7
"Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the divinerscame in and I related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretationknown to me.
8
"But finallyDanielcame in before me, whosename is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holygods; and I related the dream to him, saying,
9
'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holygods is in you and no*mysterybaffles you, tell me the visions of my dreamwhich I have seen, along with its interpretation.
10
'Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great.
12
'Its foliage was beautiful and its fruitabundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the fieldfoundshadeunder it, And the birds of the skydwelt in its branches, And alllivingcreaturesfed themselves from it.
14
'He shouted out and spoke as follows: "Chopdown the tree and cutoff its branches, Stripoff its foliage and scatter its fruit; Let the beastsflee from under it And the birds from its branches.
15
"Yetleave the stump with its roots in the ground, But with a band of iron and bronze around it In the newgrass of the field; And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, And let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
17
"This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holyones, In order* that the living may know That the MostHigh is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom* He wishes And setsover it the lowliest of men."
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'This is the dream which I, KingNebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch** as none* of the wisemen of my kingdom is able to makeknown to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holygods is in you.'
19
"ThenDaniel, whosename is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughtsalarmed him. The kingresponded and said, 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretationalarm you.' Belteshazzarreplied, 'My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries!
21
and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruitabundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the fielddwelt and in whose branches the birds of the skylodged -
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it is you, O king; for you have becomegreat and grownstrong, and your majesty has becomegreat and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23
'In that the kingsaw an angelic watcher, a holyone, descending from heaven and saying, "Chopdown the tree and destroy it; yetleave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the newgrass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the fielduntil*seven periods of timepassover him,"
25
that you be drivenaway from mankind and your dwellingplace be with the beasts of the field, and you be givengrass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will passover you, until* you recognize that the MostHigh is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever* He wishes.
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'And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after* you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.
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'Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: breakaway now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showingmercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.'
30
"The kingreflected and said, 'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royalresidence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?'
31
"While the word was in the king'smouth, a voicecame from heaven, saying, 'KingNebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has beenremoved from you,
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and you will be drivenaway from mankind, and your dwellingplace will be with the beasts of the field. You will be givengrass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will passover you until* you recognize that the MostHigh is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever* He wishes.'
33
"Immediately the wordconcerningNebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was drivenaway from mankind and began eatinggrass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heavenuntil* his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.
34
"But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reasonreturned to me, and I blessed the MostHigh and praised and honored Him wholivesforever; For His dominion is an everlastingdominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35
"All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He doesaccording to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can wardoff His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?'
36
"At that time my reasonreturned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassinggreatness was added to me.
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"Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His waysjust, and He is able to humble those whowalk in pride."