A King Proclaims the Most High
4 1 King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and languages living throughout the earth: May your peace be multiplied.
2 I am glad to declare the signs and wonders the Most High God has done for me. 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 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that frightened me; thoughts on my bed and visions in my head terrified me. 6 So I ordered all Babylon's wise men brought before me to tell me the dream's meaning. 7 Then the magicians, enchanters, Babylonians, and astrologers entered. I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. 8 Finally Daniel came before me—named Belteshazzar after my god's name, the holy gods' spirit in him—and I told him the dream. 9 Belteshazzar, chief magician, I know the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery baffles you — tell me the visions of my dream that I saw, and their meaning. 10 The visions in my mind while in bed: I saw a tree in the middle of the earth, very tall. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. Wild animals found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
13 In my visions in bed I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. a a v13 A "watcher" is one of God's holy angels, here sent to carry out the decree over the king — a heavenly messenger, not God himself. 14 He shouted: Cut down the tree, chop its branches, strip its leaves, scatter its fruit. Let animals flee from under it, birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the wild animals in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his human mind be taken away and a beast's mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.'
18 This is the dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Tell me its meaning, Belteshazzar, for my kingdom's wise men can't explain it, but you can — the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
Daniel Speaks the Hard Truth
19 Then Daniel, called Belteshazzar, was stunned briefly, alarmed by his thoughts. The king said, "Belteshazzar, don't let the dream or its meaning alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, may the dream be for your haters, its meaning for your enemies!"
20 The tree you saw grew strong, its top reaching heaven, visible to all the earth, 21 beautiful leaves, abundant fruit, food for all — wild animals lived beneath it, birds of the sky nested in its branches 22 It is you, king — you have grown strong; your greatness has grown, reaching heaven, your dominion to earth's ends.
23 Because the king saw a holy watcher come down from heaven, saying: Cut down the tree, destroy it—but leave the stump of its roots in the ground, bound with iron and bronze in the field's grass. Let him be drenched with heaven's dew; his portion with the wild animals, until seven periods of time pass over him. 24 This is the interpretation, my king: the Most High's decree has come upon my lord the king, 25 You'll be driven from people to live among wild animals, eating grass like oxen, drenched with heaven's dew, until seven times pass over you and you know the Most High rules the human kingdom, giving it to whoever he chooses. 26 The command to leave the stump's roots: your kingdom stands secure once you know Heaven rules. 27 So, king, accept my advice: break from your sins through righteousness, your wrongdoing through mercy to the poor, so your prosperity may continue.
Pride Brought Low
28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, he was walking on the roof of Babylon's royal palace, 30 The king said, "Is this not great Babylon I built as a royal house by my mighty power, for the glory of my majesty?"
31 The words were still in the king's mouth when a voice fell from heaven: 'King Nebuchadnezzar, this is said to you: the kingdom has left you.' 32 You'll be driven from people, living with wild animals, eating grass like an ox. Seven periods will pass over you, until you know the Most High rules mankind's kingdom and gives it to whomever he wills.
33 At once the word came true against Nebuchadnezzar: driven from people, he ate grass like cattle, his body soaked by heaven's dew, until his hair grew like eagle feathers, his nails like bird claws.
Nebuchadnezzar Restored and Humbled
34 When the days ended, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned. I blessed the Most High, praised and honored the One who lives forever, whose rule is everlasting, whose kingdom spans every generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can hold back his hand or say to him, "What have you done?"
36 Then my sanity returned; my majesty and splendor returned for my kingdom's glory. My advisers and nobles sought me; I was restored over my kingdom, and surpassing greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor Heaven's King, for all his works are right, his ways just; those walking in pride he can humble.
