Daniel 4:1-37 ¶ King Nebuchadnezzar, to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

VIN⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ ¶ King Nebuchadnezzar, to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. ² It gives me great pleasure to tell about the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. ³ How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation. ⁴ I, Nebuchadnezzar, was thriving in my house, and prospering. ⁵ I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. ⁶ »I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon that they might explain the dream to me. ⁷ Then the diviners, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers came in, and I told them the dream. But they could not reveal its interpretation to me. ⁸ Eventually, Daniel appeared before me. (He is called Belteshazzar, in accordance with the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is within him.) I told him my dream: ⁹ " 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I myself know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Now tell me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation. ¹⁰ Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth; and its height was great. ¹¹ The tree grew large, became strong, and its top reached the sky. It could be seen to the ends of the earth. ¹² its leaves were fair, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all; and under it the wild beasts of the field took shelter, and the birds of the sky lodged in the branches of it, and all flesh was fed by it. ¹³ In the visions of my head on my bed I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven, ¹⁴ He cried aloud and so he said: "Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches. ¹⁵ But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a fetter of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of the heavens, and his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth. ¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of an animal until seven seasons of time pass by for him. ¹⁷ This order is announced by the observers, and the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over human kingdoms and grants them to whomever he desires, and he places the least important of men over them.' ¹⁸ "This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning, since none of the advisors in my kingdom can tell me its interpretation. But you are able to do so because the spirit of the holy gods is in you." ¹⁹ Then Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was greatly troubled for a while and was terrified by his thoughts. The king said, "Belteshazzar, don't let the dream or its meaning terrify you." Belteshazzar responded, "Your majesty, if only the dream were about your enemies and its meaning about those who oppose you! ²⁰ The tree that you saw, which grew large and strong until its top reached the sky and became visible to the whole earth ²¹ And its foliage beautiful, and its fruit great, and food for all in it; under it the beast of the open field will dwell, and in its branches the birds of the heavens will dwell: ²² it's you, your majesty! You've become great and strong, your greatness has grown to the heavens, and your dominion reaches to the distant parts of the earth. ²³ "Your majesty saw a holy observer descending from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump in the ground, along with its roots, bound with iron and bronze in the field grass. Let him be soaked with the dew of the sky and live with the wild animals of the field until seven seasons pass over him.' ²⁴ This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: ²⁵ You will be driven from men. Your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will eat grass like oxen and will be wet with the dew of heaven. Seven times shall pass over you until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will. ²⁶ And in that they said to leave alone the stump of the tree's root, so your kingdom will be restored for you when you acknowledge that heaven is sovereign. ²⁷ Therefore, your majesty, may my advice be acceptable to you: Stop your sinning, do what's right, and put a stop to your wickedness by showing kindness to the oppressed. Perhaps your tranquility will continue." ²⁸ All this happened to king Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ About a year later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰ The king spoke: "Is this not great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" ³¹ The word was still in the king's voice when a voice fell from the heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: The kingdom has been taken from you! ³² You're to be driven away from people. You're to live with the wild animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like cattle, and seven years will pass you by until you realize that the Most High is sovereign over human kingdoms and grants them to whomever he desires.' ³³ The decree was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar immediately. He was driven away from people to eat grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair grew like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws." ³⁴ "At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven and my understanding returned to me. I blessed the Most High and I praised and honored the one who lives forever. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation. ³⁵ And all the people of the earth are as nothing: he does his pleasure in the army of heaven and among the people of the earth: and no one is able to keep back his hand, or say to him, What are you doing? ³⁶ At that moment I recovered my sanity, and my honor and majesty returned to me, for the sake of my kingdom. My advisors and officials sought me out, my throne was restored, and even more greatness than I had before was added to me. ³⁷ Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth and His ways judgment. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.