Daniel 4

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king,

to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth:

Peace be multiplied to you.

2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward 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 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 I made 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 the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in; and I told them the dream, but they didn’t make known to me its interpretation. 8 But at 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. I told the dream before him, saying,

9 "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 its interpretation. 10 These 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 and was strong. Its height reached to the sky and its sight to the end of all the earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13 "I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a holy watcher came down from the sky. 14 He cried aloud and said this: ‘Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let the animals get away from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him. Then let seven times pass over him.

17 "‘The sentence 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 whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.’

18 "This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because 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 stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, "Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or the interpretation, trouble you."

Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries. 20 The tree that you saw, which grew and was strong, whose height reached to the sky and its sight to all the earth; 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit plentiful, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation— 22 it is you, O king, that have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

23 "Whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from the sky and saying, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.’

24 "This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king: 25 You will be driven from men and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You will be made to eat grass as oxen, and will be wet with the dew of the sky, and 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 Whereas it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be sure to you after you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, 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. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your tranquility."

28 All this came on the King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke and said, "Is not this 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 While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from the sky, saying, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: ‘The kingdom has departed from you. 32 You shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen. 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.’"

33 This was fulfilled the same hour on Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; and his body was wet with the dew of the sky until his hair had grown 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; and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever,

for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

and his kingdom from generation to generation.

35 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 no one can stop his hand,

or ask him, "What are you doing?"

36 At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.

Te Moemoeā Tuarua o Nepukaneha

1 Nā Nepukaneha, nā te kīngi ki ngā tāngata katoa, ki ngā iwi, ki ngā reo e noho ana i te whenua katoa:

Kia whakanuia tō koutou rangimārie.

2 I mea ahau e pai ana kia whakakitea ngā tohu me ngā mea whakamīharo i mahia nei e te Atua, e te Runga Rawa ki ahau.

3 Anō te nui o āna tohu!

Anō te nui o āna mea whakamīharo!

Ko tōna kīngitanga he kīngitanga mau tonu,

ko tōna kāwanatanga kei tērā whakatupuranga, kei tērā whakatupuranga.

4 I te āta noho ahau, a Nepukaneha, i roto i tōku whare, koa tonu i roto i tōku whare kīngi. 5 Ka kite ahau i tētahi moe i wehi ai ahau; raruraru ana ahau i ngā whakaaro i runga i tōku moenga, i ngā mea anō hoki i kitea e tōku māhunga. 6 Nā reira i puaki ai tāku ture kia kawea mai ngā tāngata whakaaro nui katoa o Papurōna ki tōku aroaro, kia whakakitea ai e rātou te tikanga o te moe ki ahau. 7 Nā, ko te haerenga mai o ngā tohunga māori, o ngā kaititiro whetū, o ngā Karari, rātou ko ngā tohunga tūāhu, kōrerotia ana e ahau te moe ki tō rātou aroaro. Heoi, kīhai i whakaaturia mai e rātou tōna tikanga ki ahau. 8 Nāwai ā kua tae mai ki tōku aroaro a Raniera, ko tōna ingoa nei ko Peretehatara, ko te ingoa o tōku atua, he tangata kei a ia nei te wairua o ngā atua tapu; ā, kōrerotia ana e ahau te moe ki tōna aroaro.

I mea ahau, 9 "E Peretehatara, e te rangatira o ngā tohunga māori, e mōhio ana hoki ahau kei a koe te wairua o ngā atua tapu, e kore koe e hē ki tētahi mea ngaro, whakaaturia mai ki ahau ngā mea i puta mai, te moemoeā i kitea e ahau, me te tikanga o aua mea. 10 Ko ngā mea ēnei i kitea e tōku māhunga, i runga i tōku moenga; titiro rawa atu ahau, nā, ko tētahi rākau i waenganui o te whenua, nui atu tōna tiketike. 11 Kua tupu taua rākau, kua kaha, roa tonu, tutuki tonu ki te rangi, he mea hoki i kitea mai i ngā pito o te whenua katoa. 12 Ātaahua tonu ngā rau, he maha ngā hua, ā, i runga i a ia he kai mā te katoa. I whai taumarumarunga iho ngā kīrehe o te pārae i raro i a ia, i noho anō ngā manu o te rangi i runga i ōna manga, i reira hoki ngā kikokiko katoa e kai ana.

13 "I kite ahau i roto i ngā mea i kitea e tōku māhunga i runga i tōku moenga, nā, he tūtei, he mea tapu, e heke iho ana i te rangi. 14 Nui atu tāna karanga; i mea ia: ‘Tuaina te rākau, pōutoutoa ōna manga, whakahoroa ōna rau, tītaria ōna hua. Kia haere atu ngā kararehe i raro i a ia, me ngā manu i ōna manga. 15 Me waiho anō ia te take o ōna pakiaka i te whenua, here rawa ki te rino, ki te parāhi, i roto i te taru hou o te pārae; kia mākū anō i te tōmairangi o te rangi.

" ‘Nā, ko te wāhi mōna kei tō ngā kararehe, kei te tarutaru o te whenua. 16 Kia puta kē tōna ngākau tangata, kia hoatu he ngākau kararehe ki a ia, kia whitu hoki ōna wā e taka.

17 " ‘Ko tēnei mea he mea whakatakoto nā ngā tūtei; he mea kī mai anō nā te kupu a ngā mea tapu. Kia mōhio ai te hunga ora kei te kāwana te Runga Rawa ki te kīngitanga o ngā tāngata, ā, e hoatu ana e ia ki tāna e pai ai, e meinga ana hoki e ia ngā ware rawa o ngā tāngata hei rangatira mō reira.’

18 "Ko tēnei moe, he mea kite nāku, nā Kīngi Nepukaneha. Nā, māu, e Peretehatara, e whakaatu mai tōna tikanga, kāhore nei hoki i taea e ngā tāngata whakaaro nui katoa o tōku kīngitanga te whakaatu te tikanga ki ahau; e taea ia e koe, kei roto nā hoki i a koe te wairua o ngā atua tapu."

Ka Whakamāramatia te Moemoeā e Raniera

19 Kātahi a Raniera, ko tōna ingoa nei ko Peretehatara, ka ketekete, he wā poto anō, ā, raruraru ana ia i ōna whakaaro. Ka whakahoki te kīngi, ka mea, "Kei raruraru koe, e Peretehatara, i te moe, i tōna tikanga rānei."

Ka whakahoki a Peretehatara, ka mea, "E tōku ariki, waiho tēnei moe mō te hunga e kino ana ki a koe, me tōna tikanga anō mō ōu hoariri. 20 Ko te rākau i kite nā koe, ko tērā i tupu rā, ā, kua kaha, ko tōna tiketike nei i tutuki atu ki te rangi, ā, i kitea hoki e te whenua katoa. 21 Ko ōna rau he ātaahua, he maha ōna hua, ā, he kai i runga mā te katoa; ā, i noho ngā kararehe o te pārae i raro i a ia, he nohoanga hoki a runga i ōna manga nō ngā manu o te rangi. 22 Ko koe, e te kīngi, kua tupu nā, kua kaha nā. Kua tupu nā hoki tōu nui, kua tutuki atu ki te rangi, me tōu kīngitanga ki te pito o te whenua.

23 "Nā, i kite nā te kīngi i te tūtei, i te mea tapu hoki e heke iho ana i te rangi, e mea ana, ‘Tuaina te rākau, whakangaromia; me waiho anō ia te take o ōna pakiaka ki te whenua, here rawa ki te rino, ki te parāhi, i te taru hou o te pārae. Kia māku anō i te tōmairangi o te rangi; ā, ko te wāhi mōna, hei tō ngā kararehe o te pārae, kia taka rā anō ōna wā e whitu.’

24 "Ko te tikanga tēnei, e te kīngi, ko te ture anō tēnei a te Runga Rawa ka tae iho nei ki runga ki tōku ariki, ki te kīngi: 25 Arā, kia āia atu koe i roto i ngā tāngata, ki ngā kararehe o te pārae he nohoanga mōu, kia meinga anō koe kia kai tarutaru, kia pērā me ngā kau, kia mākū anō i te tōmairangi o te rangi, ā, e whitu ngā wā ōu ka taka. Kia mōhio rā anō koe kei te kāwana te Runga Rawa ki te kīngitanga o ngā tāngata, ā, e hoatu ana e ia ki tāna e pai ai. 26 Nā, ko te kīanga mai rā kia waiho te take o ngā pakiaka o te rākau. Ka pūmau ki a koe tōu kīngitanga, ina mōhio koe ko ngā rangi hei kāwana. 27 Mō reira kia manakohia mai tōku whakaaro e koe, e te kīngi, kia whatia atu anō ōu hara e te tika, kia whatia anō ōu kino e te mahi tohu ki ngā rawakore; ā tērā pea e roa tōu āta noho."

Te Whakaiti o Nepukaneha

28 I pā katoa mai tēnei ki a Kīngi Nepukaneha. 29 I te mutunga o ngā marama kotahi tekau mā rua e hāereere ana ia i te whare kīngi o Papurōna. 30 Ka kōrero te kīngi, ka mea, "He teka ianei ko Papurōna nui tēnei i hangā nei e ahau hei whare mō te kīngitanga; he nui nō tōku kaha, hei whakahōnore anō mō tōku korōria?"

31 I te kupu anō i te māngai o te kīngi ka pā he reo nō te rangi: "E Kīngi Nepukaneha, he kupu tēnei ki a koe. Ka riro tōu kīngitanga. 32 Ka āia atu anō koe i roto i ngā tāngata, ā, ko te kāinga mōu kei ngā kararehe o te pārae. Ka meinga koe kia kai tarutaru, kia pērā me ngā kau, ā, e whitu ngā wā ōu ka taka; kia mōhio rā anō koe kei te kāwana te Runga Rawa ki te kīngitanga o ngā tāngata, ā, e hoatu ana e ia ki tāna e pai ai."

33 I taua hāora anō ka rite taua mea ki a Nepukaneha. Nā, ka āia atu ia i roto i ngā tāngata, ā, kai tarutaru ana ia, pērā ana me ngā kau, i mākū anō tōna tinana i te tōmairangi o te rangi, tupu noa iho ōna huruhuru, kei ngā huruhuru ēkara te rite, ōna matikuku rite tonu ki ō te manu.

Ka Whakamoemititia te Atua e Nepukaneha

34 Nā, i te mutunga o ngā rā ka anga ake ngā kanohi ōku, o Nepukaneha, ki te rangi, ā, hoki mai ana tōku ngākau mahara ki ahau.

Ā, whakapaingia ana e ahau te Runga Rawa,

whakamoemiti atu ana ahau,

Whakahōnore ana i a ia, e ora tonu ana hoki ia,

he rangatiratanga mau tonu tōna rangatiratanga.

Ko tōna kīngitanga anō kei tērā whakatupuranga,

kei tērā whakatupuranga.

35 Ki tā te whakaaro he kāhore noa iho ngā tāngata katoa o te whenua;

ā, e mahia ana e ia tāna e pai ai i roto i te ope o te rangi,

i waenga anō o ngā tāngata o te whenua.

E kore anō tōna ringa e taea te pupuri e tētahi,

kāhore hoki he kīanga ki a ia: "E aha ana koe?"

36 I taua wā anō ka hoki mai ōku mahara ki ahau; i hoki mai anō tōku hōnore me tōku āhua rangatira ki ahau, hei whakakorōria mō tōku kīngitanga; i rapua mai anō ahau e āku kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro, e āku ariki. Nā, ka ū ahau ki tōku kīngitanga, ā, nui atu te korōria i whakanekehia ake mōku. 37 Nā, tēnei ahau, a Nepukaneha, te whakamoemiti, te whakanui, te whakahōnore nei i te Kīngi o te rangi; he pono hoki āna mahi katoa, ko ōna ara he whakarite whakawā. Ko te hunga anō e haere ana i runga i te whakapehapeha, ka taea e ia te whakaiti.