Chapter 4

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell⁶¹ in all the earth; Peace be multiplied⁶⁰ unto you.

I thought it good⁵⁷ to shew⁸⁶ the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought⁵⁷ toward me.

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.

I Nebuchadnezzar was⁵⁷ at rest⁶³ in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

I saw⁵⁷ a dream which made me afraid,⁷⁰ and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled²⁹ me.

Therefore made⁶³ I a decree to bring in⁸⁶ all the wise [men] of Babylon before me, that they might make known⁸⁸ unto me the interpretation of the dream.

Then came in⁶¹ the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers:⁶¹ and I told⁶¹ the dream before them; but they did not make known⁸⁹ unto me the interpretation thereof.

But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom [is] the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told⁵⁷ the dream, [saying],

O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know⁵⁷ that the spirit of the holy gods [is] in thee, and no ³⁸⁰⁹ secret troubleth⁶¹ thee, tell⁵⁹ me the visions of my dream that I have seen,⁵⁷ and the interpretation thereof.

Thus [were] the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw,^{57 2370 62} and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof [was] great.

The tree grew,⁵⁷ and was strong,⁵⁷ and the height thereof reached⁶⁰ unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

The leaves thereof [were] fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it [was] meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow⁸⁸ under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt⁶⁰ in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed⁸² of it.

I saw^{57 2370 62} in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down⁶¹ from heaven;

He cried⁶² aloud, and said⁶¹ thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off⁶⁷ his branches, shake off⁸⁷ his leaves, and scatter⁶⁷ his fruit: let the beasts get away⁶⁰ from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

Nevertheless leave⁵⁹ the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet⁷⁵ with the dew of heaven, and [let] his portion [be] with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

Let his heart be changed⁷⁰ from man's, and let a beast's heart be given⁷⁹ unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

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 know⁶⁰ that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth⁶⁰ it to whomsoever he will,⁶⁰ and setteth up⁸⁸ over it the basest of men.

This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen.⁵⁷ Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare⁵⁹ the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as ^{6903 1768} all the wise [men] of my kingdom are not able⁶¹ to make known⁸⁶ unto me the interpretation: but thou [art] able;⁶² for the spirit of the holy gods [is] in thee.

Then Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, was astonied¹²⁶ for one hour, and his thoughts troubled²⁹ him. The king spake,⁶¹ and said,⁶¹ Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble²⁹ thee. Belteshazzar answered⁶¹ and said,⁶¹ My lord, the dream [be] to them that hate⁶¹ thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

The tree that thou sawest,⁵⁷ which grew,⁵⁷ and was strong,⁵⁷ whose height reached⁶⁰ unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

Whose leaves [were] fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it [was] meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt,⁶⁰ and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:⁶⁰

It [is] thou, O king, that art grown⁵⁷ and become strong:⁶⁰ for thy greatness is grown,⁵⁷ and reacheth⁵⁷ unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

And whereas the king saw⁵⁷ a watcher and an holy one coming down⁶¹ from heaven, and saying,⁶¹ Hew the tree down, and destroy⁶⁹ it; yet leave⁵⁹ the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet⁷⁵ with the dew of heaven, and [let] his portion [be] with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

This [is] the interpretation, O king, and this [is] the decree of the most High, which is come⁵⁷ upon my lord the king:

That they shall drive⁶² thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be⁶⁰ with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat⁶⁰ grass as oxen, and they shall wet⁷¹ thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know⁶⁰ that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth⁶⁰ it to whomsoever he will.⁶⁰

And whereas they commanded⁵⁷ to leave⁵⁸ the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known⁶⁰ that the heavens do rule.

Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable⁶⁰ unto thee, and break off⁵⁹ thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy⁵⁸ to the poor;⁶¹ if it may be⁶⁰ a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

All this came⁵⁷ upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

At the end of twelve ⁶²³⁶ months he walked^{57 1981 61} in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.

The king spake,⁶¹ and said,⁶¹ Is not this ¹⁶⁶⁸ great Babylon, that I have built⁵⁷ for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

While the word [was] in the king's mouth, there fell⁵⁷ a voice from heaven, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken;⁶¹ The kingdom is departed⁵⁷ from thee.

And they shall drive⁶² thee from men, and thy dwelling [shall be] with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat⁶⁰ grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know⁶⁰ that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth⁶⁰ it to whomsoever he will.⁶⁰

The same hour was the thing fulfilled⁵⁷ upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven⁶³ from men, and did eat⁶⁰ grass as oxen, and his body was wet⁷⁵ with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown⁵⁷ like eagles' [feathers], and his nails like birds' [claws].

And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up⁵⁷ mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned⁶⁰ unto me, and I blessed⁶⁷ the most High, and I praised⁶⁷ and honoured⁶⁷ him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:

And all the inhabitants⁶¹ of the earth [are] reputed⁶³ as nothing: and he doeth⁶² according to his will⁵⁸ in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants⁶¹ of the earth: and none can stay⁷⁰ his hand, or say⁶⁰ unto him, What doest⁵⁷ thou?

At the same time my reason returned⁶⁰ unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned⁶⁰ unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought⁶⁰ unto me; and I was established⁹⁰ in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added⁹⁰ unto me.

Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise⁷¹ and extol⁶² and honour⁷¹ the King of heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk⁸⁹ in pride he is able⁶¹ to abase.⁸⁶