Daniel 4

Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages who live in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked 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, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

I saw a dream that made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me in order for them to make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers, came in and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation.

But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, and I told him the dream, saying,

“Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

These were the visions of my head as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was great.

The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to the heavens and it was visible to the end of all the earth.

Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all; the animals of the field found shelter under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

I was looking in the visions of my head as I lay on my bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.

He cried aloud and spoke as follows: ‘Cut down the tree and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit: let the animals go away from under it, and the fowls go from its branches.

But leave the stump of its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth.

Let his mind be changed from that of a human, and let an animal’s mind be given to him; and let seven times pass over him.

The sentence 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 rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.’

This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you, and its interpretation applied to your adversaries.

The tree that you saw, which grew and was strong, whose height reached to the heavens and it could be seen by all the earth,

whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all, under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation—

it is you, O king, for you have grown and become strong; your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens and your dominion to the end of the earth.

And in that the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump of its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him,’

this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:

that you will be driven from men, and your dwelling will be with the animals of the field, and you will be made to eat grass like cattle, and will be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times will pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

And in that they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom will remain as yours after you acknowledge that the heavens do rule.

Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by doing what is right, and your injustices by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps then there may be a lengthening of your tranquility.”

All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar.

At the end of 12 months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.

The king spoke and said, “Isn’t this the great Babylon that I have built for the royal dwelling place by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”

While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,

and you will be driven from men, and your dwelling will be with the animals of the field. You will be made to eat grass like the cattle, and seven times will pass over you until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.”

That same hour the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled and he was driven from men and ate grass like cattle, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven until his hair was grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

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 honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation to generation.

All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he does according to his will among the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can block his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

At the same time my understanding returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my lords sought to me, and I was established in my kingdom and excellent greatness was added to me.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, because all his works are truth, and his ways are just, and he is able to humble those who walk in pride.