4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all people, nations, and
languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to
you.
4:2 I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the
high God hath wrought towards me.
4:3 How great [are] his signs! and how mighty [are] his wonders!
his kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion [is]
from generation to generation.
4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house, and flourishing in
my palace:
4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my
bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
4:6 Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise [men] of
Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the
interpretation of the dream.
4:7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans,
and the sooth-sayers: and I told the dream before them; but
they did not make known to me the interpretation of it.
4:8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name [is]
Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom [is]
the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream,
[saying],
4:9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that
the spirit of the holy gods [is] in thee, and no secret
troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have
seen, and the interpretation of it.
4:10 Thus [were] the visions of my head in my bed; I saw, and
behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its hight [was]
great.
4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and its hight reached to
heaven, and the sight of it to the end of all the earth:
4:12 Its leaves [were] fair, and its fruit abundant, and in it
[was] food for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it,
and the fowls of heaven dwelt among its boughs, and all flesh
was fed from it.
4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a
watcher and a holy one came down from heaven;
4:14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut
off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit:
let the beasts escape from under it, and the fowls from its
branches.
4:15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth,
even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the
field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and [let] its
portion [be] with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
4:16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's
heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him.
4:17 This matter [is] by the decree of the watchers, and the
demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the
living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over
it the basest of men.
4:18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O
Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation of it, forasmuch as
all the wise [men] of my kingdom are not able to make known to
me the interpretation: but thou [art] able; for the spirit of
the holy gods [is] in thee.
4:19 Then Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, was astonished
for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke,
and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the
interpretation of it, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered, and
said, My lord, the dream [be] to them that hate thee, and the
interpretation of it to thy enemies.
4:20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong,
whose hight reached to the heaven, and the sight of it to all
the earth;
4:21 Whose leaves [were] fair, and the fruit of it abundant, and
in it [was] food for all; under which the beasts of the field
dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of heaven had their
habitation:
4:22 It [is] thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for
thy greatness is grown, and reacheth to heaven, and thy
dominion to the end of the earth.
4:23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming
down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy
it; yet leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a
band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and
let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and [let] its portion
[be] with the beasts of the field, till seven times shall pass
over him;
4:24 This [is] the interpretation, O king, and this [is] the
decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
4:25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall
be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to
eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of
heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou shalt
know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and
giveth it to whomsoever he will.
4:26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree
roots; thy kingdom shall be sure to thee, after that thou shalt
have known that the heavens do rule.
4:27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee,
and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thy iniquities by
showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy
tranquillity.
4:28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the
kingdom of Babylon.
4:30 The king spoke, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I
have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my
power, and for the honor of my majesty?
4:31 While the word [was] in the king's mouth, there fell a
voice from heaven, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it
is spoken; The kingdom hath departed from thee.
4:32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling [shall
be] with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat
grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou
shalt know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and
giveth it to whomsoever he will.
4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar:
and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body
was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like
eagles' [feathers], and his nails like birds' [claws].
4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my
eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I
blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that
liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:
4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as
nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of
heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can
stay his hand, or say to him, What doest thou?
4:36 At the same time my reason returned to me; and for the
glory of my kingdom, my honor and brightness returned to me;
and my counselors and my lords sought to me; and I was
established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to
me.
4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of
heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and his ways judgment: and
those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
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