الإصحَاحُ
الرَّابعُ

 

Chapter
4

1
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in
all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

2
I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought
toward me.

3
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
I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

5
I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the
visions of my head troubled me.

6
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me,
that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

7
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 unto
me the interpretation thereof.

8
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 told the dream, saying,

9
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 thereof.

10
Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the
midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

11
The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and
the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

12
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat
for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the
heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

13
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy
one came down from heaven;

14
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake
off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it,
and the fowls from his branches:

15
Nevertheless leave 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 wet with the
dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the
earth:

16
Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him;
and let seven times pass over him.

17
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 whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it
the basest of men.

18
This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare
the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not
able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the
spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

19
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his
thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the
dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and
said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation
thereof to thine enemies.

20
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached
unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

21
Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all;
under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of
the heaven had their habitation:

22
It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is
grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

23
And whereas 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 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 wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be
with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

24
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High,
which is come upon my lord the king:

25
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
know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will.

26
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom
shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do
rule.

27
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy
sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it
may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

28
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

29
At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.

30
The king spake, 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
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 is departed from thee.

32
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 know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

33
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven
from men, and did eat 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
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven,
and mine understanding returned unto 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
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 unto him, What doest thou?

36
At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom,
mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords
sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was
added unto me.

37
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.