IV. * Nebuchadnezzar the king, abunto all people, nations, and languages, bcthat dwell in all the earth; bdPeace be multiplied unto you. 2 * I thought it good to shew ethe signs and wonders that fthe high God hath wrought toward me. 3 How great are ehis signs! and how mighty are ehis wonders! ghis kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, gand his dominion is from generation to generation.

4 I Nebuchadnezzar was hat rest in mine house, and iflourishing in my palace: 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and jthe thoughts upon my bed and jkthe visions of my head troubled me. 6 lTherefore made I a decree mto bring in all nthe wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 7 mThen came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and othe soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; oobut they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, pwhose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and qin whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, rsaying, 9 pO Belteshazzar, smaster of the magicians, because I know that qthe spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no tsecret troubleth thee, tell me jthe visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 10 Thus 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. 11 iThe tree grew, and was strong, and uvthe height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 12 wthe 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. 13 I saw in jthe visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, za watcher and aa holy one came down from heaven; 14 he 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: 15 nevertheless 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: 16 let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and dlet seven dtimes pass over him. 17 This 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. 18 This 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.

19 Then 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. 20 ppThe tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 qwhose 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: 22 rit 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. 23 And 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; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is ethe decree of jthe most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25 that 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. 26 And 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. 27 bWherefore, 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.

28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he walked * in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 mThe king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for nthe house of the kingdom by othe might of omy power, and for opthe honour of pmy majesty? 31 * ppWhile the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, qsaying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee qqit is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32 And rthey shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: rthey shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, rand seven times shall pass over thee, runtil thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, rand giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33 sThe same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and this body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. 34 And * uat the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lift up uumine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and vhonoured him vvthat liveth for ever, wwhose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and wxhis kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 and all ythe inhabitants of the earth zare reputed as nothing: and ahe doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among ythe inhabitants of the earth: and bnone can stay his hand, cor say unto him, cWhat doest thou? 36 At the same time uumy reason returned unto me; and for edthe glory of my kingdom, dmine honour and ddbrightness returned unto me; and my ecounsellers and my eelords sought unto me; and I fwas established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty gwas added unto me. 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar hpraise and extol and hhonour ithe King of heaven, kall whose works are truth, and lhis ways judgment: and mthose that walk in pride he is able to abase.