Daniel 2:17-27

17 Et ingressus est domum suam, Ananiaeque et Misaeli, et Azariae sociis suis indicavit negotium:
18 ut quaererent misericordiam a facie Dei caeli super sacramento isto, et non perirent Daniel, et socii eius cum ceteris sapientibus Babylonis.
19 Tunc Danieli mysterium per visionem nocte revelatum est: et benedixit Daniel Deum caeli,
20 et locutus ait: Sit nomen Domini benedictum a saeculo et usque in saeculum: quia sapientia et fortitudo eius sunt.
21 Et ipse mutat tempora, et aetates: transfert regna, atque constituit: dat sapientiam sapientibus, et scientiam intelligentibus disciplinam:
22 Ipse revelat profunda, et abscondita, et novit in tenebris constituta: et lux cum eo est.
23 Tibi Deus patrum nostrorum confiteor, teque laudo: quia sapientiam, et fortitudinem dedisti mihi: et nunc ostendisti mihi quae rogavimus te, quia sermonem regis aperuisti nobis.
24 Post haec Daniel ingressus ad Arioch, quem constituerat rex ut perderet sapientes Babylonis, sic ei locutus est: Sapientes Babylonis ne perdas: introduc me in conspectu regis, et solutionem regi narrabo.
25 Tunc Arioch festinus introduxit Danielem ad regem, et dixit ei: Inveni hominem de filiis transmigrationis Iuda, qui solutionem regi annunciet.
26 Respondit rex, et dixit Danieli, cuius nomen erat Baltassar: Putasne vere potes mihi indicare somnium, quod vidi, et interpretationem eius?
27 Et respondens Daniel coram rege, ait: Mysterium, quod rex interrogat, sapientes, magi, arioli, et aruspices nequeunt indicare regi:

Daniel 2:17-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIAL 2

The subject of this chapter is a dream which Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed, but had forgot; upon which he calls his magicians and astrologers together, to tell him it, and the interpretation of it; threatening them with death if they did not, and promising them great rewards and honour if they did, Da 2:1-6, they urge the unreasonableness of the demand, and the impossibility of the thing; which so highly incensed the king, that he ordered their immediate destruction, Da 2:7-13, Daniel and his companions being in danger, he goes in to the king, and desires time, and he would show him what he had dreamed; which being granted, he spent it in prayer to God, Da 2:14-18, and the thing being revealed to him, he gave thanks to God, Da 2:19-23, and being introduced to the king, he both told him his dream, and the interpretation of it; which concerned the four monarchies of the world, and the everlasting kingdom of the Messiah, Da 2:24-45, upon which he was highly honoured, and greatly promoted by the king, Da 2:46-49.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.