The Dream
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
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I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
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So I issued a decree to bring all the wise men of Babylon to me in order that they might make the dream's interpretation known to me.
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When the diviner-priests, mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.
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Finally Daniel, named Belteshazzar after the name of my god-and the spirit of the holy gods is in him-came before me. I told him the dream:
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Belteshazzar, head of the diviners, because I know that you have a spirit of the holy gods and that no mystery puzzles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation.
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In the visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this: There was a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was great.
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The tree grew large and strong; its top reached to the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
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Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and on it was food for all. Wild animals found shelter under it, the birds of the air lived in its branches, and every creature was fed from it.
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As I was lying in my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind an observer, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
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He called out loudly: Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.
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But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share the plants of the earth with the animals.
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Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of an animal for seven periods of time.
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This word is by decree of the observers; the matter is a command from the holy ones. This is so the living will know that the Most High is ruler over the kingdom of men. He gives it to anyone He wants and sets over it the lowliest of men.
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This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can make the interpretation known to me. But you can, because you have the spirit of the holy gods.