¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you. ² I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God has worked toward me. ³ How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. ⁴ I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace ⁵ I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. ⁶ Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷ Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation of it. ⁸ But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in who is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream , [saying], ⁹ O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation of it. ¹⁰ So were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw , and see a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height of it was great. ¹¹ The tree grew, and was strong, and the height of it reached to heaven, and the sight of it to the end of all the earth ¹² The leaves of it were fair, and the fruit of it much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs of it, and all flesh was fed of it. ¹³ I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and, see, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven; ¹⁴ He cried aloud, and said so, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let 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 group 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 to him; and let seven times pass over him. ¹⁷ This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will, and sets up over it the bases of men. ¹⁸ This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now you, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation of it, since as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation: but you are able; for the spirit of the holy gods [is] in you. ¹⁹ Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation of it, trouble you. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate you, and the interpretation of it to your enemies. ²⁰ The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the heaven, and the sight of it to all the earth; ²¹ Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit of it much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and on whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation ²² It is you, O king, that are grown and become strong: for your greatness is grown, and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the end of the earth. ²³ And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots of it in the earth, even with a group 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, till seven times pass over him; ²⁴ This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come on my lord the king ²⁵ That they will drive you from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field, and they will make you to eat grass as oxen, and they will wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times will pass over you, till you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will. ²⁶ And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; your kingdom will be sure to you, after that you will have known that the heavens do rule. ²⁷ why, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of your tranquillity. ²⁸ All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. ³⁰ The king spoke, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? ³¹ While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from you. ³² And they will drive you from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field: they will make you to eat grass as oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will. ³³ The same hour was the thing fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds ' comeslaws]. ³⁴ And at the end of the 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 honoured him that lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation ³⁵ And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say to him, What doest you? ³⁶ At the same time my reason returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned to me; and my counsellors and my lords sought to me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. ³⁷ Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.