Daniel 2

NEW JERUSALEM	VULGATA
1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had a series of dreams; he was perturbed by this andsleep deserted him.	1 In anno secundo regni Nabuchodonosor, vidit Nabuchodonosor somnium, et conterritus est spiritus ejus, et somnium ejus fugit ab eo.
2 The king then had magicians and soothsayers, sorcerers and Chaldaeans summoned to tel him whathis dreams meant. They arrived and stood in the king's presence.	2 Præcepit autem rex ut convocarentur arioli, et magi, et malefici, et Chaldæi, ut indicarent regi somnia sua. Qui cum venissent, steterunt coram rege.
3 The king said to them, 'I have had a dream, and my mind is troubled by a wish to understand it.'	3 Et dixit ad eos rex : Vidi somnium, et mente confusus ignoro quid viderim.
4 The Chaldaeans answered the king: 'May your majesty live for ever! Tel your servants the dream, andwe shal reveal its meaning for you.'	4 Responderuntque Chaldæi regi syriace : Rex, in sempiternum vive ! dic somnium servis tuis, et interpretationem ejus indicabimus.
5 The king answered the Chaldaeans, 'This is my firm resolve: if you cannot tel me what I dreamt andwhat it means, I shal have you torn limb from limb and your houses turned into dunghil s.	5 Et respondens rex ait Chaldæis : Sermo recessit a me : nisi indicaveritis mihi somnium, et conjecturam ejus, peribitis vos, et domus vestræ publicabuntur.
6 If, on the other hand, you can tel me what I dreamt and what it means, I shal give you presents,rewards and high honour. So tel me what I dreamt and what it means.'	6 Si autem somnium, et conjecturam ejus narraveritis, præmia, et dona, et honorem multum accipietis a me. Somnium igitur, et interpretationem ejus indicate mihi.
7 A second time they said, 'Let the king tel his dream to his servants, and we shal reveal its meaning.'	7 Responderunt secundo, atque dixerunt : Rex somnium dicat servis suis, et interpretationem illius indicabimus.
8 But the king retorted, 'It is plain to me that you are trying to gain time, knowing my proclaimed resolve.	8 Respondit rex, et ait : Certe novi quod tempus redimitis, scientes quod recesserit a me sermo.
9 If you do not interpret my dream for me, there will be but one sentence passed on you al ; you haveagreed among yourselves to make me misleading and tortuous speeches while the time goes by. So tel mewhat my dream was, and then I shal know whether you can interpret it.'	9 Si ergo somnium non indicaveritis mihi, una est de vobis sententia, quod interpretationem quoque fallacem, et deceptione plenam composueritis, ut loquamini mihi donec tempus pertranseat. Somnium itaque dicite mihi, ut sciam quod interpretationem quoque ejus veram loquamini.
10 The Chaldaeans answered the king, 'Nobody in the world could explain the king's problem; what ismore, no other king, governor or chief would think of putting such a question to any magician, soothsayer orChaldaean.	10 Respondentes ergo Chaldæi coram rege, dixerunt : Non est homo super terram, qui sermonem tuum, rex, possit implere : sed neque regum quisquam magnus et potens verbum hujuscemodi sciscitatur ab omni ariolo, et mago, et Chaldæo.
11 The question the king asks is difficult, and no one can find the king an answer to it, except the gods,whose dwelling is not with mortals.'	11 Sermo enim, quem tu quæris, rex, gravis est : nec reperietur quisquam qui indicet illum in conspectu regis, exceptis diis, quorum non est cum hominibus conversatio.
12 At this the king flew into a rage and ordered al the Babylonian sages to be put to death.	12 Quo audito, rex, in furore et in ira magna, præcepit ut perirent omnes sapientes Babylonis.
13 On publication of the decree to have the sages killed, search was made for Daniel and hiscompanions to have them put to death.	13 Et egressa sententia, sapientes interficiebantur : quærebanturque Daniel et socii ejus, ut perirent.
14 Then, with shrewd and cautious words, Daniel approached Arioch, the king's chief executioner, whenhe was on his way to kil the Babylonian sages.	14 Tunc Daniel requisivit de lege atque sententia ab Arioch principe militiæ regis, qui egressus fuerat ad interficiendos sapientes Babylonis.
15 To this royal official Arioch he said, 'Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?' Arioch explainedmatters to Daniel,	15 Et interrogavit eum, qui a rege potestatem acceperat, quam ob causam tam crudelis sententia a facie regis esset egressa. Cum ergo rem indicasset Arioch Danieli,
16 and Daniel went off to ask the king for a stay of execution to give him the opportunity of revealing his interpretation to the king.	16 Daniel ingressus rogavit regem ut tempus daret sibi ad solutionem indicandam regi.
17 Daniel then went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah what had happened,	17 Et ingressus est domum suam, Ananiæque et Misaëli et Azariæ, sociis suis, indicavit negotium,
18 urging them to beg the God of heaven to show his mercy and explain the mysterious secret, so thatDaniel and his friends might be spared the fate of the other Babylonian sages.	18 ut quærerent misericordiam a facie Dei cæli super sacramento isto, et non perirent Daniel et socii ejus cum ceteris sapientibus Babylonis.
19 The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a night-vision, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven.	19 Tunc Danieli mysterium per visionem nocte revelatum est : et benedixit Daniel Deum cæli,
20 This is what Daniel said: May the name of God be blessed for ever and ever, since wisdom and powerare his alone.	20 et locutus ait : Sit nomen Domini benedictum a sæculo et usque in sæculum : quia sapientia et fortitudo ejus sunt.
21 It is he who controls the procession of times and seasons, who makes and unmakes kings, whoconfers wisdom on the wise, and knowledge on those with discernment,	21 Et ipse mutat tempora, et ætates : transfert regna, atque constituit : dat sapientiam sapientibus, et scientiam intelligentibus disciplinam.
22 who uncovers depths and mysteries, who knows what lies in darkness; and light dwel s with him.	22 Ipse revelat profunda et abscondita, et novit in tenebris constituta : et lux cum eo est.
23 To you, God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise for having given me wisdom and strength: to meyou have explained what we asked you, to us you have explained the king's problem.	23 Tibi, Deus patrum nostrorum, confiteor, teque laudo, quia sapientiam et fortitudinem dedisti mihi, et nunc ostendisti mihi quæ rogavimus te, quia sermonem regis aperuisti nobis.
24 So Daniel went to see Arioch, whom the king had made responsible for putting the Babylonian sagesto death. Going in, he said, 'Do not put the Babylonian sages to death. Take me into the king's presence and Iwil reveal the meaning to the king.'	24 Post hæc 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 Arioch lost no time in bringing Daniel to the king. 'Among the exiles from Judah,' he said, 'I havediscovered a man who can reveal the meaning to the king.'	25 Tunc Arioch festinus introduxit Danielem ad regem, et dixit ei : Inveni hominem de filiis transmigrationis Juda, qui solutionem regi annuntiet.
26 The king said to Daniel (who had been given the name Belteshazzar), 'Can you tel me what I dreamtand what it means?'	26 Respondit rex, et dixit Danieli, cujus nomen erat Baltassar : Putasne vere potes mihi indicare somnium, quod vidi, et interpretationem ejus ?
27 Facing the king, Daniel replied, 'None of the sages, soothsayers, magicians or exorcists has beenable to tell the king the truth of the mystery which the king has propounded;	27 Et respondens Daniel coram rege, ait : Mysterium, quod rex interrogat, sapientes, magi, arioli, et aruspices nequeunt indicare regi :
28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries and who has shown King Nebuchadnezzar whatis to take place in the final days. These, then, are the dream and the visions that passed through your head asyou lay in bed:	28 sed est Deus in cælo revelans mysteria, qui indicavit tibi, rex Nabuchodonosor, quæ ventura sunt in novissimis temporibus. Somnium tuum, et visiones capitis tui in cubili tuo hujuscemodi sunt.
29 'Your Majesty, on your bed your thoughts turned to what would happen in the future, and the Revealerof Mysteries disclosed to you what is to take place.	29 Tu, rex, cogitare cœpisti in strato tuo, quid esset futurum post hæc : et qui revelat mysteria, ostendit tibi quæ ventura sunt.
30 This mystery has been revealed to me, not that I am wiser than anyone else, but for this sole purpose:that the king should learn what it means, and that you should understand your inmost thoughts.	30 Mihi quoque non in sapientia, quæ est in me plus quam in cunctis viventibus, sacramentum hoc revelatum est : sed ut interpretatio regi manifesta fieret, et cogitationes mentis tuæ scires.
31 'You have had a vision, Your Majesty; this is what you saw: a statue, a great statue of extremebrightness, stood before you, terrible to see.	31 Tu, rex, videbas, et ecce quasi statua una grandis : statua illa magna, et statura sublimis stabat contra te, et intuitus ejus erat terribilis.
32 The head of this statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs ofbronze,	32 Hujus statuæ caput ex auro optimo erat, pectus autem et brachia de argento, porro venter et femora ex ære,
33 its legs of iron, its feet part iron, part clay.	33 tibiæ autem ferreæ : pedum quædam pars erat ferrea, quædam autem fictilis.
34 While you were gazing, a stone broke away, untouched by any hand, and struck the statue, struck itsfeet of iron and clay and shattered them.	34 Videbas ita, donec abscissus est lapis de monte sine manibus : et percussit statuam in pedibus ejus ferreis et fictilibus, et comminuit eos.
35 Then, iron and clay, bronze, silver and gold, al broke into pieces as fine as chaff on the threshing-floorin summer. The wind blew them away, leaving not a trace behind. And the stone that had struck the statue grewinto a great mountain, fil ing the whole world.	35 Tunc contrita sunt pariter ferrum, testa, æs, argentum, et aurum, et redacta quasi in favillam æstivæ areæ, quæ rapta sunt vento, nullusque locus inventus est eis : lapis autem, qui percusserat statuam, factus est mons magnus, et implevit universam terram.
36 This was the dream; we shal now explain to the king what it means.	36 Hoc est somnium : interpretationem quoque ejus dicemus coram te, rex.
37 'You, Your Majesty, king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strengthand honour-	37 Tu rex regum es : et Deus cæli regnum, et fortitudinem, et imperium, et gloriam dedit tibi :
38 human beings, wild animals, birds of the air, wherever they live, he has entrusted to your rule, makingyou king of them al -- you are the golden head.	38 et omnia, in quibus habitant filii hominum, et bestiæ agri : volucres quoque cæli dedit in manu tua, et sub ditione tua universa constituit : tu es ergo caput aureum.
39 And, after you, another kingdom wil rise, not as great as yours, and then a third, of bronze, which wilrule the whole world.	39 Et post te consurget regnum aliud minus te argenteum : et regnum tertium aliud æreum, quod imperabit universæ terræ.
40 There wil be a fourth kingdom, hard as iron, as iron that pulverises and crushes al . Like iron thatbreaks everything to pieces, it wil crush and break all the earlier kingdoms.	40 Et regnum quartum erit velut ferrum : quomodo ferrum comminuit, et domat omnia, sic comminuet, et conteret omnia hæc.
41 The feet you saw, part earthenware, part iron, are a kingdom which wil be split in two, but which wilretain something of the strength of iron, just as you saw the iron and the clay of the earthenware mixed together.	41 Porro quia vidisti pedum, et digitorum partem testæ figuli, et partem ferream, regnum divisum erit : quod tamen de plantario ferri orietur, secundum quod vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto.
42 The feet were part iron, part potter's clay: the kingdom wil be partly strong and partly brittle.	42 Et digitos pedum ex parte ferreos, et ex parte fictiles : ex parte regnum erit solidum, et ex parte contritum.
43 And just as you saw the iron and the clay of the earthenware mixed together, so the two wil be mixedtogether in human seed; but they wil not hold together any more than iron wil blend with clay.	43 Quod autem vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto, commiscebuntur quidem humano semine, sed non adhærebunt sibi, sicut ferrum misceri non potest testæ.
44 In the days of those kings, the God of heaven wil set up a kingdom which wil never be destroyed, andthis kingdom wil not pass into the hands of another race: it will shatter and absorb all the previous kingdoms anditself last for ever-	44 In diebus autem regnorum illorum suscitabit Deus cæli regnum, quod in æternum non dissipabitur, et regnum ejus alteri populo non tradetur : comminuet autem, et consumet universa regna hæc, et ipsum stabit in æternum.
45 just as you saw a stone, untouched by hand, break away from the mountain and reduce iron, bronze,earthenware, silver and gold to powder. The Great God has shown the king what is to take place. The dream istrue, the interpretation exact.'	45 Secundum quod vidisti, quod de monte abscissus est lapis sine manibus, et comminuit testam, et ferrum, et æs, et argentum, et aurum, Deus magnus ostendit regi quæ ventura sunt postea : et verum est somnium, et fidelis interpretatio ejus.
46 At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel; he gave orders for Daniel to be offered an oblation and a fragrant sacrifice.	46 Tunc rex Nabuchodonosor cecidit in faciem suam, et Danielem adoravit, et hostias, et incensum præcepit ut sacrificarent ei.
47 The king said to Daniel, 'Your god is indeed the God of gods, the Master of kings, and the Revealer ofMysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.'	47 Loquens ergo rex, ait Danieli : Vere Deus vester Deus deorum est, et Dominus regum, et revelans mysteria : quoniam tu potuisti aperire hoc sacramentum.
48 The king then conferred high rank on Daniel and gave him many handsome presents. He also madehim governor of the whole province of Babylon and head of all the sages of Babylon.	48 Tunc rex Danielem in sublime extulit, et munera multa et magna dedit ei : et constituit eum principem super omnes provincias Babylonis, et præfectum magistratuum super cunctos sapientes Babylonis.
49 At Daniel's request, the king entrusted the affairs of the province of Babylon to Shadrach, Meshachand Abed-Nego; Daniel himself remained in attendance on the king.	49 Daniel autem postulavit a rege, et constituit super opera provinciæ Babylonis Sidrach, Misach, et Abdenago : ipse autem Daniel erat in foribus regis.