4
1 “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity.
5
But one night I had a dream that frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed.
6
So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant.
7
When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, 2 and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.
8
At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
9
“I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.
10
“‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth.
11
The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see.
12
It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.
13
“‘Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, 3 a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14
The messenger shouted, “Cut down the tree and lop off its branches!
Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit!
Chase the wild animals from its shade
and the birds from its branches.
15
But leave the stump and the roots in the ground,
bound with a band of iron and bronze
and surrounded by tender grass.
Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field.
16
For seven periods of time,
let him have the mind of a wild animal
instead of the mind of a human.
17
For this has been decreed by the messengers 4 ;
it is commanded by the holy ones,
so that everyone may know
that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world.
He gives them to anyone he chooses -
even to the lowliest of people.”
18
“‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’