但以理书 4
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition
尼布甲尼撒的第二个梦
4 尼布甲尼撒王对住在全地各方、各国、各族的人说：“愿你们大享平安！ 2 我乐意宣扬至高 神向我所行的神迹奇事。
3 他的神迹何其大！
他的奇事何其盛！
他的国度存到永远；
他的权柄存到万代！
4 “我—尼布甲尼撒安居在家中，在宫里享受荣华。 5 我做了一个梦，使我惧怕。我在床上的意念和脑中的异象，使我惊惶。 6 因此我降旨召巴比伦的智慧人全都到我面前，要他们将梦的解释告诉我。 7 于是那些术士、巫师、迦勒底人、观兆的都进来，我将那梦告诉他们，他们却不能把梦的解释告诉我。 8 最后，但以理，就是按照我神明的名字称为伯提沙撒的，来到我面前，他里头有神圣神明的灵，我将梦告诉他： 9 ‘术士的领袖伯提沙撒啊，我知道你里头有神圣神明的灵，什么奥秘都不能为难你。现在你要把我梦中所见的异象和梦的解释告诉我[a]。’
10 “我在床上脑中的异象是这样：我观看，看哪，大地中间有一棵树，极其高大。 11 那树渐长，而且茁壮，高得顶天，从地极都能看见， 12 叶子华美，果子甚多，可作所有动物的食物；野地的走兽卧在荫下，天空的飞鸟宿在枝上，凡有血肉的都从这树得食物。
13 “我观看，我在床上脑中的异象是这样，看哪，有守望者，就是神圣的一位，从天而降， 14 大声呼叫说：‘砍倒这树！砍下枝子！拔掉叶子！抛散果子！使走兽逃离树下，飞鸟躲开树枝。 15 树的残干却要留在地里，在田野的青草中用铁圈和铜圈套住。任他让天上的露水滴湿，和地上的走兽一同吃草， 16 使他的心改变，不再是人的心，而给他一个兽心，使他经过七个时期[b]。 17 这是众守望者所发的命令，是众圣者所作的决定，好叫世人知道至高者在人的国中掌权，要将国赐给谁就赐给谁，并且立极卑微的人执掌国权。’
18 “这是我—尼布甲尼撒王所做的梦。伯提沙撒啊，你要说明这梦的解释；我国中所有的智慧人都不能把梦的解释告诉我，惟独你能，因你里头有神圣神明的灵。”
但以理解梦
19 于是称为伯提沙撒的但以理惊骇片时，心意惊惶。王说：“伯提沙撒啊，不要因梦和梦的解释惊惶。”伯提沙撒回答说：“我主啊，愿这梦归给恨恶你的人，这梦的解释归给你的敌人。 20 你所见的树渐长，而且茁壮，高得顶天，全地都能看见， 21 叶子华美，果子甚多，可作所有动物的食物；野地的走兽住在其下，天空的飞鸟宿在枝上。
22 “王啊，这成长又茁壮的树就是你。你的威势成长及于天，你的权柄达到地极。 23 王既看见一位神圣的守望者从天而降，说：‘将这树砍倒毁坏，树的残干却要留在地里，在田野的青草中用铁圈和铜圈套住。任他让天上的露水滴湿，与野地的走兽一同吃草，直到经过七个时期。’
24 “王啊，梦的解释就是这样：临到我主我王的事是出于至高者的命令。 25 你必被赶出离开世人，与野地的走兽同住，吃草如牛，让天上的露水滴湿，且要经过七个时期，直等到你知道至高者在人的国中掌权，要将国赐给谁就赐给谁。 26 这使树的残干存留的命令，是要等你知道天在掌权，你的国必定归你。 27 王啊，求你悦纳我的谏言，以施行公义除去罪过，以怜悯穷人除掉罪恶，或者你的平安可以延长。”
28 这些事都临到尼布甲尼撒王。 29 过了十二个月，他在巴比伦王宫顶上散步。 30 王说：“这大巴比伦岂不是我用大能大力建为首都，要显示我威严的荣耀吗？” 31 这话还在王口中的时候，有声音从天降下，说：“尼布甲尼撒王啊，有话对你说，你的国离开你了。 32 你必被赶出离开世人，与野地的走兽同住，吃草如牛，且要经过七个时期；等你知道至高者在人的国中掌权，要将国赐给谁就赐给谁。” 33 当时这话就应验在尼布甲尼撒身上，他被赶出离开世人，吃草如牛，身体被天上的露水滴湿，头发长得像鹰的羽毛，指甲长得像鸟爪。
尼布甲尼撒颂赞 神
34 “时候到了，我—尼布甲尼撒举目望天，我的知识复归于我，我就称颂至高者，赞美尊敬活到永远的 神。
他的权柄存到永远，
他的国度存到万代。
35 地上所有的居民都算为虚无；
在天上万军和地上居民中，
他都凭自己的旨意行事。
无人能拦住他的手，
或问他说，你在做什么呢？
36 “那时，我的知识复归于我，威严和光荣也复归于我，使我的国度得荣耀，我的谋士和大臣也来朝见我。我又重建我的国度，更大的权势加添在我身上。 37 现在我—尼布甲尼撒赞美、尊崇、恭敬天上的王，因为他所行的全都信实，他所做的尽都公平。那行事骄傲的，他能降为卑。”
Daniel 4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 4
Nebuchadnezzar’s Madness. 1 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, content and prosperous. 2 I had a terrifying dream as I lay in bed, and the images and my visions frightened me. 3 So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me to give the interpretation of the dream. 4 When the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners had come in, I related the dream before them; but none of them could tell me its meaning. 5 Finally there came before me Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,[a] and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods.(A) I repeated the dream to him: 6 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery is too difficult for you; this is the dream that I saw, tell me its meaning.
7 “These were the visions I saw while in bed: I saw a tree of great height at the center of the earth. 8 It was large and strong, with its top touching the heavens, and it could be seen to the ends of the earth. 9 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, providing food for all. Under it the wild beasts found shade, in its branches the birds of the air nested; all flesh ate of it. 10 In the vision I saw while in bed, a holy watcher[b] came down from heaven 11 and cried aloud in these words:
‘Cut down the tree and lop off its branches,
strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit;
Let the beasts flee from beneath it, and the birds from its branches,
12 but leave its stump in the earth.
Bound with iron and bronze,
let him be fed with the grass of the field
and bathed with the dew of heaven;
let his lot be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
13 Let his mind be changed from a human one;
let the mind of a beast be given him,
till seven years pass over him.
14 By decree of the watchers is this proclamation,
by order of the holy ones, this sentence;
That all who live may know
that the Most High is sovereign over human kingship,
Giving it to whom he wills,
and setting it over the lowliest of mortals.’(B)
15 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning. None of the wise men in my kingdom can tell me the meaning, but you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
16 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a time, dismayed by his thoughts. “Belteshazzar,” the king said to him, “do not let the dream or its meaning dismay you.” “My lord,” Belteshazzar replied, “may this dream be for your enemies, and its meaning for your foes. 17 The tree that you saw, large and strong, its top touching the heavens, that could be seen by the whole earth, 18 its leaves beautiful, its fruit abundant, providing food for all, under which the wild beasts lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air dwelt— 19 you are that tree, O king, large and strong! Your majesty has become so great as to touch the heavens, and your rule reaches to the ends of the earth. 20 As for the king’s vision of a holy watcher, who came down from heaven and proclaimed: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump in the earth. Bound with iron and bronze, let him be fed with the grass of the field, and bathed with the dew of heaven; let his lot be with wild beasts till seven years pass over him’— 21 here is its meaning, O king, here is the sentence that the Most High has passed upon my lord king: 22 (C)You shall be cast out from human society and dwell with wild beasts; you shall be given grass to eat like an ox and be bathed with the dew of heaven; seven years shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High is sovereign over human kingship and gives it to whom he will. 23 The command that the stump of the tree is to be left means that your kingdom shall be preserved for you, once you have learned that heaven is sovereign. 24 Therefore, O king, may my advice be acceptable to you; atone for your sins by good deeds,[c] and for your misdeeds by kindness to the poor; then your contentment will be long lasting.”
25 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 26 Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, 27 the king said, “Babylon the great! Was it not I, with my great strength, who built it as a royal residence for my splendor and majesty?” 28 While these words were still on the king’s lips, a voice spoke from heaven, “It has been decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingship is taken from you! 29 You shall be cast out from human society, and shall dwell with wild beasts; you shall be given grass to eat like an ox, and seven years shall pass over you, until you learn that the Most High is sovereign over human kingship and gives it to whom he will.” 30 [d]At once this was fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar was cast out from human society, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle, and his nails like the claws of a bird.
31 When this period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven; my reason was restored to me, and I blessed the Most High, I praised and glorified the One who lives forever,
Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and whose kingdom endures through all generations.(D)
32 All who live on the earth are counted as nothing;
he does as he wills with the powers of heaven
and with those who live on the earth.
There is no one who can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”
33 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and my splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles sought me out; I was restored to my kingdom and became much greater than before. 34 Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, all of whose works are right and ways just; and who is able to humble those who walk in pride.
Footnotes
- 4:5 After the name of my god: Belteshazzar, the Babylonian name given to Daniel at the king’s orders (1:7), is Balāṭ-šu-uṣur, “protect his life.” This passage implies a name connected with Bel, a Babylonian god. A spirit of the holy gods: or a holy divine spirit; or spirit of a holy God. See also vv. 6, 15; 5:11–12, 14; 6:4.
- 4:10 A holy watcher: lit., “a watcher and a holy one.” Two terms for angels. The term watcher is found in the Bible only in this chapter of Daniel, but it is common in extra-canonical Jewish literature. In 1 Enoch, the fallen angels are called watchers.
- 4:24 Good deeds: the Aramaic word ṣidqâ has the root meaning of “righteousness,” but in a late text such as this could mean “almsgiving.”
- 4:30–32 There is no historical record that these events happened to Nebuchadnezzar. Scholars have long suspected that the story originally involved Nabonidus, the father of Belshazzar, who was absent from Babylon and lived at Teima in the Arabian desert for a number of years. This suggestion is now strengthened by the Prayer of Nabonidus, found at Qumran, which is closely related to chap. 4. The biblical author’s chief interest was not in the historicity of this popular tale, but in the object lesson it contained for the proud “divine” kings of the Seleucid dynasty.
和合本修訂版經文 © 2006, 2010, 2017 香港聖經公會。蒙允許使用。 Scripture Text of Revised Chinese Union Version © 2006, 2010, 2017 Hong Kong Bible Society. www.hkbs.org.hk/en/ Used by permission.
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