18 “ ‘This is the dream that I, Nebuchadnezzar the king, saw. Nowe you, Belteshazzar, declare its explanation, ⌊for⌋f all of the wise men of my kingdom were not able to make the explanation known to me, but you are able because the spirit of holy gods is in you.’

Daniel Relates and Interprets the Dream

19 “Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was distressed ⌊for some time⌋,g and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, ‘Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘My lord, may the dream and its explanation be for those who hate you and for your enemies. 20 The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong and its height reached to heavenh and ⌊it was visible to the end of the whole earth⌋,i 21 and its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and so there was provision for all in it, and the animalsj of the field lived under it and in its branches nest the birds of heaven,k 22 —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heavenl and your sovereignty to the end of the earth. 23 And inasmuch that the king saw the watcher, a holy one coming down from heavenm and he said, “Cut down the tree and destroy it, but the stump of its root in the earth leave with a band of iron and bronze in the grass of the field, and let it be watered with the dew of heaven and let his lot be with the animals of the field ⌊until seven times have passed over him⌋.”n 24 This is the explanation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: