但以理书 2
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
巴比伦王忘记自己的梦
2 尼布甲尼撒在位第二年，他作了梦，因此心里烦乱，不能入睡。 2 于是王吩咐人把术士、用法术的、行邪术的和迦勒底人都召来，要他们把王的梦告诉王。他们来了，站在王面前。 3 王对他们说：“我作了一个梦，心里烦乱，我要知道这是甚么梦。” 4 迦勒底人用亚兰话对王说：“愿王万岁！请把那梦告诉仆人，我们好解释梦的意思。” 5 王回答迦勒底人说：“我已经定旨：如果你们不把那梦和梦的意思向我说明，就必被碎尸万段，你们的家必成为废墟。 6 如果你们能把那梦和梦的意思向我解释，就必从我这里得礼物、奖赏和大尊荣，所以你们要把梦和梦的意思向我解释。” 7 他们第二次回答王说：“请王把梦告诉仆人，我们好解释梦的意思。” 8 王回答说：“我清楚知道你们企图拖延时间，因为你们看出我已经定旨。 9 如果你们不把那梦向我说明，只有一个办法对付你们。你们串通在我面前胡言乱语，希望时势有所改变。你们现在要把梦告诉我，好使我知道你们真能把梦的意思向我解释。”
迦勒底人无法说出王的梦
10 迦勒底人在王面前回答说：“世上没有人能把王所问的事说出来，因为从来没有一个伟大和有权势的君王向术士、用法术的和迦勒底人询问过这样的事。 11 王所问的事很难答，除了那不和世人同住的神明以外，没有人能在王面前把这事说出来。” 12 因此，王大发烈怒，下令杀绝巴比伦所有的智慧人。 13 于是王的御旨发出，要把智慧人都杀死；人就寻找但以理和他的同伴，要杀死他们。
但以理求王宽限
14 那时，王的护卫长亚略出来，要杀死巴比伦的智慧人，但以理就婉转机敏地向他询问； 15 但以理对王的护卫长亚略说：“王的命令为甚么这样严厉呢？”亚略就把这事告诉但以理。 16 但以理就进去，求王宽限，使他可以把那梦的意思为王解释。
神把梦的意义指示但以理
17 但以理回到自己的家里，把这事告诉他的同伴哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅， 18 要他们为这隐秘的事祈求天上的 神怜悯，免得但以理和他的同伴与巴比伦其余的智慧人一同灭亡。 19 于是这隐秘的事在夜间的异象中给但以理显明了。但以理就称颂天上的 神。 20 但以理说：
“愿 神的名得称颂，从永远直到永远，
因为智慧和能力都是属他的。
21 他改变时间、季节；
他废王、立王；
他赐智慧给智慧人，
赐知识给聪明人。
22 他显明深奥和隐密的事，
他洞悉暗中的一切，
因为光明与他同住。
23 我列祖的 神啊！我感谢你，赞美你！
你把智慧和能力赐了给我；
我们向你所求的，现在你已向我显明，
把王的事告诉了我们。”
但以理入宫见王
24 于是但以理进去见亚略，就是王委派去杀绝巴比伦的智慧人的，对他这样说：“不要杀绝巴比伦的智慧人；请把我带到王面前，我要把梦的意思向王解释。”
25 亚略就急忙把但以理带到王面前，对王这样说：“我在被掳的犹大人中找到一个能把梦的意思向王说明的人。” 26 王问称为伯提沙撒的但以理说：“你能向我说明我所见的梦和梦的意思吗？” 27 但以理在王面前回答说：“王所问的那隐秘的事，没有智慧人、用法术的、术士和占星家能向王解释； 28 只有一位在天上的 神能把一切隐秘的事显明；他已经把日后将要发生的事告诉你尼布甲尼撒王了。你的梦和你躺在床上时脑海中出现的异象就是这样： 29 王啊！你躺在床上时，想到日后将要发生的事，那显明隐秘事的 神就把将要发生的事向你说明了。 30 现在这隐秘的事向我显明，并不是因为我的智慧胜过所有的人，而是要使王知道梦的意思和你心想明白的事。
复述梦境
31 “王啊！你正在观看，看见有一座大像，那像甚高，非常光耀，竖立在你面前，样貌十分可怕。 32 这像的头是纯金的，胸膛和手臂是银的，腹和腰是铜的， 33 腿是铁的，脚是铁和泥混杂的。 34 你正观看的时候，有一块非人手凿成的石头，击在那座大像铁和泥混杂的脚上，把脚砸碎了。 35 于是铁、泥、铜、银、金都一同砸得粉碎，好象夏天禾场上的糠秕，被风吹散，无处可寻；那打碎这像的石头却变成一座大山，充满全地。
详解梦义
36 “这就是那梦，现在我们要在王面前讲解那梦的意思。 37 王啊！你是万王之王，天上的 神已经把国度、权柄、能力和尊荣都赐给你； 38 也把散居在各处的世人、田野的走兽和空中的飞鸟，都交在你手里，使你管理这一切。你就是那金头。 39 在你以后，另一国将兴起，不及于你。后有第三国，就是那铜的，要统治全地。 40 还有第四国，坚强如铁，因为铁能砸碎击破万物；铁怎样压碎一切，那国也要照样砸碎一切。 41 正如你看见那像的脚和脚趾是窑匠的泥和铁混杂的，那国也必分裂；正如你看见铁和陶泥混合在一起，那国也必有铁的坚硬。 42 那些脚趾是铁和泥混杂的，那国也必是部分坚强，部分脆弱。 43 你怎样看见铁和陶泥混合在一起，那国的人也必和列国的人通婚混杂，却不能彼此联合，正如铁和泥不能混杂一样。 44 那些王在位的时候，天上的 神必兴起另一个永不灭亡的国，国权必不归给别族的人。这国必砸碎毁灭其他各国；并且这国必存到永远。 45 正如你看见那块从山而出，非人手凿成的石头，把铁、铜、泥、银和金都砸碎了，伟大的 神已把日后必有的结局都告诉王了。这梦是确实的，梦的意思也是准确的。”
王高抬并重赏但以理
46 尼布甲尼撒王俯伏在地，向但以理下拜，又下令向但以理献上供物和香品。 47 王对但以理说：“你们的 神真是万神之神，万王之王，又是显明隐秘事的，因为你能把这隐秘的事显明出来。” 48 于是王提升但以理，赐他许多贵重的礼物，使他管理巴比伦全省，又立他为总长，管理巴比伦所有的智慧人。 49 但以理求王，王就委派沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌管理巴比伦省的政务；但以理却在朝中侍立。
Daniel 2
EasyEnglish Bible
The king tells his wise men to explain his dream
2 When Nebuchadnezzar had been king for two years, he had many dreams. He had trouble in his mind and he could not sleep.
2 He told his servants that they must bring the magicians, enchanters,[a] diviners and wise men to him. He wanted them to explain his dream. So they came in and they stood in front of the king. 3 Then the king said to them, ‘I have had a dream that gives me trouble in my mind. I want to know what the dream means.’
4 Then the wise men answered the king. (This is in the Aramaic language.[b]) They said, ‘King, live for ever! We are your servants. Tell us the dream. Then we will tell you what it means.’
5 The king replied to the wise men, ‘I have decided what to do. You must tell me what my dream was. Then you must tell me what it means. If not, I will punish you with death! My soldiers will cut you into pieces. They will knock down your houses so that they become heaps of stones. 6 You must tell me about the dream and you must tell me what it means. If you do that, I will give to you many gifts and great honour. So you must tell me my dream, and tell me what it means.’
7 They answered the king again, ‘We are your servants, so please tell us your dream. Then we will tell you what it means.’
8 The king said to them, ‘You know that I will not change my mind. So you are just trying to get more time. 9 If you do not tell me the dream, I will certainly punish you with death. You have agreed among yourselves to tell me lies. You want to deceive me until you can think of something better. So now, tell me the dream. Then I will believe you when you tell me what it means.’
10 The wise men answered the king, ‘There is nobody on earth who can know your dream! No king has ever asked anyone to do anything like this. No magician, enchanter or wise man could do that. Even the greatest and most powerful king has never asked anyone to do this. 11 You are asking us to do something much too difficult! Nobody can do it, except the gods. And they do not live among men.’
12 This made the king very angry. So he said to his soldiers, ‘Kill all the wise men in Babylon.’ 13 He sent a message to command them to kill all his wise men.
Some men went to look for Daniel and his friends too. They wanted to punish them with death. 14 But Daniel spoke carefully to Arioch. He was the captain of the king's soldiers who had gone to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 Daniel said to Arioch, ‘Why is the king's command so cruel?’ Then Arioch explained everything to Daniel. 16 So Daniel went to see the king. He asked the king for more time. Then he would be able to tell the king what the dream meant.
God shows the dream to Daniel
17 Then Daniel went to his home. He told his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah what had happened. 18 He told them that they should pray to God in heaven. They should pray that God would help them with this problem. They should ask God to keep them safe. Then they would not die with all the other wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night, Daniel had a vision. God showed him the secret of the king's dream. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20 He said,
‘Praise God's great name for ever!
He has great wisdom and great power.
21 He makes things happen at the right time.
He gives to some kings authority to rule.
And he takes that authority away from other kings.
He causes some people to become wise.
He helps people to understand the things that they learn.
22 He explains difficult problems and secret things.
He knows about all things,
even when they are in dark places.
He himself lives in the light.
23 My ancestors' God,
I thank you and I praise you!
You have made me wise
and you have made me strong.
We asked you to help us,
and now you have shown me your answer.
You have explained the king's problem to us.
So I thank you.’
24 So Daniel went to see Arioch, the king's officer. The king had told Arioch to kill all the wise men of Babylon. But Daniel said to him, ‘Do not kill Babylon's wise men. Take me to the king. Then I will tell the king what his dream means.’
25 Then Arioch quickly took Daniel to meet the king. He said, ‘I have found this man, who is one of the people that you brought from Judah. He can tell you, sir, what your dream means.’
26 The king spoke to Daniel, whose other name was Belteshazzar. He asked Daniel, ‘Can you tell me my dream? And can you tell me what it means?’
27 Daniel answered the king, ‘Sir, your dream is a secret. No wise men, enchanters, magicians or diviners can tell you about it. 28 But there is a God in heaven. He explains secret things. In your dream, he has shown you what will happen in future years. Now I will tell you the dream and the visions that you had while you lay on your bed.
29 While you lay on your bed, you dreamed about future times. God explains secret things, and he has shown you what will happen in future years. 30 I am not more wise than other people. But God has explained your secret dream to me, because he wants you to know what it means. He wants you to understand the thoughts in your mind.’
The dream
31 Daniel said, ‘In your dream, you saw in front of you a statue with a man's shape. It was very big and very bright. It frightened people very much. 32 Its head was made from pure gold. The top of its body and its arms were made from silver. Its lower body was made from bronze. 33 The statue's legs were made from iron. Its feet had parts made from iron and parts made from clay. 34 While you looked, someone cut out a large stone from a mountain. But no human hand did this. The stone hit the statue on its iron and clay feet. The stone broke them into pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold all broke into pieces. They became like chaff that the wind blows away. Nobody could see any of those pieces any more. But the stone that had hit the statue became a large mountain. It filled the whole earth.’
Daniel explains the dream to the king
36 Daniel continued to say, ‘That was your dream, King Nebuchadnezzar. Now we will tell you what it means. 37 You are a great king who rules over other kings. The God of heaven has given you authority to rule. He has given you power, strength and honour. 38 He has put all the people of this world, the wild animals and the birds under your power. He has given you authority to rule them all, in every place that they live. You are like the head of gold that you saw in your dream.
39 After you, there will be another kingdom. It will not be as great as your kingdom. Then a third kingdom will come. It will be like the bronze part of the statue. It will also rule the whole earth. 40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom. It will be as strong as iron which breaks everything into pieces. Like iron, that kingdom will destroy the other kingdoms. 41 In your dream, you saw that the statue's feet and toes had parts of clay and parts of iron. This shows that this kingdom will not be united as one. Some parts will be strong, like iron. The iron that you saw shows that strength. 42 But the iron parts of the statue were mixed with clay parts. This shows that the fourth kingdom will be strong in some parts and weak in other parts. 43 You saw iron and clay that were mixed together. The two parts of that kingdom will try to become united by marriage. But that will not help them to stay together as one. Iron cannot mix properly with clay.
44 During the time when those kings rule, the God of heaven will begin a new kingdom. That kingdom will continue for ever. No other people will ever have power over it. It will break up all those other kingdoms and it will destroy them. And it will continue for ever. 45 You saw the stone that came from the mountain. It was not a human hand that cut it out. That stone broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold into pieces.
In your dream, King Nebuchadnezzar, the great God has shown you what will happen in future years. I have told you the dream, and I have told you what it means. You can be sure that all this is true.’
The king thanks Daniel
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bent down with his face towards the ground. He gave honour to Daniel. He commanded his servants to offer sacrifices and to burn incense to praise Daniel. 47 The king said to Daniel, ‘It is true that your God rules all other gods. He rules over kings and he explains secret things. I know this because you were able to explain this dream to me.’
48 Then the king made Daniel an important officer. He also gave Daniel many valuable gifts. He gave Daniel authority to rule over the whole region of Babylon. Daniel also became the most important officer with authority over all the wise men in Babylon.
49 Daniel asked the king to give important jobs to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So the king gave them authority over the region of Babylon. But Daniel himself stayed in the king's palace.
Footnotes
- 2:2 An enchanter tries to make things happen by speaking magic words.
- 2:4 From here, through to Daniel 7:28, the book is written in the Aramaic language, instead of Hebrew.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
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