Daniel 4:10–27

¹⁰Thus were ^jthe visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold, ^ua tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. ¹¹ⁱThe tree grew, and was strong, and ^uvthe height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: ^12wthe leaves thereof were fair, ^wand the fruit thereof much, ^wand in it was ^xmeat for all: ^wythe beasts of the field had shadow under it, ^wand the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. ¹³I saw in ^jthe visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, ^za watcher and ^aa holy one came down from heaven; ¹⁴he cried aloud, and said thus, ^bHew down the tree, and ^ccut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: ^clet the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: ¹⁵nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass 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: ¹⁶let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and ^dlet seven ^dtimes pass over him. ¹⁷This matter is by ^ethe decree of ^fthe watchers, and ^fthe demand by the word of the holy ones: ^gto the intent that ^hthe living may know ⁱthat ^jthe most High ^kruleth in the kingdom of men, ⁱand ^lgiveth it to whomsoever he will, and ^llsetteth up over it the basest of men. ¹⁸This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, ^mO Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, ⁿforasmuch ⁿⁿas all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for ^mthe spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

¹⁹Then Daniel, ^mwhose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied ^ofor one hour, and ^oohis thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, ^pthe dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. ^20ppThe tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; ^21qwhose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; ^qrunder which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: ^22rit is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and ^sthy dominion ^tto the end of the earth. ²³And whereas ^uthe king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, ^vHew the tree down, and destroy it; ^wyet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, ^dtill seven times pass over him; ²⁴this is the interpretation, O king, and this is ^ethe decree of ^jthe most High, which is come upon my lord the king: ²⁵that ^xthey shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and ^xthey shall make thee ^yto eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and ^dseven times shall pass over thee, ^xztill thou know ⁱthat ^jthe most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and ⁱgiveth it to whomsoever he will. ²⁶And whereas they commanded ^wto leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that ^athe heavens do rule. ^27bWherefore, O king, let my counsel ^cbe acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by ^drighteousness, and ^ethine iniquities by ^fshewing mercy to the poor; ^gif it may be a ^klengthening of thy ^ltranquillity.