1King Nebuchadnezzar, to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: May your peace be multiplied!
2It has seemed good before me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.
3How great are his signs, and how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
4I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
5I saw a dream, and it made me afraid; the fantasies upon my bed and the visions of my head terrified me.
6So a decree was issued from me to bring in before me all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I told the dream before them, but they did not make known to me its interpretation.
8But at last Daniel came in before me—whose name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told the dream before him:
9“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and its interpretation.
10Now the visions of my head upon my bed were these: I was looking, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.
11The tree grew great and became strong, and its height reached to the heavens, and it was visible to the end of all the earth.
12Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and there was food for all in it; beneath it the beasts of the field found shade, and in its branches the birds of the heavens dwelt, and from it all flesh was fed.
13I was looking in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, was coming down from the heavens.
14He called out with force and said thus: ‘Cut down the tree and lop off its branches; strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from beneath it and the birds from its branches.
15But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let it be drenched with the dew of the heavens, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
16Let his heart be changed from that of a man, and let the heart of a beast be given to him, and let seven times pass over him.
17This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence is by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind, and gives it to whomever he wills, and sets over it the lowliest of men.’
18This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell the interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a moment, and his thoughts terrified him. The king spoke and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation terrify you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies!
20The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which was visible to all the earth,
21and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which there was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens nested—
22it is you, O king, who have grown great and strong; your greatness has grown and reached to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23And whereas the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from the heavens and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be drenched with the dew of the heavens, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field until seven times pass over him’—
24this is the interpretation, O king: it is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king.
25You will be driven away from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field; you will be made to eat grass like oxen, and you will be drenched with the dew of the heavens, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever he wills.
26And whereas they said to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be confirmed for you from the time you know that Heaven rules.
27Therefore, O king, let my counsel be pleasing to you: break off your sins by righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
28All this came upon Nebuchadnezzar the king.
29At the end of twelve months he was walking upon the royal palace of Babylon.
30The king spoke and said, “Is this not great Babylon, which I have built as a royal house by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”
31While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from the heavens: “To you it is spoken, O King Nebuchadnezzar: the kingdom has departed from you.
32You will be driven away from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field; you will be made to eat grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever he wills.”
33At that very moment the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven away from men and ate grass like oxen, and his body was drenched with the dew of the heavens, until his hair grew long like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
34And at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me. And I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored the One who lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reckoned as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. And there is no one who can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’
36At that time my understanding returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom my majesty and my splendor returned to me. My counselors and my nobles sought me out, and I was reestablished over my kingdom, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are truth and his ways are justice, and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
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