Daniel 4:1-18

Geneva^{(i) 1} I Nebuchad-nezzar being at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace, ² Saw a dreame, which made me afraide, and the thoughtes vpon my bed, and the visions of mine head troubled me. ³ Therefore made I a decree, that they should bring all the wise men of Babel before mee, that they might declare vnto me the interpretation of the dreame. ⁴ So came the inchanters, the astrologians, the Caldeans and the sothsayers, to whom I tolde the dreame, but they could not shew me the interpretation thereof, ⁵ Till at the last Daniel came before mee, (whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, which hath the spirite of the holy gods in him) and before him I tolde the dreame, saying, ⁶ O Belteshazzar, chiefe of the enchanters, because I know, that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell mee the visions of my dreame, that I haue seene and the interpretation thereof. ⁷ Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed. And beholde, I sawe a tree in the middes of the earth and the height thereof was great: ⁸ A great tree and strong, and the height thereof reached vnto heauen, and the sight thereof to the endes of all the earth. ⁹ The boughes thereof were faire and the fruite thereof much, and in it was meate for all: it made a shadow vnder it for the beastes of the fielde, and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the boughes thereof, and all flesh fedde of it. ¹⁰ I sawe in the visions of mine head vpon my bed, and beholde, a watchman and an holy one came downe from heauen, ¹¹ And cried aloude, and said thus, Hew downe the tree, and breake off his branches: shake off his leaues, and scatter his fruite, that the beastes may flee from vnder it, and the foules from his branches. ¹² Neuerthelesse leaue the stumpe of his rootes in the earth, and with a band of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wet with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes among the grasse of the fielde. ¹³ Let his heart be changed from mans nature, and let a beasts heart be giuen vnto him, and let seuen times be passed ouer him. ¹⁴ The sentence is according to the decree of the watchmen, and according to the word of the holy ones: the demaunde was answered, to the intent that liuing men may knowe, that the most High hath power ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will, and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men. ¹⁵ This is the dreame, that I King Nebuchad-nezzar haue seene: therefore thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof: for all the wisemen of my kingdome are not able to shewe mee the interpretation: but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. ¹⁶ Then Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar) held his peace by the space of one houre, and his thoughts troubled him, and the King spake and said, Belteshazzar, let neither the dreame, nor the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and saide, My lord, the dreame be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. ¹⁷ The tree that thou sawest, which was great and mightie, whose height reached vnto the heauen, and the sight thereof through all the world, ¹⁸ Whose leaues were faire and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meate for all, vnder the which the beastes of the fielde dwelt, and vpon whose branches the foules of the heauen did sit,