Daniel 4
Christian Standard Bible
Nebuchadnezzar’s Proclamation
4 King Nebuchadnezzar,
To those of every people, nation, and language, who live on the whole earth:(A)
May your prosperity increase.(B) 2 I am pleased to tell you about the miracles and wonders(C) the Most High God has done for me.
3 How great are his miracles,
and how mighty his wonders!(D)
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom,(E)
and his dominion is from generation to generation.(F)
The Dream
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.(G) 5 I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.(H) 6 So I issued a decree(I) to bring all the wise men of Babylon to me in order that they might make the dream’s interpretation known to me.(J) 7 When the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.(K)
8 Finally Daniel, named Belteshazzar(L) after the name of my god—and a spirit of the holy gods is in him(M)—came before me. I told him the dream: 9 “Belteshazzar, head of the magicians, because I know that you have the spirit of the holy gods(N) and that no mystery puzzles you,(O) explain to me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation. 10 In the visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this:
There was a tree in the middle of the earth,
and it was very tall.
11 The tree grew large and strong;
its top reached to the sky,(P)
and it was visible to the ends of the[a] earth.
12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant,
and on it was food for all.(Q)
Wild animals found shelter under it,
the birds of the sky(R) lived in its branches,
and every creature was fed from it.(S)
13 “As I was lying in my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one,[b](T) coming down from heaven.(U) 14 He called out loudly:
Cut down the tree and chop off its branches;
strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the animals flee from under it,
and the birds from its branches.(V)
15 But leave the stump with its roots in the ground(W)
and with a band of iron and bronze around it
in the tender grass of the field.
Let him be drenched with dew from the sky
and share the plants of the earth(X)
with the animals.
16 Let his mind be changed from that of a human,
and let him be given the mind of an animal
for seven periods of time.[c][d](Y)
17 This word is by decree of the watchers,
and the decision is by command from the holy ones.
This is so that the living will know
that the Most High is ruler
over human kingdoms.
He gives them to anyone he wants
and sets the lowliest of people over them.(Z)
18 This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can make the interpretation known to me.(AA) But you can, because you have a spirit of the holy gods.”
The Dream Interpreted
19 Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was stunned for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!(AB) 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky and was visible to the whole earth, 21 and whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant—and on it was food for all, under it the wild animals lived, and in its branches the birds of the sky lived— 22 that tree is you, Your Majesty. For you have become great and strong: your greatness has grown and even reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.(AC)
23 “The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’ 24 This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree of the Most High that has been issued against my lord the king:(AD) 25 You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals. You will feed on grass like cattle(AE) and be drenched with dew from the sky for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.(AF) 26 As for the command to leave the tree’s stump with its roots, your kingdom will be restored[e] to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven[f] rules.(AG) 27 Therefore, may my advice seem good to you my king. Separate yourself from your sins by doing what is right,(AH) and from your injustices by showing mercy to the needy.(AI) Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”(AJ)
The Sentence Executed
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.(AK) 29 At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, 30 the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great that I have built to be a royal residence by my vast power and for my majestic glory?” (AL)
31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you.(AM) 32 You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals, and you will feed on grass like cattle for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.”
33 At that moment the message against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.(AN)
Nebuchadnezzar’s Praise
34 But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified him who lives forever:(AO)
For his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom is from generation to generation.(AP)
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing,(AQ)
and he does what he wants(AR) with the army of heaven
and the inhabitants of the earth.
There is no one who can block his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?” (AS)
36 At that time my sanity returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and even more greatness came to me.(AT) 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all his works are true and his ways are just.(AU) He is able to humble(AV) those who walk in pride.(AW)
但以理書 4
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Traditional)
承認神之國乃歷世永存
4 尼布甲尼撒王曉諭住在全地各方、各國、各族的人說：願你們大享平安！ 2 我樂意將至高的神向我所行的神蹟奇事宣揚出來。 3 他的神蹟何其大，他的奇事何其盛！他的國是永遠的，他的權柄存到萬代！
尼布甲尼撒王自述得夢術士不能詳解
4 我尼布甲尼撒安居在宮中，平順在殿內。 5 我做了一夢，使我懼怕，我在床上的思念並腦中的異象使我驚惶。 6 所以我降旨召巴比倫的一切哲士到我面前，叫他們把夢的講解告訴我。 7 於是那些術士、用法術的、迦勒底人、觀兆的都進來，我將那夢告訴了他們，他們卻不能把夢的講解告訴我。
以夢告但以理
8 末後那照我神的名稱為伯提沙撒的但以理來到我面前，他裡頭有聖神的靈。我將夢告訴他說： 9 「術士的領袖伯提沙撒啊，因我知道你裡頭有聖神的靈，什麼奧祕的事都不能使你為難，現在要把我夢中所見的異象和夢的講解告訴我。 10 我在床上腦中的異象是這樣：我看見地當中有一棵樹，極其高大。 11 那樹漸長，而且堅固，高得頂天，從地極都能看見。 12 葉子華美，果子甚多，可做眾生的食物。田野的走獸臥在蔭下，天空的飛鳥宿在枝上，凡有血氣的都從這樹得食。 13 我在床上腦中的異象，見有一位守望的聖者從天而降， 14 大聲呼叫說：『伐倒這樹，砍下枝子，搖掉葉子，拋散果子，使走獸離開樹下，飛鳥躲開樹枝。 15 樹墩卻要留在地內，用鐵圈和銅圈箍住，在田野的青草中讓天露滴濕，使他與地上的獸一同吃草。 16 使他的心改變，不如人心，給他一個獸心，使他經過七期[a]。 17 這是守望者所發的命，聖者所出的令，好叫世人知道至高者在人的國中掌權，要將國賜予誰就賜予誰，或立極卑微的人執掌國權。』 18 這是我尼布甲尼撒王所做的夢。伯提沙撒啊，你要說明這夢的講解，因為我國中的一切哲士都不能將夢的講解告訴我，唯獨你能，因你裡頭有聖神的靈。」
但以理為王解夢
19 於是稱為伯提沙撒的但以理驚訝片時，心意驚惶。王說：「伯提沙撒啊，不要因夢和夢的講解驚惶。」伯提沙撒回答說：「我主啊，願這夢歸於恨惡你的人，講解歸於你的敵人！ 20 你所見的樹漸長，而且堅固，高得頂天，從地極都能看見。 21 葉子華美，果子甚多，可做眾生的食物。田野的走獸住在其下，天空的飛鳥宿在枝上。 22 王啊，這漸長又堅固的樹就是你。你的威勢漸長及天，你的權柄管到地極。 23 王既看見一位守望的聖者從天而降，說：『將這樹砍伐毀壞，樹墩卻要留在地內，用鐵圈和銅圈箍住，在田野的青草中，讓天露滴濕，使他與地上的獸一同吃草，直到經過七期。』 24 王啊，講解就是這樣：臨到我主我王的事是出於至高者的命。 25 你必被趕出離開世人，與野地的獸同居，吃草如牛，被天露滴濕，且要經過七期，等你知道至高者在人的國中掌權，要將國賜予誰就賜予誰。 26 守望者既吩咐存留樹墩，等你知道諸天掌權，以後你的國必定歸你。 27 王啊，求你悅納我的諫言，以施行公義斷絕罪過，以憐憫窮人除掉罪孽，或者你的平安可以延長。」
夢兆應於王身
28 這事都臨到尼布甲尼撒王。 29 過了十二個月，他遊行在巴比倫王宮裡[b]， 30 他說：「這大巴比倫不是我用大能大力建為京都，要顯我威嚴的榮耀嗎？」 31 這話在王口中尚未說完，有聲音從天降下，說：「尼布甲尼撒王啊，有話對你說：你的國位離開你了！ 32 你必被趕出離開世人，與野地的獸同居，吃草如牛，且要經過七期，等你知道至高者在人的國中掌權，要將國賜予誰就賜予誰。」 33 當時這話就應驗在尼布甲尼撒的身上，他被趕出離開世人，吃草如牛，身被天露滴濕，頭髮長長好像鷹毛，指甲長長如同鳥爪。
34 日子滿足，我尼布甲尼撒舉目望天，我的聰明復歸於我，我便稱頌至高者，讚美、尊敬活到永遠的神。他的權柄是永有的，他的國存到萬代。 35 世上所有的居民都算為虛無，在天上的萬軍和世上的居民中，他都憑自己的意旨行事。無人能攔住他手，或問他說：「你做什麼呢？」 36 那時，我的聰明復歸於我，為我國的榮耀，威嚴和光耀也都復歸於我，並且我的謀士和大臣也來朝見我。我又得堅立在國位上，至大的權柄加增於我。 37 現在我尼布甲尼撒讚美、尊崇、恭敬天上的王，因為他所做的全都誠實，他所行的也都公平，那行動驕傲的，他能降為卑。
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.