Daniel 4

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 'I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living comfortably in my house, prosperously in my palace.	1 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was content in my house and prospering in my palace.
2 I had a dream; it appal ed me. Dread assailed me as I lay in bed; the visions that passed through myhead tormented me.	2 I saw a dream that terrified me, and my thoughts on my bed and the visions in my head disturbed me.
3 So I decreed that all the sages of Babylon be summoned to explain to me what the dream meant.	3 And so a decree was established by me, that all of the wise men of Babylon should be brought in before me, and that they should reveal to me the answer to the dream.
4 Magicians, soothsayers, Chaldaeans and exorcists came, and I told them what I had dreamt, but theycould not interpret it for me.	4 Then the seers, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers entered, and I explained about the dream in their presence, but they did not reveal its answer to me.
5 Daniel, renamed Belteshazzar after my own god, and in whom the spirit of the holy gods resides, thencame into my presence. I told him my dream:	5 And then their colleague came in before me, Daniel, (whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god,) who has the spirit of the holy gods within his very self, and I told the dream directly to him.
6 ' "Belteshazzar, chief of magicians," I said, "I know that the spirit of the holy gods resides in you and that no mystery puts you at a loss. This is the dream I have had; tel me what it means.	6 Belteshazzar, leader of the seers, since I know that you have in you the spirit of the holy gods, and that no mystery is unreachable to you, explain to me the visions of my dreams, which I saw, and the solution to them.
7 ' "The visions that passed through my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw a tree in the middle of theworld; it was very tal .	7 This was the vision of my head on my bed. I looked, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was exceedingly great.
8 The tree grew tal er and stronger, until its top reached the sky and it could be seen from the very endsof the earth.	8 The tree was great and strong, and its height reached up to heaven. It could be seen all the way to the ends of the entire earth.
9 Its foliage was beautiful, its fruit abundant, in it was food for al . For the wild animals it provided shade,the birds of heaven nested in its branches, al living creatures found their food on it.	9 Its leaves were very beautiful, and its fruit was very abundant, and in it was food for the whole world. Under it, animals and beasts were dwelling, and in its branches, the birds of the sky were sheltered, and from it, all flesh was fed.
10 ' "I watched the visions passing through my head as I lay in bed: Next, a Watchful One, a holy one,came down from heaven.	10 I saw in the vision of my head upon my blanket, and behold, a watcher and a holy one descended from heaven.
11 At the top of his voice he shouted: Cut the tree down, lop off its branches, strip off its leaves, throwaway its fruit; let the animals flee from its shelter and the birds from its branches.	11 He cried out loudly, and he said this: “Cut down the tree and prune its branches; shake off its leaves and scatter its fruits; let flee the beasts, which are under it, and the birds from its branches.
12 But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, bound with hoops of iron and bronze, in the grass ofthe countryside. Let it be drenched by the dew of heaven and have its lot with the animals, eating grass!	12 Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be bound with a band of iron and brass among the plants, which are close by, and let it be touched by the dew of heaven, and let its place be with the wild animals among the plants of the earth.
13 Let it cease to have a human heart, and be given the heart of a beast, and seven times shal passover him!	13 Let his heart be changed from being human, and let the heart of a wild animal be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him.
14 Such is the sentence proclaimed by the Watchers, the verdict announced by the holy ones- so thatevery living thing may learn that the Most High rules over human sovereignty; he confers it on whom he pleases,and raises the lowest of humankind.	14 This is the decree from the judgment of the watchers, and the decision and proclamation of the holy ones, until the living shall know that the Supreme One is ruler in the kingdom of men, and that he will give it to whomever he wills, and he will appoint the lowest man over it.”
15 ' "This was the dream I had-I, Nebuchadnezzar the king. Now it is for you, Belteshazzar, to pronounceon its meaning, since not one of the sages in my kingdom has been able to interpret it for me; you, however, cando so, since the spirit of the holy gods resides in you." '	15 I, king Nebuchadnezzar, saw this dream. And so you, Belteshazzar, must quickly explain to me the interpretation because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to declare the meaning of it to me. But you are able because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
16 Daniel, known as Belteshazzar, was confused for a time and upset. The king said, 'Belteshazzar, donot be upset at the dream and its meaning.' Belteshazzar answered, 'My lord, may the dream apply to those whohate you, and its meaning to your foes!	16 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, began silently to think within himself for about one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. But the king responded, saying, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream and its interpretation disturb you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, the dream is for those who hate you, and its interpretation may be for your enemies.
17 The tree you saw, so large and strong and tal that it reached the sky and could be seen throughoutthe world,	17 The tree that you saw was lofty and strong; its height reached toward heaven, and it could be seen throughout the whole world.
18 the tree with beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, with food for al in it, providing shade for the wildanimals, with the birds of heaven nesting in its branches:	18 And its branches were very beautiful, and its fruit very abundant, and in it was food for all. Under it, dwelt the beasts of the field, and in its branches, the birds of the air stayed.
19 that tree is yourself, Your Majesty, for you have grown great and strong; your stature is now so greatthat it reaches the sky, and your empire extends to the ends of the earth.	19 It is you, O king, who has been greatly esteemed, and you have grown strong. And you have increased your power, and it reaches towards heaven, and your rule is to the ends of the whole earth.
20 'And the Watchful One seen by the king, the holy one coming down from heaven and saying, "Cut thetree down and destroy it, but leave stump and roots in the ground, bound with hoops of iron and bronze in thegrass of the countryside; let it be drenched by the dew and have its lot with the wild animals until seven timeshave passed over it":	20 Yet the king also saw a watcher and a holy one descend from heaven and say: ‘Cut down the tree and scatter it; however, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and brass, among the surrounding plants, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, until seven periods of time pass over him.’
21 the meaning of this, Your Majesty, the verdict of the Most High passed on my lord the king, is this:	21 This is the interpretation of the judgment of the Most High, which has reached my lord, the king.
22 You wil be driven from human society and wil make your home with the wild animals, you will feed ongrass, as oxen do, you wil be drenched by the dew of heaven; seven times will pass over you until you havelearnt that the Most High rules over human sovereignty and confers it on whom he pleases.	22 They will expel you from among men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts and the wild animals, and you will eat hay like an ox, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Likewise, seven periods of time will pass over you, until you know that the Supreme One rules over the kingdom of men, and he gives it to whomever he wills.
23 'And the order, "Leave the stump and roots of the tree", means that your kingdom wil be kept for youuntil you come to understand that Heaven rules all.	23 But, since he commanded that the stump of its roots, that is, of the tree, should be left behind, your kingdom will be left for you, after you have realized that power is from divinity.
24 May it please the king to accept my advice: by upright actions break with your sins, break with yourcrimes by showing mercy to the poor, and so live long and peacefully.'	24 Because of this, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you. And redeem your sins with alms, and your iniquities with mercy towards the poor. Perhaps he will forgive your offenses.”
25 This al happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.	25 All these things came upon king Nebuchadnezzar.
26 At the end of twelve months, while strol ing on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon,	26 After the end of twelve months, he was taking a walk in the palace of Babylon.
27 the king was saying, 'Great Babylon! Was it not built by me as a royal residence, by the force of mymight and for the majesty of my glory?'	27 And the king spoke out loud, saying, “Isn’t this the great Babylon, which I have built, as the home of the kingdom, by the strength of my power and in the glory of my excellence?”
28 The words were not out of his mouth when a voice came down from heaven: 'Of you, KingNebuchadnezzar, it is decreed: the empire has been taken from you,	28 And while the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice rushed down from heaven, “To you, O king Nebuchadnezzar, it is said: ‘Your kingdom will be taken away from you,
29 you wil be driven from human society and wil make your home with the wild animals; you wil feed ongrass, as oxen do, and seven times wil pass over you until you have learnt that the Most High rules over humansovereignty and gives it to whom he pleases.'	29 and they will expel you from among men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts and the wild animals. You will eat hay like an ox, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Supreme One rules in the kingdom of men, and he gives it to whomever he wills.’ ”
30 The words were immediately fulfilled: Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society and ate grassas oxen do; he was drenched by the dew of heaven; his hair grew like an eagle's feathers, and his nails becamelike a bird's talons.	30 The same hour, the sentence was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven away from among men, and he ate hay like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair increased like the feathers of eagles, and his nails like those of birds.
31 'When the time was over, I, Nebuchad- nezzar, raised my eyes to heaven: my reason returned. And Iblessed the Most High, praising and glorifying him who lives for ever, for his empire is an everlasting empire, hiskingship endures, age after age.	31 Therefore, at the end of these days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my mind was restored to me. And I blessed the Most High, and I praised and glorified him who lives forever. For his power is an everlasting power, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.
32 Al who dwel on earth count for nothing; as he thinks fit, he disposes the army of heaven and thosewho dwel on earth. No one can arrest his hand or ask him, "What have you done?"	32 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing before him. For he acts according to his own will, with the inhabitants of the earth just as with the holy inhabitants of heaven. And there is no one who can resist his hand, or say to him, “Why have you done this?”
33 'At that moment my reason returned and, for the honour of my royal state, my glory and splendourreturned too. My counsel ors and noblemen acclaimed me; I was restored to my throne, and to my pastgreatness even more was added.	33 At the same time, my mind returned to me, and I arrived at the honor and glory of my kingdom. And my appearance was given back to me. And my nobles and my magistrates needed me. And I was restored to my kingdom, and even greater majesty was added to me.
34 And now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, extol and glorify the King of heaven, al of whose deeds are true,al of whose ways are right, and who can humble those who walk in pride.'	34 Therefore I, Nebuchadnezzar, now praise, and magnify, and glorify the King of heaven, because all his works and the judgments of his way are true, and those who go forth in arrogance, he is able to bring low.