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To all the peoples, nations, and language, who live in all the world:
May you have abundant prosperity!
2 I am pleased to inform you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3 How great are His signs,
how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom,
and His dominion is from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease and flourishing at home in my palace. 5 I had a dream that frightened me. As I lay in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. 6 So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 When the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation. 8 Finally Daniel came before me and I told him the dream. (He is named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
9 I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that you have a spirit of the holy gods in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Hear the dream I saw, and explain its interpretation to me. 10 These are the visions I saw as I was lying in my bed: I looked, and there before me was a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. The beasts of field found shelter under it, the birds of the air lived in its branches, and from it every creature was fed.
13 “In the visions of my mind as I was lying in my bed, I looked, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He called out in a loud voice:
‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump and its roots in the ground, and bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field.
‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals of the field among the plants of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of an animal, and let seven times pass over him.
17 ‘This decision is announced by the messengers, the sentence is decreed by the holy ones, so that all who live may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men. He gives them to anyone He chooses and sets over them the lowliest of men’.
18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19 Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was severely distressed for some time, and his thoughts terrified him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, let the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, so that its top touched the sky and was visible to the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and in whose branches the birds of the air made nests— 22 you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.
23 “The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him’.
24 “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the sentence decreed by the Most High against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people, and you will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass with you until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men, and His gives them to whoever He chooses. 26 As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you: Separate yourself from your sins by doing what is right, and from your wickedness by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps your prosperity may then be prolonged.”
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, 30 he exclaimed, “Is this not great Babylon, which I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power and for my glorious majesty?”
31 While the words were still on the king’s lips, a voice came from heaven, “King Nebuchadnezzar, it is decreed to you that the kingdom has departed from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and you will live with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like the cattle. Seven times will pass for you, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of men, and He gives them to whoever He pleases.”
33 Immediately the sentence against King Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people, and he ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honoured and glorified Him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion,
and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth
are counted as nothing.
He does as He wills
with the powers of heaven
and the inhabitants of the earth.
There is no one who can hold back His hand
or say to Him, “What have You done?”
36 At the same time as my sanity was restored to me, my majesty and splendour were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became ever greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.