Daniel 2
Det Norsk Bibelselskap 1930
2 I sitt annet regjeringsår hadde Nebukadnesar drømmer som gjorde hans sinn urolig, og det var forbi med hans søvn.
2 Og kongen lot kalle tegnsutleggerne og åndemanerne og trollmennene og kaldeerne, forat de skulde fortelle kongen hans drømmer; og de kom og trådte frem for kongen.
3 Og kongen sa til dem: Jeg har hatt en drøm, og mitt sinn er blitt urolig; jeg stunder efter å få drømmen å vite.
4 Da talte kaldeerne til kongen på araméisk: Kongen leve evindelig! Si dine tjenere drømmen! Så skal vi kunngjøre dig dens uttydning.
5 Kongen svarte kaldeerne: Dette mitt ord står fast: Hvis I ikke kunngjør mig drømmen og dens uttydning, så skal I bli hugget i stykker, og eders huser gjort til en møkkdynge.
6 Men dersom I kunngjør mig drømmen og dens uttydning, så skal I få rike gaver og stor ære av mig. Derfor, si mig drømmen og dens uttydning!
7 Da svarte de annen gang: Vil ikke kongen si sine tjenere drømmen! Så skal vi si hvad den betyr.
8 Kongen svarte: Jeg vet for visst at I bare vil vinne tid, fordi I ser at det ord jeg sa, står fast.
9 Såfremt I ikke sier mig drømmen, da er dommen over eder uforanderlig. Men I er blitt enige om å fortelle mig en skammelig løgn, i håp om at tidene skal forandre sig, derfor, si mig drømmen, så jeg kan vite at I også kan kunngjøre mig dens uttydning!
10 Kaldeerne svarte kongen: Det er ikke et menneske på jorden som kan kunngjøre kongen det han vil vite; for ingen konge, hvor stor og mektig han var, har nogensinne krevd noget sådant av nogen tegnsutlegger eller åndemaner eller kaldeer.
11 For det som kongen krever, er altfor vanskelig, og det er ingen annen som kan kunngjøre kongen hvad han vil vite, enn gudene, som ikke har sin bolig blandt menneskene.
12 Over dette blev kongen harm og meget vred, og han bød at alle Babels vismenn skulde drepes.
13 Da denne befaling var utstedt, og de skulde til å drepe vismennene, lette de også efter Daniel og hans medbrødre for å drepe dem.
14 Da sa Daniel et klokt og forstandig ord til Arjok, høvdingen for kongens livvakt, som hadde draget ut for å drepe Babels vismenn.
15 Han tok til orde og spurte Arjok, kongens høvedsmann: Hvorfor har kongen utstedt denne strenge befaling? Da fortalte Arjok Daniel hvorledes det hadde sig.
16 Så gikk Daniel inn og bad kongen at han vilde gi ham en frist, så han kunde kunngjøre kongen uttydningen.
17 Derefter gikk Daniel hjem og fortalte Hananja, Misael og Asarja, sine medbrødre, det som hadde hendt,
18 forat de skulde bede himmelens Gud at han i sin barmhjertighet vilde åpenbare denne hemmelighet, så at ikke Daniel og hans medbrødre skulde bli drept sammen med Babels andre vismenn.
19 Da blev hemmeligheten åpenbaret Daniel i et syn om natten; og Daniel priste himmelens Gud.
20 Daniel tok til orde og sa: Lovet være Guds navn fra evighet og til evighet! For visdommen og styrken hører ham til,
21 og han omskifter tider og stunder, avsetter konger og innsetter konger; han gir de vise visdom og de forstandige forstand;
22 han åpenbarer det dype og skjulte; han vet hvad som er i mørket, og hos ham bor lyset.
23 Dig, mine fedres Gud, takker og priser jeg, fordi du har gitt mig visdom og styrke og nu har kunngjort mig hvad vi bad dig om; for det som kongen vilde vite har du kunngjort oss.
24 Så gikk da Daniel inn til Arjok, som kongen hadde gitt pålegg om å drepe Babels vismenn; han kom og sa til ham: Drep ikke Babels vismenn! Før mig inn til kongen! Så vil jeg kunngjøre kongen uttydningen.
25 Da førte Arjok Daniel i hast inn til kongen og sa til ham: Jeg har funnet en av de bortførte fra Juda, han vil kunngjøre kongen uttydningen.
26 Kongen svarte Daniel, som hadde fått navnet Beltsasar: Er du i stand til å kunngjøre mig den drøm jeg har hatt, og dens uttydning?
27 Daniel svarte kongen: Den hemmelighet kongen ønsker å få vite, makter ingen vismenn, åndemanere, tegnsutleggere eller sannsigere å kunngjøre kongen;
28 men det er en Gud i himmelen, som åpenbarer hemmeligheter, og han har kunngjort kong Nebukadnesar hvad som skal skje i de siste dager. Dette var den drøm og de syner du hadde i ditt indre, mens du hvilte på ditt leie:
29 Da du, konge, lå på ditt leie, steg det op hos dig tanker om hvad som skulde skje i fremtiden; og han som åpenbarer hemmeligheter, kunngjorde dig hvad som skal skje.
30 Og for mig er denne hemmelighet blitt åpenbaret, ikke fordi jeg eier nogen visdom fremfor alle andre som lever, men forat uttydningen skulde kunngjøres kongen, og du skulde få ditt hjertes tanker å vite.
31 Konge, du så i ditt syn et stort billede; det var et veldig billede, og dets glans var overmåte stor; det stod like foran dig, og det var forferdelig å skue.
32 Billedets hode var av fint gull, brystet og armene av sølv, buken og lendene av kobber,
33 benene av jern og føttene dels av jern og dels av ler.
34 Mens du så på billedet, blev en sten revet løs, men ikke med hender, og den rammet billedet på føttene, som var av jern og ler, og knuste dem.
35 Da knustes på én gang både jernet, leret, kobberet, sølvet og gullet, og det blev som agner fra treskeplassene om sommeren, og vinden tok det så det ikke fantes spor efter det. Men stenen som rammet billedet, blev til et stort fjell, som fylte hele jorden.
36 Det var drømmen; og nu skal vi si kongen uttydningen.
37 Konge, du kongenes konge, som himmelens Gud har gitt riket og makten og styrken og æren -
38 overalt hvor menneskenes barn, markens dyr og himmelens fugler har sine bosteder, har han gitt dem i din hånd og gjort dig til herre over dem alle - du er hodet av gull.
39 Men efter dig skal det opkomme et annet rike, ringere enn ditt, og så ennu et tredje rike, som er av kobber, og som skal herske over all jorden,
40 og derefter et fjerde rike, som skal være sterkt som jernet; eftersom jernet knuser og sønderslår alt, skal det som det sønderknusende jern sønderslå og sønderknuse alle hine riker.
41 Og at føttene og tærne som du så, dels var av pottemakerler og dels av jern, det betyr at det skal være et delt rike, og at det skal være noget av jernets styrke i det, eftersom du så jernet blandet med leret.
42 Og at tærne på føttene dels var av jern og dels av ler, det betyr at riket for en del skal være sterkt og for en del skrøpelig,
43 og at jernet som du så, var blandet med ler, det betyr at de[a] skal blande sig med hverandre ved giftermål, men at de allikevel ikke i lengden skal holde sammen, likesom jernet ikke blander sig med leret.
44 Og i disse kongers dager vil himmelens Gud oprette et rike, som i all evighet ikke skal ødelegges, og dette rike skal ikke overlates til noget annet folk; det skal knuse og gjøre ende på alle hine riker, men selv skal det stå fast evindelig;
45 for du så jo at en sten blev revet løs fra fjellet, men ikke med hender, og knuste jernet, kobberet, leret, sølvet og gullet. Den store Gud har kunngjort kongen hvad som skal skje i fremtiden, og fast står drømmen, og troverdig er dens uttydning.
46 Da falt kong Nebukadnesar på sitt ansikt og tilbad Daniel, og han bød at de skulde ofre ham matoffer og røkelse.
47 Og kongen tok til orde og sa til Daniel: I sannhet, eders Gud er gudenes Gud og kongenes herre og en som åpenbarer hemmeligheter, siden du har kunnet åpenbare denne hemmelighet.
48 Derefter gjorde kongen Daniel til en stor mann, og han gav ham mange store gaver og satte ham til herre over hele landskapet Babel og til øverste forstander for alle Babels vismenn.
49 Og på Daniels bønn satte kongen Sadrak, Mesak og Abed-Nego til å styre landskapet Babel; men Daniel selv blev ved kongens hoff.
Footnotes
- Daniel 2:43 d.e. rikets konger.
Daniel 2
New King James Version
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; (A)and his spirit was so troubled that (B)his sleep left him. 2 (C)Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to [a]know the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, (D)“O[b] king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My [c]decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be (E)cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 6 (F)However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”
8 The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: 9 if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the [d]time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can [e]give me its interpretation.”
10 The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 It is a [f]difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king (G)except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought (H)Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
14 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so [g]urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 (I)that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel (J)in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said:
(K)“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
(L)For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes (M)the times and the seasons;
(N)He removes kings and raises up kings;
(O)He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 (P)He reveals deep and secret things;
(Q)He knows what is in the darkness,
And (R)light dwells with Him.
23 “I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we (S)asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s [h]demand.”
Daniel Explains the Dream
24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, “I have found a man of the [i]captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 (T)But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar (U)what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: 29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; (V)and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 (W)But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, (X)and that you may [j]know the thoughts of your heart.
31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 (Y)This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and [k]thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of [l]clay. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out (Z)without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 (AA)Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became (AB)like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that (AC)no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image (AD)became a great mountain (AE)and filled the whole earth.
36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 (AF)You, O king, are a king of kings. (AG)For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 (AH)and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—(AI)you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise (AJ)another kingdom (AK)inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And (AL)the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, (AM)so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly [m]fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings (AN)the God of heaven will set up a kingdom (AO)which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; (AP)it shall [n]break in pieces and [o]consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 (AQ)Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”
Daniel and His Friends Promoted
46 (AR)Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering (AS)and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly (AT)your God is the God of (AU)gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.” 48 (AV)Then the king promoted Daniel (AW)and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and (AX)chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, (AY)and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel (AZ)sat in [p]the gate of the king.
Footnotes
- Daniel 2:3 Or understand
- Daniel 2:4 The original language of Daniel 2:4b through 7:28 is Aramaic.
- Daniel 2:5 The command
- Daniel 2:9 Situation
- Daniel 2:9 Or declare to me
- Daniel 2:11 Or rare
- Daniel 2:15 Or harsh
- Daniel 2:23 Lit. word
- Daniel 2:25 Lit. sons of the captivity
- Daniel 2:30 Understand
- Daniel 2:32 Or sides
- Daniel 2:33 Or baked clay, also vv. 34, 35, 42
- Daniel 2:42 Or brittle
- Daniel 2:44 Or crush
- Daniel 2:44 Lit. put an end to
- Daniel 2:49 The king’s court
Daniel 2
Wycliffe Bible
2 In the second year of the realm of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar saw a dream; and his spirit was afeared, and his dream fled away from him. (In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream; and his spirit was afraid, and then his dream fled away from him.)
2 Therefore the king commanded, that the (false) diviners, and astronomers, and witches, and Chaldees should be called together, that they should tell to the king his dreams; and when they were come, they stood before the king. (And so the king commanded, that the fortunetellers, and the astrologers, and the witches, and the Chaldeans should be called together, so that they could tell the king about his dream; and when they had come, they stood before the king.)
3 And the king said to them, I saw a dream, and I am shamed in mind, and I know not what I saw. (And the king said to them, I had a dream, and I am confused, and I do not know what I saw/and I do not know what it meant.)
4 And Chaldees answered the king by Syriack language, King, live thou without end; say thy dream to thy servants, and we shall show to thee the expounding thereof. (And the Chaldeans answered the king in the Syrian, or in the Aramaic, language and said, O King, may thou live forever; first tell thy dream to thy servants, and then we shall tell thee its interpretation.)
5 And the king answered, and said to [the] Chaldees, The word is gone away from me; if ye show not to me the dream, and the expounding thereof, ye shall perish, and your houses shall be forfeited. (And the king answered, and said to the Chaldeans, The dream hath gone away from me/This is what I have decided; if ye do not tell me the dream, and its interpretation, then ye shall die, and your houses shall be laid waste.)
6 Forsooth if ye tell the dream, and the expounding thereof, ye shall take of me meeds and gifts, and much honour; therefore show ye to me the dream, and the interpreting thereof. (But if ye tell me the dream, and its interpretation, then ye shall receive from me rewards and gifts, and much honour; and so tell me the dream, and its interpretation.)
7 They answered the second time, and said, The king say the dream to his servants, and we shall show the interpreting thereof. (They answered a second time, and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and then we shall tell its interpretation.)
8 The king answered, and said, Certainly I know, that ye again-buy the time, and know that the word is gone away from me. (And the king answered, Certainly I see, that ye be trying to gain time, for ye know that the dream hath gone away from me/because ye know that this is what I have decided.)
9 Therefore if ye show not to me the dream, one sentence is of you, for ye make an interpreting both false and full of deceit, that ye speak to me till the time pass; therefore say ye the dream to me, that I know that ye speak also the very interpreting thereof. (And so if ye do not tell me the dream, one punishment shall be for all of you, for ye make an interpretation both false and full of deceit, and ye shall just speak to me until the time pass; and so tell me the dream, so that I know that ye also say its true interpretation.)
10 Therefore [the] Chaldees answered before the king, and said, King, no man is on earth that may [ful]fill thy word; but neither any great man and mighty of kings asketh such a word of any (false) diviner, and astronomer, and of a man of Chaldea. (And so the Chaldeans answered the king, and said, O king, there is no one on earth who can fulfill thy request; nor would any great king, or mighty man, ask such a request of any fortuneteller, or astrologer, or a man of Chaldea.)
11 For the word which thou, (O) king, askest, is grievous, neither any shall be found that shall show it in the sight of the king (nor shall anyone be found who can tell it to the king), except (the) gods, whose living is not with men.
12 And when this word was heard, the king commanded, in strong vengeance and in great ire, that all [the] wise men of Babylon should perish. (And when this word was heard, the king commanded, with strong vengeance and with great anger, that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death.)
13 And by the sentence gone out, the wise men were (to be) slain; and Daniel and his fellows were sought, that they should perish. (And by the order gone out, the wise men were to be killed; and Daniel and his fellows were sought, so that they could be put to death.)
14 Then Daniel asked of the law and sentence of Arioch, prince of [the] chivalry of the king, that was gone out to slay the wise men of Babylon. (And Daniel asked about the law and the sentence, or the order, to Arioch, the leader of the king’s cavalry, or of his bodyguard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.)
15 And he asked him, that had taken power of the king, for what cause so cruel a sentence went out from the face of the king. Therefore when Arioch had showed the thing to Daniel, (And he asked him, who had received the power of life and death from the king, for what cause such a cruel order had gone out from the king. And so when Arioch had told the reason to Daniel,)
16 Daniel entered, and prayed the king, that he should give time to him to show the solving to the king. (Daniel entered in, and beseeched the king, that he would give him some time, so that he could tell the interpretation to the king. And the king agreed.)
17 And he entered into his house, and showed the need to Hananiah, and Mishael, and Azariah, his fellows,
18 that they should ask mercy of the face of God of heaven on this sacrament, (or hid truth); and that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with other wise men of Babylon. (that they should ask for mercy from the God of heaven, and that he explain this secret, or this hidden truth, so that Daniel and his fellows would not die along with the other wise men of Babylon.)
19 Then the private[a] was showed to Daniel by a vision in night. And Daniel blessed (the) God of heaven, (Then the mystery, or the secret, was revealed to Daniel by a vision in the night. And Daniel blessed the God of heaven,)
20 and said, The name of the Lord be blessed from the world, and till into the world, for wisdom and strength be his; (and said, The Lord’s name be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and strength be his;)
21 and he changeth times and ages, he translateth realms and ordaineth; he giveth wisdom to wise men, and knowing to them that understand teaching, either chastising; (and he changeth times and ages, he transfereth kingdoms and ordaineth them; he giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who understand teaching, or the disciplines;)
22 he showeth deep things and hid (he revealeth secrets, or mysteries, and hidden things), and he knoweth things set in darknesses, and light is with him.
23 God of our fathers, I acknowledge to thee, and I praise thee, for thou hast given wisdom and strength to me; and now thou hast showed to me those things which we prayed thee, for thou hast opened to us the word of the king. (God of our forefathers, I acknowledge to thee, and I praise thee, for thou hast given wisdom and strength to me; and now thou hast shown me those things for which we prayed to thee, for thou hast opened to us the matter concerning the king.)
24 After these things Daniel entered to Arioch, whom the king had ordained, that he should lose the wise men of Babylon, and thus he spake to him, Lose thou not the wise men of Babylon; lead thou me in before the sight of the king, and I shall tell the solving to the king. (And after these things Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had ordered, that he should destroy the wise men of Babylon, and he said this to him, Destroy thou not the wise men of Babylon; lead thou me in before the king, and I shall tell the interpretation to the king.)
25 Then Arioch hasting led in Daniel to the king, and said to him, I have found a man of the sons of (the) passing over of Judah, that shall tell the solving to the king. (Then Arioch, making haste, led Daniel in to the king, and said to him, I have found a man of the sons of the captivity of Judah, who shall tell the interpretation to the king.)
26 The king answered, and said to Daniel, to whom the name was Belteshazzar, Whether guessest thou, that thou mayest verily show to me the dream which I saw, and the interpreting thereof? (And the king said to Daniel, who was also called Belteshazzar, Thinkest thou, that thou can truly tell me the dream which I saw, and its interpretation?)
27 And Daniel answered before the king, and said, The private which the king asketh, [the] wise men, and astronomers, and (false) diviners, and lookers of altars, may not show to the king. (And Daniel answered the king, and said, The mystery, or the secret, which the king asketh about, the wise men, and the astrologers, and the fortunetellers, and the lookers on altars, cannot tell the king.)
28 But God is in heaven that showeth privates, which hath showed to thee, thou king Nebuchadnezzar, what things shall come in the last times. Thy dream and visions of thine head, in thy bed, be such. (But there is God in heaven who revealeth mysteries, or secrets, and he hath shown thee, O King Nebuchadnezzar, what things shall come in the last times, or at the end of the age. Thy dream and the visions in thy head, on thy bed, be such.)
29 Thou, king, begannest to think in thy bed, what was to coming after these things; and he that showeth privates (and he who revealeth mysteries, or secrets), showed to thee what things shall come.
30 And this sacrament, [or hid truth], is showed to me not by wisdom which is in me more than in all living men, but that the interpreting should be made open to the king, and thou shouldest know the thoughts of thy soul. (And this secret, or this hidden truth, is shown to me not by any wisdom which is in me more than in anyone else alive, but so that the interpretation can be made open to the king, and so that thou wouldest know the thoughts in thy mind.)
31 Thou, king, sawest, and lo! as one great image (Thou, king, sawest, lo! one great image, or one large figure); that image was great, and high in stature, and stood before thee, and the looking thereof was fearedful.
32 The head of this image was of best gold, but the breast and arms were of silver; certainly the womb and thighs were of brass, (The head of this figure was made of the best gold, and the chest and the arms were made of silver; the belly and the thighs were made of bronze,)
33 but the legs were of iron; forsooth some part of the feet was of iron, some was of earth. (and the legs were made of iron; and a part of the feet was made of iron, and a part was made of clay.)
34 Thou sawest thus, till a stone was cut down (out) of the hill, without hands, and smote the image in the iron feet thereof and earthen, and all-brake those. (Thou sawest it so, until a stone was cut down from the hill, without the use of any hands, and it struck the figure on its iron and clay feet, and broke them all in pieces.)
35 Then the iron, tilestone, either earthen vessel, brass, silver, and gold, were all-broken (al)together, and driven as into a dead spark of a large summer hall, that be ravished of wind, and no place is found to those; forsooth the stone, that smote the image, was made a great hill, and filled all earth. (Then the iron, the tilestone, or the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, were all broken in pieces, and driven like dead sparks on a threshing floor in the summer, that be carried away by the wind, and there is no place where they can be found; and then the stone, that struck the figure, was made into a great mountain, and it filled all the earth.)
36 This is the dream. Also, thou king, we shall say before thee the interpreting thereof. (That is the dream. And, O king, now we shall tell thee its interpretation.)
37 Thou art king of kings, and God of heaven gave to thee realm, strength, and empire, and glory; (Thou art king of kings, and the God of heaven gave thee a kingdom, and power, and empire, and glory;)
38 and he gave in(to) thine hand all things in which the sons of men, and the beasts of the field, and the birds of the air dwell, and ordained all things under thy lordship; therefore thou art the golden head.
39 And another realm less than thou shall rise after thee; and the third realm, another of brass, that shall have the empire of all earth. (And after thee, another kingdom less than thou, shall rise up; and then the third kingdom, one of bronze, that shall have rule over all the earth.)
40 And the fourth realm shall be as iron; as iron maketh less, and maketh tame all things, so it shall make less, and shall all-break all these realms. (And the fourth kingdom shall be like iron; and like iron shattereth, or breaketh in pieces, and maketh everything tame, or subdueth all things, so it shall make less, and shall all-break all these kingdoms.)
41 Forsooth that thou sawest a part of the feet, and fingers, (or toes,) of earth, [or clay,] of a potter, and a part of iron, the realm shall be parted (And that thou sawest that a part of the feet, and the toes, was made of the clay of a potter, and a part was made of iron, the kingdom shall be divided); which nevertheless shall rise (up out) of the planting of (the) iron, by that that thou sawest iron mingled with a tilestone of clay,
42 and the toes of the feet, in part of iron, and in part of earth, in part the realm shall be firm, and in part broken. (and like the toes of the feet, were in part made of iron, and in part made of clay, so the kingdom in part shall be firm, or shall be strong, and in part it shall be broken, or shall be weak.)
43 Forsooth that thou sawest iron mingled with a tilestone of clay, soothly those shall be mingled together with man’s seed; but those shall not cleave to themselves, as iron may not be meddled with tilestone. (And that thou sawest iron mingled with clay, truly people shall mix their seed together, that is, they shall intermarry; but they shall not cleave long to each other, just like iron cannot successfully be mixed with clay.)
44 Forsooth in the days of those realms, (the) God of heaven shall raise (up) a realm, that shall not be destroyed without end, and his realm shall not be given to another people; it shall make less, and (shall) waste all these realms, and it shall stand without end,
45 by this that thou sawest, that a stone was cut down (out) of the hill, without hands, and made less, [or brake,] the tilestone, and the iron, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold (by this that thou sawest, that a stone was cut down from the hill, without the use of any hands, and broke the clay, and the iron, and the bronze, and the silver, and the gold). [The] Great God hath showed to the king what things shall come afterward; and the dream is true, and the interpreting thereof is faithful.
46 Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell down on his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded sacrifices and incense to be brought, that those should be sacrificed to him (so that they could be sacrificed to him).
47 Therefore the king spake, and said to Daniel, Verily your God is God of gods, and Lord of kings, that showeth mysteries, for thou mightest open this sacrament, (or hid truth). (And so the king spoke, and said to Daniel, Truly your God is God of gods, and Lord of kings, who revealeth mysteries, for thou could open this secret, or this hidden truth.)
48 Then the king raised (up) Daniel on high, and gave many gifts and great to him (and gave him many great gifts); and ordained him prince and prefect, either chief justice, over all the provinces of Babylon, and master over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Forsooth Daniel asked of the king, and (he) ordained Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over all the works of the province of Babylon; but Daniel himself was in the gates of the king (but Daniel himself was at the king’s court).
Footnotes
- Daniel 2:19 Throughout Daniel, where the “Later Version” uses “private” or “privates”, the “Early Version” uses “mystery” or “mysteries”.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
2001 by Terence P. Noble