22
1it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong.
2Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven,
3and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
23
And because the king saw
4a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying,
5'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
6seven periods of time pass over him,'
24
this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king,
25
7that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made
8to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and
9seven periods of time shall pass over you, till
10you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
26
And as it was commanded
11to 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.
27
Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by
12practicing righteousness,
13and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed,
14that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity."
Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation
28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.
29
At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
30
and the king answered and said,
15"Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by
16my mighty power as a royal residence and for
17the glory of my majesty?"
31
18While 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,
32
19and 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,
20until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will."