Thencame in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dreambeforethem; but they did not makeknownunto me the interpretationthereof.
But at the lastDanielcame in before me, whosename was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holygods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I knowthat the spirit of the holygods is in thee, and no secrettroubleththee, tell me the visions of my dreamthat I haveseen, and the interpretationthereof.
The leavesthereofwerefair, and the fruitthereofmuch, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadowunder it, and the fowls of the heavendwelt in the boughsthereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
He criedaloud, and saidthus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get awayfromunder it, and the fowlsfrom his branches:
Neverthelessleave the stump of his roots in the earth, evenwith a band of iron and brass, in the tendergrass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
Thismatter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holyones: to the intentthat the living may knowthat the mostHighruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
Thisdream I kingNebuchadnezzarhaveseen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretationthereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to makeknownunto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holygods is in thee.
ThenDaniel, whosename was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughtstroubled him. The kingspake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretationthereof, troublethee. Belteshazzaranswered and said, My lord, the dream be to themthathatethee, and the interpretationthereof to thineenemies.
Whoseleaveswerefair, and the fruitthereofmuch, and in it was meat for all; underwhich the beasts of the fielddwelt, and uponwhosebranches the fowls of the heaven had theirhabitation:
And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one comingdownfromheaven, and saying, Hew the treedown, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the rootsthereof in the earth, evenwith a band of iron and brass, in the tendergrass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, tillseventimespassover him;
Thattheyshalldrivetheefrom men, and thy dwellingshall be with the beasts of the field, and theyshallmakethee to eat grass as oxen, and theyshall wet theewith the dew of heaven, and seventimesshallpassoverthee, tillthouknowthat the mostHighruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptableuntothee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thineiniquities by shewingmercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
The kingspake, and said, Is not thisgreatBabylon, that I havebuilt for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
While the word was in the king’smouth, therefell a voicefromheaven, saying, O kingNebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departedfromthee.
And theyshalldrivetheefrom men, and thy dwellingshall be with the beasts of the field: theyshallmakethee to eat grass as oxen, and seventimesshallpassoverthee, untilthouknowthat the mostHighruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
The samehour was the thingfulfilleduponNebuchadnezzar: and he was drivenfrom men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairsweregrownlikeeagles’feathers, and his nailslikebirds’claws.
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzarlifted up mineeyesuntoheaven, and mineunderstandingreturnedunto me, and I blessed the mostHigh, and I praised and honoured him thatliveth for ever, whosedominion is an everlastingdominion, and his kingdom is fromgeneration to generation:
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doethaccording to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, Whatdoestthou?
At the sametime my reasonreturnedunto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, minehonour and brightnessreturnedunto me; and my counsellors and my lordssoughtunto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellentmajesty was addedunto me.
Now I Nebuchadnezzarpraise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whoseworks are truth, and his waysjudgment: and thosethatwalk in pride he is able to abase.