayed at the king’s palace.
