尼布甲尼撒的梦

尼布甲尼撒在执政第二年做了梦,心里烦乱,无法入睡, 便派人召来术士、巫师、行法术的和占星家[a],为他解梦。他们都来到王面前。 王对他们说:“我做了一个梦,心里烦乱,想知道梦的意思。” 占星家用亚兰话对王说:“愿王万岁!请将梦告诉仆人,仆人好解释梦的意思。” 王对占星家说:“我的旨意已定,你们若不能将梦和梦的意思告诉我,必被碎尸万段,你们的家必沦为废墟。 你们若能将梦和梦的意思告诉我,我必给你们礼物、赏赐和极大的尊荣。所以你们要将梦和梦的意思告诉我。” 他们再次对王说:“请王将梦告诉仆人,仆人好解释梦的意思。” 王说:“我敢肯定,你们是在拖延时间,因为你们知道我的旨意已定, 你们若不将梦告诉我,我必惩治你们。你们串通起来在我面前胡言乱语,期待情况会改变。现在将梦告诉我,我就相信你们能解梦。” 10 占星家说:“王所要求的,世上无人能做到,因为再伟大、再有权势的君王也没问过术士、巫师或占星家这样的事。 11 王问的事太难,除了不在人间居住的神明外,无人能为王解答。” 12 王大怒,下令处死巴比伦所有的智者。 13 于是,处死智者的谕旨发出,但以理和他的同伴都在被杀之列。

14 王的护卫长亚略奉命要处死巴比伦的智者,但以理机智、谨慎地应对。 15 他问王的护卫长亚略:“王的命令为何这样紧急?”亚略就把情况告诉他。 16 但以理便进宫求王宽限,以便为王解梦。 17 然后,他回到居所将这事告诉同伴哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅, 18 要同伴祈求天上的上帝施怜悯,显明这奥秘,以免他们和其他巴比伦的智者一起被杀。 19 这奥秘在夜间的异象中向但以理显明,他便颂赞天上的上帝, 20 说:

“上帝的名永永远远当受称颂,
因为智慧和能力都属于祂。
21 祂改变时令和季节,废王立王,
赐智慧给智者,赐知识给哲士。
22 祂显明深奥隐秘之事,
洞悉暗中的隐情,
有光与祂同住。
23 我祖先的上帝啊,我感谢你,赞美你,
因你赐我智慧和能力,
应允我们的祈求,
使我们明白王的梦。”

但以理解梦

24 于是,但以理去见王指派处死巴比伦智者的亚略,对他说:“不要处死巴比伦的智者,请带我去见王,我要为王解梦。” 25 亚略急忙带但以理去见王,对王说:“我在被掳的犹大人中找到一个能为王解梦的。” 26 王就问又名伯提沙撒的但以理:“你能将我做的梦和梦的意思告诉我吗?” 27 但以理回答说:“没有智者、术士、巫师或占星家可以解答王所问的奥秘, 28-30 但天上的上帝能揭开奥秘,祂已把将来要发生的事告诉了王。王啊,你在床上梦见了将来的事,揭开奥秘的上帝已把将来的事指示给你。上帝将王做的梦启示给我,并非因为我的智慧胜过其他人,而是要让王知道梦的意思和王的心事。以下是王在床上做的梦和脑中出现的异象。

31 “王啊,你梦见一个高大宏伟、极其明亮的塑像站在你面前,相貌可怕, 32 有纯金的头、银的胸和臂、铜的肚腹和大腿、 33 铁的小腿和半铁半泥的脚。 34 在你观看的时候,有一块非人手凿出的石头打在塑像半铁半泥的脚上,砸碎了脚。 35 铁、泥、铜、银、金随即粉碎,犹如夏天麦场上的糠秕,被风吹得无影无踪。但打碎这像的石头变成一座大山,充满整个大地。

36 “这就是梦的内容。现在我们要为王解梦。 37 王啊,你是万王之王,天上的上帝已将国度、权柄、能力和尊荣赐给你, 38 也将居住在各地的世人、走兽和飞禽都交在你手中,让你管理。你就是那金头。 39 在你之后,必有另一国兴起,不及你的国强大。之后是将要统治天下的第三个国,是铜的。 40 接着是坚如铁的第四国,能击垮、打碎列国,正如铁能击垮、打碎一切。 41 你看见半铁半陶泥的脚和脚趾,表示那将是一个分裂的国。正如你看见铁和泥混杂在一起,它必有铁一般的力量。 42 半铁半泥的脚趾表示那国必半强半弱。 43 你看见铁和泥混杂在一起,这表示那国的民族彼此混杂通婚,却不能团结,正如铁和泥无法混合。 44 在以上列王统治的时候,天上的上帝必设立一国——永不灭亡、外族无法夺其政权。这国将击垮、消灭列国,并且永远长存。 45 你看见那块非人手从山中凿出的石头打碎铁、铜、泥、银和金。伟大的上帝已把将来的事告诉了王。这梦是真实的,解释是可靠的。”

46 尼布甲尼撒王俯伏在地,向但以理下拜,并下令给他献供物和香。 47 王对但以理说:“你们的上帝真是万神之神、万王之主、奥秘的启示者,因为你能揭开这个奥秘。” 48 王赐但以理高官及许多贵重的礼物,派他治理巴比伦全省,管理巴比伦所有的智者。 49 王又应允但以理的请求,派沙得拉、米煞和亚伯尼歌负责巴比伦省的事务。但以理仍在朝中供职。

Footnotes

  1. 2:2 占星家”亚兰文作“迦勒底人”,同下2:4510节;3:84:75:711

尼布甲尼撒的夢

尼布甲尼撒在執政第二年做了夢,心裡煩亂,無法入睡, 便派人召來術士、巫師、行法術的和占星家[a],為他解夢。他們都來到王面前。 王對他們說:「我做了一個夢,心裡煩亂,想知道夢的意思。」 占星家用亞蘭話對王說:「願王萬歲!請將夢告訴僕人,僕人好解釋夢的意思。」 王對占星家說:「我的旨意已定,你們若不能將夢和夢的意思告訴我,必被碎屍萬段,你們的家必淪為廢墟。 你們若能將夢和夢的意思告訴我,我必給你們禮物、賞賜和極大的尊榮。所以你們要將夢和夢的意思告訴我。」 他們再次對王說:「請王將夢告訴僕人,僕人好解釋夢的意思。」 王說:「我敢肯定,你們是在拖延時間,因為你們知道我的旨意已定, 你們若不將夢告訴我,我必懲治你們。你們串通起來在我面前胡言亂語,期待情況會改變。現在將夢告訴我,我就相信你們能解夢。」 10 占星家說:「王所要求的,世上無人能做到,因為再偉大、再有權勢的君王也沒問過術士、巫師或占星家這樣的事。 11 王問的事太難,除了不在人間居住的神明外,無人能為王解答。」 12 王大怒,下令處死巴比倫所有的智者。 13 於是,處死智者的諭旨發出,但以理和他的同伴都在被殺之列。

14 王的護衛長亞略奉命要處死巴比倫的智者,但以理機智、謹慎地應對。 15 他問王的護衛長亞略:「王的命令為何這樣緊急?」亞略就把情況告訴他。 16 但以理便進宮求王寬限,以便為王解夢。 17 然後,他回到居所將這事告訴同伴哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亞撒利雅, 18 要同伴祈求天上的上帝施憐憫,顯明這奧秘,以免他們和其他巴比倫的智者一起被殺。 19 這奧秘在夜間的異象中向但以理顯明,他便頌讚天上的上帝, 20 說:

「上帝的名永永遠遠當受稱頌,
因為智慧和能力都屬於祂。
21 祂改變時令和季節,廢王立王,
賜智慧給智者,賜知識給哲士。
22 祂顯明深奧隱秘之事,
洞悉暗中的隱情,
有光與祂同住。
23 我祖先的上帝啊,我感謝你,讚美你,
因你賜我智慧和能力,
應允我們的祈求,
使我們明白王的夢。」

但以理解夢

24 於是,但以理去見王指派處死巴比倫智者的亞略,對他說:「不要處死巴比倫的智者,請帶我去見王,我要為王解夢。」 25 亞略急忙帶但以理去見王,對王說:「我在被擄的猶大人中找到一個能為王解夢的。」 26 王就問又名伯提沙撒的但以理:「你能將我做的夢和夢的意思告訴我嗎?」 27 但以理回答說:「沒有智者、術士、巫師或占星家可以解答王所問的奧秘, 28-30 但天上的上帝能揭開奧秘,祂已把將來要發生的事告訴了王。王啊,你在床上夢見了將來的事,揭開奧秘的上帝已把將來的事指示給你。上帝將王做的夢啟示給我,並非因為我的智慧勝過其他人,而是要讓王知道夢的意思和王的心事。以下是王在床上做的夢和腦中出現的異象。

31 「王啊,你夢見一個高大宏偉、極其明亮的塑像站在你面前,相貌可怕, 32 有純金的頭、銀的胸和臂、銅的肚腹和大腿、 33 鐵的小腿和半鐵半泥的腳。 34 在你觀看的時候,有一塊非人手鑿出的石頭打在塑像半鐵半泥的腳上,砸碎了腳。 35 鐵、泥、銅、銀、金隨即粉碎,猶如夏天麥場上的糠秕,被風吹得無影無蹤。但打碎這像的石頭變成一座大山,充滿整個大地。

36 「這就是夢的內容。現在我們要為王解夢。 37 王啊,你是萬王之王,天上的上帝已將國度、權柄、能力和尊榮賜給你, 38 也將居住在各地的世人、走獸和飛禽都交在你手中,讓你管理。你就是那金頭。 39 在你之後,必有另一國興起,不及你的國強大。之後是將要統治天下的第三個國,是銅的。 40 接著是堅如鐵的第四國,能擊垮、打碎列國,正如鐵能擊垮、打碎一切。 41 你看見半鐵半陶泥的腳和腳趾,表示那將是一個分裂的國。正如你看見鐵和泥混雜在一起,它必有鐵一般的力量。 42 半鐵半泥的腳趾表示那國必半強半弱。 43 你看見鐵和泥混雜在一起,這表示那國的民族彼此混雜通婚,卻不能團結,正如鐵和泥無法混合。 44 在以上列王統治的時候,天上的上帝必設立一國——永不滅亡、外族無法奪其政權。這國將擊垮、消滅列國,並且永遠長存。 45 你看見那塊非人手從山中鑿出的石頭打碎鐵、銅、泥、銀和金。偉大的上帝已把將來的事告訴了王。這夢是真實的,解釋是可靠的。」

46 尼布甲尼撒王俯伏在地,向但以理下拜,並下令給他獻供物和香。 47 王對但以理說:「你們的上帝真是萬神之神、萬王之主、奧秘的啟示者,因為你能揭開這個奧秘。」 48 王賜但以理高官及許多貴重的禮物,派他治理巴比倫全省,管理巴比倫所有的智者。 49 王又應允但以理的請求,派沙得拉、米煞和亞伯尼歌負責巴比倫省的事務。但以理仍在朝中供職。

Footnotes

  1. 2·2 占星家」亞蘭文作「迦勒底人」,同下2·4510節;3·84·75·711

巴比伦王忘记自己的梦

尼布甲尼撒在位第二年,他作了梦,因此心里烦乱,不能入睡。 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。 王对他们说:“我作了一个梦,心里烦乱,我要知道这是甚么梦。” 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。” 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。 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。” 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。” 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。 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。

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

In the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had a dream. It worried him so much that he couldn't sleep, so he sent for his fortunetellers, magicians, sorcerers, and wizards to come and explain the dream to him. When they came and stood before the king, he said to them, “I'm worried about a dream I've had. I want to know what it means.”

They answered the king in Aramaic,[a] “May Your Majesty live forever! Tell us your dream, and we will explain it to you.”

The king said to them, “I have made up my mind that you must tell me the dream and then tell me what it means. If you can't, I'll have you torn limb from limb and make your houses a pile of ruins. But if you can tell me both the dream and its meaning, I will reward you with gifts and great honor. Now then, tell me what the dream was and what it means.”

They answered the king again, “If Your Majesty will only tell us what the dream was, we will explain it.”

At that, the king exclaimed, “Just as I thought! You are trying to gain time, because you see that I have made up my mind to give all of you the same punishment if you don't tell me the dream. You have agreed among yourselves to go on telling me lies because you hope that in time things will change. Tell me what the dream was, and then I will know that you can also tell me what it means.”

10 The advisers replied, “There is no one on the face of the earth who can tell Your Majesty what you want to know. No king, not even the greatest and most powerful, has ever made such a demand of his fortunetellers, magicians, and wizards. 11 What Your Majesty is asking for is so difficult that no one can do it for you except the gods, and they do not live among human beings.”

12 At that, the king flew into a rage and ordered the execution of all the royal advisers in Babylon. 13 So the order was issued for all of them to be killed, including Daniel and his friends.

God Shows Daniel What the Dream Means

14 Then Daniel went to Arioch, commander of the king's bodyguard, who had been ordered to carry out the execution. Choosing his words carefully, 15 he asked Arioch why the king had issued such a harsh order. So Arioch told Daniel what had happened.

16 Daniel went at once and obtained royal permission for more time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant. 17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. 18 He told them to pray to the God of heaven for mercy and to ask him to explain the mystery to them so that they would not be killed along with the other advisers in Babylon. 19 Then that same night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he praised the God of heaven:

20 “God is wise and powerful!
    Praise him forever and ever.
21 He controls the times and the seasons;
    he makes and unmakes kings;
    it is he who gives wisdom and understanding.
22 He reveals things that are deep and secret;
    he knows what is hidden in darkness,
    and he himself is surrounded by light.
23 I praise you and honor you, God of my ancestors.
You have given me wisdom and strength;
    you have answered my prayer
    and shown us what to tell the king.”

Daniel Tells the King the Dream and Explains It

24 So Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had commanded to execute the royal advisers. He said to him, “Don't put them to death. Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means.”

25 At once Arioch took Daniel into King Nebuchadnezzar's presence and told the king, “I have found one of the Jewish exiles who can tell Your Majesty the meaning of your dream.”

26 The king said to Daniel (who was also called Belteshazzar), “Can you tell me what I dreamed and what it means?”

27 Daniel replied, “Your Majesty, there is no wizard, magician, fortuneteller, or astrologer who can tell you that. 28 But there is a God in heaven, who reveals mysteries. He has informed Your Majesty what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you the dream, the vision you had while you were asleep.

29 “While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about the future; and God, who reveals mysteries, showed you what is going to happen. 30 Now, this mystery was revealed to me, not because I am wiser than anyone else, but so that Your Majesty may learn the meaning of your dream and understand the thoughts that have come to you.

31 “Your Majesty, in your vision you saw standing before you a giant statue, bright and shining, and terrifying to look at. 32 Its head was made of the finest gold; its chest and arms were made of silver; its waist and hips of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, and its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 While you were looking at it, a great stone broke loose from a cliff without anyone touching it, struck the iron and clay feet of the statue, and shattered them. 35 At once the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold crumbled and became like the dust on a threshing place in summer. The wind carried it all away, leaving not a trace. But the stone grew to be a mountain that covered the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream. Now I will tell Your Majesty what it means. 37 Your Majesty, you are the greatest of all kings. The God of heaven has made you emperor and given you power, might, and honor. 38 He has made you ruler of all the inhabited earth and ruler over all the animals and birds. You are the head of gold. 39 After you there will be another empire, not as great as yours, and after that a third, an empire of bronze, which will rule the whole earth. 40 And then there will be a fourth empire, as strong as iron, which shatters and breaks everything. And just as iron shatters everything, it will shatter and crush all the earlier empires. 41 You also saw that the feet and the toes were partly clay and partly iron. This means that it will be a divided empire. It will have something of the strength of iron, because there was iron mixed with the clay. 42 The toes—partly iron and partly clay—mean that part of the empire will be strong and part of it weak. 43 You also saw that the iron was mixed with the clay. This means that the rulers of that empire will try to unite their families by intermarriage, but they will not be able to, any more than iron can mix with clay. 44 At the time of those rulers the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never end. It will never be conquered, but will completely destroy all those empires and then last forever. 45 You saw how a stone broke loose from a cliff without anyone touching it and how it struck the statue made of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God is telling Your Majesty what will happen in the future. I have told you exactly what you dreamed, and have given you its true meaning.”

The King Rewards Daniel

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed to the ground and gave orders for sacrifices and offerings to be made to Daniel. 47 The king said, “Your God is the greatest of all gods, the Lord over kings, and the one who reveals mysteries. I know this because you have been able to explain this mystery.” 48 Then he gave Daniel a high position, presented him with many splendid gifts, put him in charge of the province of Babylon, and made him the head of all the royal advisers. 49 At Daniel's request the king put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in charge of the affairs of the province of Babylon; Daniel, however, remained at the royal court.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 2:4 From here to the end of chapter 7, the language used is Aramaic, not Hebrew. The language of the addition from the ancient Greek translation—The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men (A.1-68)—between 3.23 and 3.24 is Greek.