King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that
dwell 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
done for me.
How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and his dominion endures from generation to generation.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in
my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the
fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree
that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that
they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then
the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers
came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known
to me its interpretation. At last Daniel came in before me—he who
was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the
spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, “O
Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the
spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too
difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and
their interpretation. The visions of my head as I lay in bed were
these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its
height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top
reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole
earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it
was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and
the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was
fed from it.
“I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a
watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and
said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off
its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it
and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump of its roots
in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender
grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his
portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind
be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him;
and let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by the
decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones,
to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the
kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the
lowliest of men.’ This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you,
O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise
men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the
interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods
is in you.”
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a
while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said,
“Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.”
Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for
those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! The
tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached
to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose
leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food
for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose
branches the birds of the heavens lived—it is you, O king, who have
grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to
heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the
king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying,
‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its
roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the
tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of
heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till
seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O
king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord
the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your
dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made
to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of
heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you
know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to
whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the
roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the
time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my
counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing
righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the
oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your
prosperity.”
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve
months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I
have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the
glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king's
mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to
you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall
be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the
beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox,
and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that
the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he
will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar.
He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body
was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as
eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to
heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High,
and praised and honored him who lives forever,
for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”
At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory
of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My
counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my
kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I,
Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for
all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk
in pride he is able to humble.
