1 King Nebuchadnezzar, To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth: May you prosper greatly!2 It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.5 I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me.6 So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.7 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers "and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.8 Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)9 I said, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.10 These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.13 "In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger, "coming down from heaven.14 He called in a loud voice: 'Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.15 But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. "'Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times "pass by for him.17 "'The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.'18 "This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds —22 Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.23 "Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.'24 "This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.27 Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue."28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,30 he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes."33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

1 Ego Nabuchodonosor quietus eram in domo mea, et florens in palatio meo : 2 somnium vidi, quod perterruit me : et cogitationes me in strato meo, et visiones capitis mei conturbaverunt me. 3 Et per me propositum est decretum ut introducerentur in conspectu meo cuncti sapientes Babylonis, et ut solutionem somnii indicarent mihi. 4 Tunc ingrediebantur arioli, magi, Chaldi, et aruspices, et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum : et solutionem ejus non indicaverunt mihi, 5 donec collega ingressus est in conspectu meo Daniel, cui nomen Baltassar secundum nomen dei mei, qui habet spiritum deorum sanctorum in semetipso : et somnium coram ipso locutus sum. 6 Baltassar, princeps ariolorum, quoniam ego scio quod spiritum sanctorum deorum habeas in te, et omne sacramentum non est impossibile tibi : visiones somniorum meorum, quas vidi, et solutionem earum narra. 7 Visio capitis mei in cubili meo : videbam, et ecce arbor in medio terr, et altitudo ejus nimia. 8 Magna arbor, et fortis, et proceritas ejus contingens clum : aspectus illius erat usque ad terminos univers terr. 9 Folia ejus pulcherrima, et fructus ejus nimius : et esca universorum in ea. Subter eam habitabant animalia et besti, et in ramis ejus conversabantur volucres cli : et ex ea vescebatur omnis caro. 10 Videbam in visione capitis mei super stratum meum, et ecce vigil, et sanctus, de clo descendit. 11 Clamavit fortiter, et sic ait : Succidite arborem, et prcidite ramos ejus : excutite folia ejus, et dispergite fructus ejus : fugiant besti, qu subter eam sunt, et volucres de ramis ejus. 12 Verumtamen germen radicum ejus in terra sinite, et alligetur vinculo ferreo et reo in herbis qu foris sunt, et rore cli tingatur, et cum feris pars ejus in herba terr. 13 Cor ejus ab humano commutetur, et cor fer detur ei : et septem tempora mutentur super eum. 14 In sententia vigilum decretum est, et sermo sanctorum, et petitio : donec cognoscant viventes quoniam dominatur Excelsus in regno hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, dabit illud, et humillimum hominem constituet super eum. 15 Hoc somnium vidi ego Nabuchodonosor rex : tu ergo Baltassar interpretationem narra festinus, quia omnes sapientes regni mei non queunt solutionem edicere mihi : tu autem potes, quia spiritus deorum sanctorum in te est. 16 Tunc Daniel, cujus nomen Baltassar, cpit intra semetipsum tacitus cogitare quasi una hora : et cogitationes ejus conturbabant eum. Respondens autem rex, ait : Baltassar, somnium et interpretatio ejus non conturbent te. Respondit Baltassar, et dixit : Domine mi, somnium his, qui te oderunt, et interpretatio ejus hostibus tuis sit. 17 Arborem, quam vidisti sublimem atque robustam, cujus altitudo pertingit ad clum, et aspectus illius in omnem terram ; 18 et rami ejus pulcherrimi, et fructus ejus nimius, et esca omnium in ea, subter eam habitantes besti agri, et in ramis ejus commorantes aves cli : 19 tu es rex, qui magnificatus es, et invaluisti : et magnitudo tua crevit, et pervenit usque ad clum, et potestas tua in terminos univers terr. 20 Quod autem vidit rex vigilem, et sanctum descendere de clo, et dicere : Succidite arborem, et dissipate illam, attamen germen radicum ejus in terra dimittite, et vinciatur ferro et re in herbis foris, et rore cli conspergatur, et cum feris sit pabulum ejus, donec septem tempora mutentur super eum : 21 hc est interpretatio sententi Altissimi, qu pervenit super dominum meum regem, 22 Ejicient te ab hominibus, et cum bestiis ferisque erit habitatio tua, et fnum ut bos comedes, et rore cli infunderis : septem quoque tempora mutabuntur super te, donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus super regnum hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, det illud. 23 Quod autem prcepit ut relinqueretur germen radicum ejus, id est arboris : regnum tuum tibi manebit postquam cognoveris potestatem esse clestem. 24 Quam ob rem, rex, consilium meum placeat tibi, et peccata tua eleemosynis redime, et iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum : forsitan ignoscet delictis tuis.25 Omnia hc venerunt super Nabuchodonosor regem. 26 Post finem mensium duodecim, in aula Babylonis deambulabat. 27 Responditque rex, et ait : Nonne hc est Babylon magna, quam ego dificavi in domum regni, in robore fortitudinis me, et in gloria decoris mei ? 28 Cumque sermo adhuc esset in ore regis, vox de clo ruit : Tibi dicitur, Nabuchodonosor rex : Regnum tuum transibit a te, 29 et ab hominibus ejicient te, et cum bestiis et feris erit habitatio tua : fnum quasi bos comedes, et septem tempora mutabuntur super te, donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus in regno hominum, et cuicumque voluerit, det illud. 30 Eadem hora sermo completus est super Nabuchodonosor, et ex hominibus abjectus est, et fnum ut bos comedit, et rore cli corpus ejus infectum est, donec capilli ejus in similitudinem aquilarum crescerent, et ungues ejus quasi avium.31 Igitur post finem dierum, ego Nabuchodonosor oculos meos ad clum levavi, et sensus meus redditus est mihi : et Altissimo benedixi, et viventem in sempiternum laudavi et glorificavi : quia potestas ejus potestas sempiterna, et regnum ejus in generationem et generationem. 32 Et omnes habitatores terr apud eum in nihilum reputati sunt : juxta voluntatem enim suam facit tam in virtutibus cli quam in habitatoribus terr : et non est qui resistat manui ejus, et dicat ei : Quare fecisti ? 33 In ipso tempore sensus meus reversus est ad me, et ad honorem regni mei, decoremque perveni : et figura mea reversa est ad me, et optimates mei et magistratus mei requisierunt me, et in regno meo restitutus sum : et magnificentia amplior addita est mihi. 34 Nunc igitur, ego Nabuchodonosor laudo, et magnifico, et glorifico regem cli : quia omnia opera ejus vera, et vi ejus judicia, et gradientes in superbia potest humiliare.