1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar was dreaming dreams, and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him.2 And the king commanded to call the magicians, and the conjurers, and the sorcerers and the Chaldeans, to declare to the king his dreams. And they came and stood before the king.3 And the king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.4 And the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will explain the interpretation.5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The command is gone from me. If you will not make known the dream and its interpretation to me, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an outhouse.6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore, declare the dream and its interpretation to me.7 They again replied and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will explain its interpretation.8 The king answered and said, I know that you would buy time, because you see that the command is gone from me.9 But if you will not make the dream known to me, there is one law for you. For you have agreed upon lying and deceiving words to speak before me until the time has changed. Therefore, tell me the dream, then I shall know that you have the ability to explain the interpretation to me.10 The Chaldeans replied before the king and said, There is not a man on the earth who can declare the king’s matter, because not any king, lord, or ruler has asked such a thing from any magician, or conjurer, or Chaldean.11 And the thing that the king asks is rare. And there is no other who can declare it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.12 Because of all this the king was enraged and angered. And he commanded all the wise men of Babylon to be destroyed.13 And the law went out that the wise men should be killed. And they searched for Daniel and his companions, to be killed.14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and discretion to Arioch the chief of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.15 He answered and said to Arioch, the king’s officer, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? And Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.16 And Daniel went in and asked of the king that he would give him time, and he would declare to the king the interpretation.17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,18 that they might pray for the mercies of God in Heaven concerning this secret, that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision, and Daniel blessed the God of Heaven.20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings, and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.22 He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells in Him.23 I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and has made known to me what we asked of You. For You have made known to us the king’s matter.24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him, Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me before the king, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and spoke this to him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah who will make the interpretation known to the king.26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?27 Daniel replied before the king and said, The secret which the king has demanded cannot be declared to the king by the wise men, the conjurers, the magicians, or the fortunetellers.28 But there is a God in Heaven who reveals secrets, and makes known to King Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to you on your bed, about what should come to pass after this. And He who reveals secrets makes known to you what shall come to pass.30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living man, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you might know the thoughts of your heart.31 You, O king, were watching, and behold, a certain great image! This great image stood before you with extraordinary brightness, and its form was dreadful.32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.34 You watched until it happened that a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were together broken to pieces, and they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away so that they could not be found anywhere. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.36 This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.37 You O king are a king of kings. For the God of Heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and honor.38 And wherever the sons of men, the animals of the field, and the birds of the sky dwell, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all. You are this head of gold.39 And in your place shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours, and another third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron. Inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters all things, and like iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.41 And whereas you saw the feet and the toes, partly of potters’ clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be in it the strength of iron, just as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken.43 And as you saw the iron mixed with the miry clay, they shall become mixed with the seed of men. But they shall not cleave to one another, even as iron does not fellowship with clay.44 And in the days of these kings, the God of Heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. And the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and bring all these kingdoms to an end, and it shall stand forever.45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold in pieces, the Great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass after this. And the dream is certain, and the interpretation of it is sure.46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face prostrate before Daniel. And he commanded that they present an offering to him with incense.47 The king answered Daniel and said, Your God truly is a God of gods and a Lord of kings, and a Revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.48 Then the king made Daniel great and gave him many great gifts. And he made him ruler over all the province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.49 And Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

1 In the secounde yeer of the rewme of Nabugodonosor, Nabugodonosor siy a dreem; and his spirit was aferd, and his dreem fledde awei fro hym.2 Therfor the kyng comaundide, that the dyuynours, and astronomyens, and witchis, and Caldeis schulden be clepid togidere, that thei schulden telle to the kyng hise dremys; and whanne thei weren comun, thei stoden bifor the king.3 And the king seide to hem, Y siy a dreem, and Y am schent in mynde, and Y knowe not what Y siy.4 And Caldeis answeriden the kyng bi Sirik langage, Kyng, liue thou with outen ende; seie thi dreem to thi seruauntis, and we schulen schewe to thee the expownyng therof.5 And the kyng answeride, and seide to Caldeis, The word is goen awei fro me; if ye schewen not to me the dreem, and expownyng therof, ye schulen perische, and youre housis schulen be forfetid.6 Forsothe if ye tellen the dreem, and the expownyng therof, ye schulen take of me meedis and yiftis, and myche onour; therfor schewe ye to me the dreem, and the interpretyng therof.7 Thei answeriden the secounde tyme, and seiden, The kyng seie the dreem to hise seruauntis, and we schulen schewe the interpretyng therof.8 The kyng answeride, and seide, Certis Y woot, that ye ayenbien the tyme, and witen that the word is goen awei fro me.9 Therfor if ye schewen not to me the dreem, o sentence is of you, for ye maken an interpretyng bothe fals and ful of disseit, that ye speke to me til the tyme passe; therfor seie ye the dreem to me, that Y wite, that ye speke also the veri interpretyng therof.10 Therfor Caldeis answeriden bifor the kyng, and seiden, Kyng, no man is on erthe, that mai fille thi word; but nether ony greet man and myyti of kyngis axith siche a word of ony dyuynour, and astronomyen, and of a man of Caldee.11 For the word which thou, kyng, axist, is greuouse, nether ony schal be foundun, that schal schewe it in the siyt of the king, outakun goddis, whos lyuyng is not with men.12 And whanne this word was herd, the kyng comaundide, in woodnesse and in greet ire, that alle the wise men of Babiloyne schulden perische.13 And bi the sentence goon out, the wise men weren slayn; and Danyel and hise felows weren souyt, that thei schulden perische.14 Thanne Danyel axide of the lawe and sentence, of Ariok, prynce of chyualrie of the kyng, that was gon out to sle the wise men of Babiloyne.15 And he axide hym, that hadde take power of the kyng, for what cause so cruel a sentence yede out fro the face of the kyng. Therfor whanne Ariok hadde schewid the thing to Danyel,16 Danyel entride, and preyede the kyng, that he schulde yyue tyme to hym to schewe the soilyng to the kyng.17 And he entride in to his hous, and schewide the nede to Ananye, and to Misael, and Asarie,18 hise felowis, that thei schulden axe merci of the face of God of heuene on this sacrament; and that Danyel and hise felowis schulden not perische with othere wise men of Babiloyne.19 Thanne the priuyte was schewid to Danyel bi a visioun in nyyt. And Danyel blesside God of heuene, and seide,20 The name of the Lord be blessid fro the world, and til in to the world, for wisdom and strengthe ben hise;21 and he chaungith tymes and ages, he translatith rewmes and ordeyneth; he yyueth wisdom to wise men, and kunnyng to hem that vndurstonden techyng, ether chastisyng;22 he schewith deepe thingis and hid, and he knowith thingis set in derknessis, and liyt is with hym.23 God of oure fadris, Y knowleche to thee, and Y herie thee, for thou hast youe wisdom and strengthe to me; and now thou hast schewid to me tho thingis, whiche we preieden thee, for thou hast openyd to vs the word of the kyng.24 Aftir these thingis Danyel entride to Ariok, whom the kyng hadde ordeyned, that he schulde leese the wise men of Babiloyne, and thus he spak to hym, Leese thou not the wise men of Babiloyne; leede thou me in bifor the siyt of the kyng, and Y schal telle the soilyng to the kyng.25 Thanne Ariok hastynge ledde in Danyel to the kyng, and seide to him, Y haue foundun a man of the sones of passyng ouer of Juda, that schal telle the soilyng to the kyng.26 The kyng answeride, and seide to Danyel, to whom the name was Balthasar, Whethir gessist thou, that thou maist verili schewe to me the dreem which Y siy, and the interpretyng therof?27 And Danyel answeride bifore the king, and seide, The priuytee which the kyng axith, wise men, and astronomyens, and dyuynours, and lokeris of auteris, moun not schewe to the kyng.28 But God is in heuene, that schewith priuytees, which hath schewid to thee, thou king Nabugodonosor, what thingis schulen come in the laste tymes. Thi dreem and visiouns of thin heed, in thi bed, ben sich.29 Thou, kyng, bigunnest to thenke in thi bed, what was to comynge aftir these thingis; and he that schewith priuetees, schewide to thee what thingis schulen come.30 And this sacrament is schewid to me, not bi wisdom which is in me more than in alle lyuynge men, but that the interpretyng schulde be maad opyn to the kyng, and thou schuldist knowe the thouytis of thi soule.31 Thou, kyng, siyest, and lo! as o greet ymage; thilke ymage was greet, and hiy in stature, and stood bifore thee, and the loking therof was ferdful.32 The heed of this ymage was of best gold, but the brest and armes weren of siluer; certis the wombe and thies weren of bras,33 but the leggis weren of irun; forsothe sum part of the feet was of irun, sum was of erthe.34 Thou siyest thus, til a stoon was kit doun of the hil, with outen hondis, and smoot the ymage in the irun feet therof and erthene feet, and al to-brak tho.35 Thanne the irun, tijl stoon, ether erthene vessel, bras, siluer, and gold, weren al to-brokun togidere, and dryuun as in to a deed sparcle of a large somer halle, that ben rauyschid of wynd, and no place is foundun to tho; forsothe the stoon, that smoot the ymage, was maad a greet hil, and fillide al erthe.36 This is the dreem. Also, thou kyng, we schulen seie bifor thee the interpretyng therof.37 Thou art kyng of kyngis, and God of heuene yaf to thee rewme, strengthe, and empire, and glorie;38 and he yaf in thin hond alle thingis, in whiche the sones of men, and the beestis of the feeld, and the briddis of the eir dwellen, and ordeynede alle thingis vndur thi lordschip; therfor thou art the goldun heed.39 And another rewme lesse than thou schal rise aftir thee; and the thridde rewme, an other of bras, that schal haue the empire of al erthe.40 And the fourthe rewme schal be as irun, as irun makith lesse, and makith tame alle thingis, so it schal make lesse, and schal al to-breke alle these rewmes.41 Forsothe that thou siest a part of the feet and fyngris of erthe of a pottere, and a part of irun, the rewme shal be departid; which netheles schal rise of the plauntyng of irun, `bi that that thou siest irun meynd with a tijl stoon of clei,42 and the toos of the feet in parti of irun, and in parti of erthe, in parti the rewme schal be sad, and in parti to-brokun.43 Forsothe that thou siest irun meynd with a tiel stoon of clei, sotheli tho schulen be meynd togidere with mannus seed; but tho schulen not cleue to hem silf, as irun mai not be meddlid with tyel stoon.44 Forsothe in the daies of tho rewmes, God of heuene shal reise a rewme, that schal not be distried with outen ende, and his rewme schal not be youun to another puple; it schal make lesse, and schal waste alle these rewmes, and it schal stonde with outen ende,45 bi this that thou siest, that a stoon was kit doun of the hil with outen hondis, and maad lesse the tiel stoon, and irun, and bras, and siluer, and gold. Greet God hath schewid to the kyng, what thingis schulen come aftirward; and the dreem is trewe, and the interpretyng therof is feithful.46 Thanne king Nabugodonosor felle doun on his face, and worschipide Danyel, and comaundide sacrifices and encense to be brouyt, that tho schulden be sacrifised to hym.47 Therfor the kyng spak, and seide to Danyel, Verili youre God is God of goddis, and Lord of kyngis, that schewith mysteries, for thou miytist opene this sacrament.48 Thanne the kyng reiside Danyel an hiy, and yaf many yiftis and grete to hym; and ordeynede hym prince and prefect, ether cheef iustise, ouer alle the prouynces of Babiloyne, and maister ouer alle the wise men of Babiloyne.49 Forsothe Danyel axide of the kyng, and ordeynede Sidrac, Misaac, and Abdenago ouer alle the werkis of the prouynce of Babiloyne; but Danyel hym silf was in the yatis of the kyng.