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Daniel 2
La Bible du Semeur
Daniel 2
La Bible du Semeur
Le rêve de la statue brisée
2 La deuxième année du règne de Nabuchodonosor, le roi fit un rêve qui le troubla au point qu’il en perdit le sommeil.
2 Il ordonna de convoquer les mages, les magiciens, les sorciers et les astrologues pour qu’ils lui révèlent ses rêves. Ils vinrent et se tinrent devant le roi.
3 Celui-ci leur dit : J’ai fait un rêve et mon esprit est tourmenté par le désir de savoir ce que c’était.
4 Les astrologues dirent au roi en langue araméenne[a] : Que le roi vive éternellement ! Raconte le rêve à tes serviteurs, et nous t’en donnerons l’interprétation.
5 Le roi répondit aux astrologues : Ma décision est ferme : si vous ne me révélez pas le contenu du rêve et son interprétation, vous serez mis en pièces et vos maisons seront réduites en tas de décombres. 6 Mais si vous me les révélez, je vous comblerai de cadeaux, de dons et de grands honneurs. Exposez-moi donc mon rêve et ce qu’il signifie.
7 Ils dirent pour la seconde fois au roi : Que Sa Majesté raconte le rêve à ses serviteurs, et nous lui en donnerons l’interprétation.
8 Le roi rétorqua : Je vois ce qu’il en est : il est clair que vous cherchez à gagner du temps parce que vous avez compris que ma décision est fermement arrêtée. 9 Si vous ne me faites pas connaître le rêve, une seule et même sentence vous frappera. Vous vous êtes mis d’accord pour me débiter quelque discours mensonger et trompeur en espérant qu’avec le temps la situation changera. C’est pourquoi, dites-moi ce que j’ai rêvé et je saurai que vous êtes aussi capables de m’en donner l’interprétation.
10 Les astrologues reprirent la parole devant le roi et dirent : Il n’est personne au monde qui puisse faire connaître à Sa Majesté ce qu’elle demande. Aussi, jamais roi, si grand et si puissant qu’il ait été, n’a exigé pareille chose d’aucun mage, magicien ou astrologue. 11 Ce que le roi demande est trop difficile et il n’y a personne qui soit capable de révéler cette chose au roi, excepté les dieux, mais eux, ils n’habitent pas parmi les mortels.
12 Là-dessus le roi s’irrita et entra dans une colère violente. Il ordonna de mettre à mort tous les sages de Babylone. 13 Lorsque le décret de tuer les sages fut publié, on rechercha aussi Daniel et ses compagnons pour les mettre à mort.
Dieu révèle la signification du rêve à Daniel
14 Alors Daniel s’adressa avec sagesse et tact à Aryok, le chef des gardes du roi, qui s’apprêtait à tuer les sages de Babylone.
15 Il demanda à Aryok, l’officier du roi : Pourquoi le roi a-t-il promulgué une si terrible sentence ?
Alors Aryok lui exposa l’affaire.
16 Daniel se rendit auprès du roi et le pria de lui accorder un délai, en lui disant qu’il lui ferait alors connaître l’interprétation demandée. 17 Puis il rentra chez lui et informa ses compagnons Hanania, Mishaël et Azaria de ce qui s’était passé, 18 en leur demandant de supplier le Dieu des cieux que, dans sa grâce, il leur révèle ce secret afin qu’on ne le fasse pas périr, ses compagnons et lui, avec le reste des sages de Babylone. 19 Au cours de la nuit, dans une vision, le secret fut révélé à Daniel. Alors celui-ci bénit le Dieu des cieux. 20 Il dit :
Béni soit Dieu
dès maintenant et à toujours,
car à lui appartiennent ╵la sagesse et la force.
21 Il fait changer les temps ╵et modifie les circonstances,
il renverse les rois
et établit les rois,
il donne la sagesse aux sages
et, à ceux qui savent comprendre, ╵il accorde la connaissance.
22 Il dévoile des choses ╵profondes et secrètes,
il sait ce qu’il y a ╵dans les ténèbres,
et la lumière brille auprès de lui.
23 C’est toi, Dieu de mes pères,
que je célèbre et que je loue,
tu m’as rempli ╵de sagesse et de force
et tu m’as fait connaître ╵ce que nous t’avons demandé,
tu nous as révélé ╵ce que le roi demande.
Le colosse aux pieds d’argile
24 Après cela, Daniel alla trouver Aryok, que le roi avait chargé de faire périr les sages de Babylone et il lui dit : Ne fais pas mourir les sages de Babylone. Introduis-moi en présence du roi et je lui révélerai l’interprétation de son rêve.
25 Alors Aryok s’empressa d’introduire Daniel auprès du roi et dit à celui-ci : J’ai trouvé parmi les déportés de Juda un homme qui donnera à Sa Majesté l’interprétation de son rêve.
26 Le roi s’adressa à Daniel, surnommé Beltshatsar, et lui demanda : Es-tu vraiment capable de me révéler le rêve que j’ai eu et de m’en donner l’interprétation ?
27 Daniel s’adressa au roi et lui dit : Le secret que Sa Majesté demande, aucun sage, aucun magicien, aucun mage, aucun astrologue n’est capable de le lui faire connaître. 28 Mais il y a, dans le ciel, un Dieu qui révèle les secrets ; et il a fait savoir au roi Nabuchodonosor ce qui doit arriver dans les temps à venir. Eh bien, voici ce que tu as rêvé et quelles sont les visions que tu as eues sur ton lit : 29 pendant que tu étais couché, ô roi, tu t’es mis à penser à l’avenir. Alors celui qui révèle les secrets t’a fait connaître ce qui doit arriver. 30 Quant à moi, ce n’est pas parce que je posséderais une sagesse supérieure à celle de tous les autres hommes que ce secret m’a été révélé, mais c’est afin que l’interprétation en soit donnée au roi et que tu comprennes ce qui préoccupe ton cœur.
31 Voici donc, ô roi, la vision que tu as eue : tu as vu une grande statue. Cette statue était immense, et d’une beauté éblouissante. Elle était dressée devant toi et son aspect était terrifiant. 32 La tête de cette statue était en or pur, la poitrine et les bras en argent, le ventre et les hanches en bronze, 33 les jambes en fer, les pieds partiellement en fer et partiellement en argile. 34 Pendant que tu étais plongé dans ta contemplation, une pierre se détacha[b] sans l’intervention d’aucune main, vint heurter la statue au niveau de ses pieds de fer et d’argile, et les pulvérisa. 35 Du même coup furent réduits ensemble en poussière le fer, l’argile, le bronze, l’argent et l’or, et ils devinrent comme la bale de blé qui s’envole de l’aire en été ; le vent les emporta sans en laisser la moindre trace. Quant à la pierre qui avait heurté la statue, elle devint une immense montagne et remplit toute la terre.
36 Voilà ton rêve. Quant à ce qu’il signifie, nous allons l’exposer au roi. 37 Toi, ô roi, tu es le roi des rois, à qui le Dieu des cieux a donné la royauté, la puissance, la force et la gloire. 38 Dieu a placé sous ton autorité les hommes, les bêtes sauvages et les oiseaux en quelque lieu qu’ils habitent. Il t’a donné la domination sur eux tous. C’est toi qui es la tête d’or. 39 Après toi surgira un autre empire, moins puissant que le tien, puis un troisième représenté par le bronze, qui dominera toute la terre[c]. 40 Un quatrième royaume lui succédera, il sera dur comme le fer ; comme le fer pulvérise et écrase tout et le met en pièces, ainsi il pulvérisera et mettra en pièces tous les autres royaumes. 41 Et si tu as vu les pieds et les orteils partiellement en argile et partiellement en fer, cela signifie que ce sera un royaume divisé ; il y aura en lui quelque chose de la dureté du fer, selon que tu as vu le fer mêlé à la terre cuite. 42 Mais comme les orteils des pieds étaient en partie de fer et en partie d’argile, ce royaume sera en partie fort et en partie fragile. 43 Que tu aies vu le fer mêlé de terre cuite, cela signifie que les hommes chercheront à s’unir par des alliances, mais ils ne tiendront pas ensemble, pas plus que le fer ne tient à l’argile.
44 A l’époque de ces rois-là, le Dieu des cieux suscitera un royaume qui ne sera jamais détruit et dont la souveraineté ne passera pas à un autre peuple ; il pulvérisera tous ces royaumes-là et mettra un terme à leur existence, mais lui-même subsistera éternellement. 45 C’est ce que représente la pierre que tu as vue se détacher de la montagne sans l’intervention d’aucune main humaine pour venir pulvériser le fer, le bronze, l’argile, l’argent et l’or. Le grand Dieu a révélé au roi ce qui arrivera dans l’avenir. Ce qu’annonce le rêve est chose certaine, et son interprétation est digne de foi.
46 Alors le roi Nabuchodonosor se jeta la face contre terre et se prosterna devant Daniel, il ordonna de lui offrir des offrandes et des parfums. 47 Puis il lui déclara : Il est bien vrai que votre Dieu est le Dieu des dieux, le souverain des rois et celui qui révèle les secrets, puisque tu as pu me dévoiler ce secret.
48 Le roi éleva Daniel à une haute position et lui donna de nombreux et riches présents ; il le nomma gouverneur de toute la province de Babylone et l’institua chef suprême de tous les sages de Babylone. 49 A la demande de Daniel, le roi confia l’administration de la province de Babylone à Shadrak, Méshak et Abed-Nego, et Daniel lui-même demeura à la cour du roi.
Footnotes
- 2.4 A partir de là, et jusqu’à la fin du chapitre 7, le texte original est en araméen, la langue internationale de tout le Moyen-Orient depuis le viiie siècle avant J.-C.
- 2.34 se détacha. L’ancienne version grecque ajoute : de la montagne (voir v. 45).
- 2.39 Après Babylone (v. 38) viennent l’Empire des Mèdes et des Perses établi par Cyrus (539 av. J.-C.), puis celui des Grecs fondé par Alexandre le Grand (330 av. J.-C.). Le quatrième royaume (v. 40ss) est l’empire romain. Les visions du chapitre 7 reprennent cette prophétie plus en détail.
Daniel 2
King James Version
Daniel 2
King James Version
2 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.
8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee 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, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Then Daniel requested of 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.
Даниил 2
Библия, ревизирано издание
Даниил 2
Библия, ревизирано издание
Сънят на Навуходоносор и тълкуването му
2 (A)Във втората година от царуването на Навуходоносор царят видя сънища, от които духът му се смути и сънят побегна от него.
2 (B)Тогава той заповяда да повикат влъхвите и вражалците, магьосниците и халдейците[a], за да явят на царя сънищата му. И така, те влязоха и застанаха пред него.
3 Царят им каза: Видях сън; и духът ми се смущава, за да разбера съня.
4 (C)Тогава халдейците говориха на царя на сирийски: Царю, да си жив довека! Кажи съня на слугите си и ние ще разкрием значението му.
5 (D)Царят отговори на халдейците: Ето заповядвам, ако не ми кажете съня и значението му, ще бъдете посечени и къщите ви ще се превърнат в бунища;
6 (E)но ако разкриете съня и значението му, ще получите от мене подаръци, награди и голяма чест. И така, разкрийте ми съня и разтълкувайте значението му.
7 Те, като отговориха втори път, казаха: Нека царят каже съня на слугите си и ние ще разкрием значението му.
8 Царят отговори: Зная добре, че вие искате да печелите време, понеже виждате, какво съм ви заповядал.
9 (F)Обаче ако не ми разкриете съня, има само това решение за вас; защото сте се наговорили да говорите лъжливи и празни думи пред мене, докато решението[b]ми се измени. И така, разкажете ми съня и аз ще узная, че можете да ми кажете и значението му.
10 Халдейците отговориха пред царя: Няма човек на света, който да може да яви тази царска работа; защото няма цар, господар или управител, който да е изискал такова нещо от влъхва или вражалец[c], или халдеец.
11 (G)Това, което царят изисква, е трудно; и няма друг, който би могъл да го каже пред царя, освен боговете, чието жилище не е между хората[d].
12 Затова царят се разгневи много и се разяри, и заповяда да погубят всички вавилонски мъдреци.
13 И тъй като излезе указът да се умъртвят мъдреците, потърсиха Даниил и другарите му, за да ги убият.
14 Тогава Даниил отговори с благоразумие и мъдрост на началника на царските телохранители Ариох, който беше излязъл да убие вавилонските мъдреци.
15 Той каза на царския началник Ариох: Защо този царски указ е така прибързан? Тогава Ариох разказа всичко на Даниил.
16 И Даниил влезе и помоли царя да му даде време, за да каже на царя значението на съня.
17 Тогава Даниил отиде в къщата си и разказа за това на другарите си Анания, Мисаил и Азария,
18 (H)за да просят милост от небесния Бог относно тази тайна, така че да не погинат Даниил и другарите му с другите вавилонски мъдреци.
19 (I)Тогава тайната се откри на Даниил в нощно видение. Тогава Даниил, като благослови небесния Бог, проговори.
20 (J)Даниил каза:
Да бъде благословено името Божие
отвека и довека;
защото мъдростта и силата са Негови.
21 (K)Той изменя времената и годините;
сваля царе и поставя царе;
Той е, Който дава мъдрост на мъдрите
и знание на разумните.
22 (L)Той открива дълбоките и скрити неща;
Той познава онова, което е в тъмнината;
и светлината обитава с Него.
23 (M)На Тебе, Боже на бащите ми, благодаря
и Тебе славословя,
Който си ми дал мъдрост и сила,
като си ми открил онова,
което измолих от Тебе,
защото си ни открил царската работа.
24 И така, Даниил влезе при Ариох, когото царят беше назначил да погуби вавилонските мъдреци, и като влезе, му каза така: Недей погубва вавилонските мъдреци. Въведи ме пред царя и аз ще му разкрия значението на съня.
25 Тогава Ариох побърза да въведе Даниил пред царя и му каза така: Намерих човек от юдейските пленници, който ще разкрие на царя значението.
26 Царят проговори на Даниил, чието име беше Валтасасар: Можеш ли да ми откриеш съня, който видях, и значението му?
27 Даниил отговори на царя: Тайната, която царят изисква, не могат да явят на царя нито мъдреци, нито вражалци, нито влъхви, нито астролози.
28 (N)Но има Бог на небеса, Който открива тайни; и Той явява на цар Навуходоносор онова, което предстои да стане в последните дни. Ето съня ти и това, което си видял в главата си, на леглото си:
29 (O)Царю, размишленията дойдоха в ума ти на леглото ти за онова, което предстои да стане по-късно; и Онзи, Който открива тайни, ти е явил онова, което предстои да стане.
30 (P)Но колкото до мене, тази тайна не ми се откри чрез някоя мъдрост, която аз имам повече от всички живи, а за да се открие на царя значението на съня и за да разбереш размишленията на сърцето си.
31 Ти, царю, си видял голям образ. Този образ, който е бил велик и чийто блясък е бил превъзходен, е стоял пред теб; и изгледът му е бил страшен.
32 Главата на този образ е била от чисто злато, гърдите и мишците му – от сребро, коремът и бедрата му – от мед,
33 краката му – от желязо, ходилата му – отчасти от желязо, а отчасти от кал.
34 (Q)Ти си гледал, докато се е отсякъл камък, не с ръце, който е ударил образа в ходилата му, които са били от желязо и кал, и ги е строшил.
35 (R)Тогава желязото, калта, медта, среброто и златото са се строшили изведнъж и са станали като прах по хармана лете; вятърът ги е отнесъл и за тях не се е намерило никакво място. А камъкът, който ударил образа, е станал голяма планина и е изпълнил целия свят.
36 Това е сънят; и ще кажем пред царя значението му.
37 (S)Царю, ти си цар на царете, на когото небесният Бог даде царство и сила, могъщество и слава;
38 (T)и където и да живеят хората, горските зверове и небесните птици, Той ги е дал в твоята ръка и те е поставил господар над всички тях. Ти си онази златна глава.
39 (U)След тебе ще се издигне друго царство, по-долно от твоето, и друго, трето царство от мед, което ще завладее целия свят.
40 (V)Ще се издигне и четвърто царство, яко като желязо, понеже желязото строшава и сдробява всичко; и то ще строшава и стрива, както желязото, което строшава всичко.
41 (W)А понеже си видял ходилата и пръстите отчасти от грънчарска кал и отчасти от желязо, това ще бъде едно разделено царство; но в него ще има нещо от силата на желязото, понеже си видял желязото смесено с глинена кал.
42 И както пръстите на краката са били отчасти от желязо и отчасти от кал, така и царството ще бъде отчасти яко и отчасти крехко.
43 И както си видял желязото смесено с глинена кал, така те ще се размесят с потомците на други родове хора; но няма да се слеят един с друг, както желязото не се смесва с калта.
44 (X)И в дните на онези царе небесният Бог ще издигне царство, което довека няма да се разруши и владичеството над което няма да премине към друг народ; но то ще строши и довърши всички тези царства, а самото то ще пребъде довека.
45 (Y)Както си видял, че камък се е отсякъл от планината, не с ръце, и че е разтрил желязото, медта, калта, среброто и златото, великият Бог открива на царя онова, което предстои да стане по-късно. Сънят е истински и тълкуването му е вярно.
46 (Z)Тогава цар Навуходоносор падна на лице и се поклони на Даниил, и заповяда да му принесат принос и кадения.
47 (AA)Царят отговори на Даниил: Наистина вашият Бог е Бог на боговете и Господ на царете, и откривател на тайни, тъй като ти можа да откриеш тази тайна.
48 (AB)Тогава царят възвеличи Даниил, даде му много и големи подаръци и го постави управител на цялата вавилонска област и началник на управителите над всички вавилонски мъдреци.
49 (AC)Даниил измоли от царя и той постави Седрах, Мисах и Авденаго над работите на вавилонската област; а Даниил беше в царския дворец.
Daniel 2
New International Version
Daniel 2
New International Version
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;(A) his mind was troubled(B) and he could not sleep.(C) 2 So the king summoned the magicians,(D) enchanters, sorcerers(E) and astrologers[a](F) to tell him what he had dreamed.(G) When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles(H) me and I want to know what it means.[b]”
4 Then the astrologers answered the king,[c](I) “May the king live forever!(J) Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided:(K) If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces(L) and your houses turned into piles of rubble.(M) 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.(N) So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”
7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty(O) for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”(P)
10 The astrologers(Q) answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.(R) 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods,(S) and they do not live among humans.”
12 This made the king so angry and furious(T) that he ordered the execution(U) of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.(V)
14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.
17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.(W) 18 He urged them to plead for mercy(X) from the God of heaven(Y) concerning this mystery,(Z) so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery(AA) was revealed to Daniel in a vision.(AB) Then Daniel praised the God of heaven(AC) 20 and said:
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;(AD)
wisdom and power(AE) are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;(AF)
he deposes(AG) kings and raises up others.(AH)
He gives wisdom(AI) to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.(AJ)
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;(AK)
he knows what lies in darkness,(AL)
and light(AM) dwells with him.
23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:(AN)
You have given me wisdom(AO) and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.(AP)”
Daniel Interprets the Dream
24 Then Daniel went to Arioch,(AQ) whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”
25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles(AR) from Judah(AS) who can tell the king what his dream means.”
26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar),(AT) “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”
27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about,(AU) 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.(AV) He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come.(AW) Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind(AX) as you were lying in bed(AY) are these:(AZ)
29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen.(BA) 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed(BB) to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.
31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue,(BC) awesome(BD) in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands.(BE) It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed(BF) them.(BG) 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away(BH) without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain(BI) and filled the whole earth.(BJ)
36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king.(BK) 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings.(BL) The God of heaven has given you dominion(BM) and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all.(BN) You are that head of gold.
39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.(BO) 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.(BP) 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush(BQ) all those kingdoms(BR) and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.(BS) 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock(BT) cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands(BU)—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.
“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future.(BV) The dream is true(BW) and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate(BX) before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering(BY) and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods(BZ) and the Lord of kings(CA) and a revealer of mysteries,(CB) for you were able to reveal this mystery.(CC)”
48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high(CD) position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.(CE) 49 Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon,(CF) while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.(CG)
Footnotes
- Daniel 2:2 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 4, 5 and 10
- Daniel 2:3 Or was
- Daniel 2:4 At this point the Hebrew text has in Aramaic, indicating that the text from here through the end of chapter 7 is in Aramaic.
La Bible du Semeur (BDS)
La Bible Du Semeur (The Bible of the Sower) Copyright © 1992, 1999 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Copyright by © Българско библейско дружество 2015. Използвани с разрешение.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.