1 من نبوخذناصّر الملك الى كل الشعوب والامم والألسنة الساكنين في الارض كلها ليكثر سلامكم.2 الآيات والعجائب التي صنعها معي الله العلي حسن عندي ان اخبر بها.3 آياته ما اعظمها وعجائبه ما اقواها. ملكوته ملكوت ابدي وسلطانه الى دور فدور4 انا نبوخذناصّر قد كنت مطمئنا في بيتي وناضرا في قصري.5 رأيت حلما فروّعني والافكار على فراشي ورؤى راسي افزعتني.6 فصدر مني امر باحضار جميع حكماء بابل قدامي ليعرفوني بتعبير الحلم.7 حينئذ حضر المجوس والسحرة والكلدانيون والمنجمون وقصصت الحلم عليهم فلم يعرفوني بتعبيره.8 اخيرا دخل قدامي دانيال الذي اسمه بلطشاصر كاسم الهي والذي فيه روح الآلهة القدوسين فقصصت الحلم قدامه9 يا بلطشاصر كبير المجوس من حيث اني اعلم ان فيك روح الآلهة القدوسين ولا يعسر عليك سرّ فاخبرني برؤى حلمي الذي رايته وبتعبيره.10 فرؤى راسي على فراشي هي اني كنت ارى فاذا بشجرة في وسط الارض وطولها عظيم.11 فكبرت الشجرة وقويت فبلغ علوها الى السماء ومنظرها الى اقصى كل الارض.12 اوراقها جميلة وثمرها كثير وفيها طعام للجميع وتحتها استظل حيوان البر وفي اغصانها سكنت طيور السماء وطعم منها كل البشر.13 كنت ارى في رؤى راسي على فراشي واذا بساهر وقدوس نزل من السماء14 فصرخ بشدة وقال هكذا. اقطعوا الشجرة واقضبوا اغصانها وانثروا اوراقها وابذروا ثمرها ليهرب الحيوان من تحتها والطيور من اغصانها.15 ولكن اتركوا ساق اصلها في الارض وبقيد من حديد ونحاس في عشب الحقل وليبتلّ بندى السماء وليكن نصيبه مع الحيوان في عشب الحقل16 ليتغيّر قلبه عن الانسانية وليعط قلب حيوان ولتمضي عليه سبعة ازمنة.17 هذا الأمر بقضاء الساهرين والحكم بكلمة القدوسين لكي تعلم الاحياء ان العلي متسلط في مملكة الناس فيعطيها من يشاء وينصب عليها ادنى الناس.18 هذا الحلم رأيته انا نبوخذناصّر الملك. اما انت يا بلطشاصر فبيّن تعبيره لان كل حكماء مملكتي لا يستطيعون ان يعرفوني بالتعبير. اما انت فتستطيع لان فيك روح الآلهة القدوسين19 حينئذ تحيّر دانيال الذي اسمه بلطشاصر ساعة واحدة وافزعته افكاره. اجاب الملك وقال يا بلطشاصر لا يفزعك الحلم ولا تعبيره. فاجاب بلطشاصر وقال يا سيدي الحلم لمبغضيك وتعبيره لاعاديك.20 الشجرة التي رأيتها التي كبرت وقويت وبلغ علوها الى السماء ومنظرها الى كل الارض21 واوراقها جميلة وثمرها كثير وفيها طعام للجميع وتحتها سكن حيوان البر وفي اغصانها سكنت طيور السماء22 انما هي انت يا ايها الملك الذي كبرت وتقويت وعظمتك قد زادت وبلغت الى السماء وسلطانك الى اقصى الارض.23 وحيث رأى الملك ساهرا وقدوسا نزل من السماء وقال اقطعوا الشجرة واهلكوها ولكن اتركوا ساق اصلها في الارض وبقيد من حديد ونحاس في عشب الحقل وليبتلّ بندى السماء وليكن نصيبه مع حيوان البر حتى تمضي عليه سبعة ازمنة.24 فهذا هو التعبير ايها الملك وهذا هو قضاء العلي الذي يأتي على سيدي الملك.25 يطردونك من بين الناس وتكون سكناك مع حيوان البر ويطعمونك العشب كالثيران ويبلونك بندى السماء فتمضي عليك سبعة ازمنة حتى تعلم ان العلي متسلط في مملكة الناس ويعطيها من يشاء.26 وحيث أمروا بترك ساق اصول الشجرة فان مملكتك تثبت لك عندما تعلم ان السماء سلطان.27 لذلك ايها الملك فلتكن مشورتي مقبولة لديك وفارق خطاياك بالبر وآثامك بالرحمة للمساكين لعله يطال اطمئنانك28 كل هذا جاء على نبوخذناصّر الملك.29 عند نهاية اثني عشر شهرا كان يتمشى على قصر مملكة بابل.30 واجاب الملك فقال أليست هذه بابل العظيمة التي بنيتها لبيت الملك بقوة اقتداري ولجلال مجدي.31 والكلمة بعد في فم الملك وقع صوت من السماء قائلا لك يقولون يا نبوخذناصّر الملك ان الملك قد زال عنك32 ويطردونك من بين الناس وتكون سكناك مع حيوان البر ويطعمونك العشب كالثيران فتمضي عليك سبعة ازمنة حتى تعلم ان العلي متسلط في مملكة الناس وانه يعطيها من يشاء33 في تلك الساعة تم الأمر على نبوخذناصّر فطرد من بين الناس واكل العشب كالثيران وابتلّ جسمه بندى السماء حتى طال شعره مثل النسور واظفاره مثل الطيور34 وعند انتهاء الايام انا نبوخذناصّر رفعت عينيّ الى السماء فرجع اليّ عقلي وباركت العلي وسبحت وحمدت الحي الى الابد الذي سلطانه سلطان ابدي وملكوته الى دور فدور.35 وحسبت جميع سكان الارض كلا شيء وهو يفعل كما يشاء في جند السماء وسكان الارض ولا يوجد من يمنع يده او يقول له ماذا تفعل.36 في ذلك الوقت رجع اليّ عقلي وعاد اليّ جلال مملكتي ومجدي وبهائي وطلبني مشيريّ وعظمائي وتثبّت على مملكتي وازدادت لي عظمة كثيرة.37 فالآن انا نبوخذناصّر اسبح واعظم واحمد ملك السماء الذي كل اعماله حق وطرقه عدل ومن يسلك بالكبرياء فهو قادر على ان يذلّه

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 my 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 thereof.8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom 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 thereof.10 Thus were the visions of my head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the middle of the earth, and the height thereof was great.11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached to heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelled in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.13 I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;14 He cried aloud, and said thus, 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 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', and let a beast' 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 basest of men.18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now you, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, for as much 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 astonished for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble you. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate you, and the interpretation thereof to your enemies.20 The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelled, 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 an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet 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, 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 shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall 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 shall be sure to you, after that you shall 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 tranquility.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 honor of my majesty?31 While the word was in the king' 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 shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make you to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall 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'claws.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 honored him that lives for ever, 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 do you?36 At the same time my reason returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor 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 honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.