Daniel 4

Complete Jewish Bible

4 ⁽⁴⁾“I, N’vukhadnetzar, was contentedly living at home, enjoying the luxury of my palace; ²⁽⁵⁾but as I lay on my bed, I had a dream which frightened me, followed by fantasies and visions in my head which frightened me even more. ³⁽⁶⁾So I ordered all the sages of Bavel to present themselves to me, so that they could tell me the interpretation of the dream. ⁴⁽⁷⁾When the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream; but they couldn’t interpret it for me. ⁵⁽⁸⁾Finally, however, Dani’el (renamed Belt’shatzar, after the name of my god), in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, came before me; and I told him the dream: ⁶⁽⁹⁾‘Belt’shatzar, chief of the magicians! Because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the meaning of the visions I saw in my dream. ⁷⁽¹⁰⁾Here are the visions I had in my head as I lay on my bed: I looked, and there before me was a tree at the center of the earth; it was very tall. ⁸⁽¹¹⁾The tree grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen from anywhere on earth. ⁹⁽¹²⁾Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant; it produced enough food for everyone. The wild animals enjoyed its shade, the birds in the air lived in its branches, and it gave food to every living creature. ¹⁰⁽¹³⁾I looked in the visions of my head as I lay on my bed, and there appeared a holy watcher coming down from heaven. ¹¹⁽¹⁴⁾He cried out:

    “‘“Cut down the tree, cut off its branches,
    strip off its leaves, scatter its fruit!
    Let the wild animals flee from its shelter!
    Let the birds abandon its branches!
¹²⁽¹⁵⁾But leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
    with a band of iron and bronze,
    in the lush grass of the countryside;
    let him be drenched with dew from the sky
    and share the lot of animals in the pasture;
¹³⁽¹⁶⁾let his heart and mind cease to be human
    and become those of an animal;
    and let seven seasons pass over him.

¹⁴⁽¹⁷⁾“‘“This order is issued by the watchers,
    the sentence is announced by the holy ones,
    so that all who live may know
    that the Most High rules the human kingdom,
    that he gives it to whomever he wishes
    and can raise up over it the lowliest of mortals.”

¹⁵⁽¹⁸⁾“‘This is the dream which I, King N’vukhadnetzar, saw. Now you, Belt’shatzar, tell me its interpretation. None of the sages of my kingdom can tell me the interpretation, but you can do it, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

¹⁶⁽¹⁹⁾“Dani’el, whose name was Belt’shatzar, was in shock awhile, frightened by his thoughts. The king said, ‘Belt’shatzar, don’t let the dream or the interpretation frighten you.’ Belt’shatzar answered, ‘My lord, if only the dream were about those who hate you, and the interpretation about your enemies! ¹⁷⁽²⁰⁾The tree you saw which grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen throughout the whole earth, ¹⁸⁽²¹⁾that had beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, enough to feed everyone, under which the wild animals lived, and on whose branches the birds in the air built their nests — ¹⁹⁽²²⁾it’s you, your majesty! You have grown and become strong — your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your rule extends to the end of the earth.

²⁰⁽²³⁾“‘Now the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven, who said,

    “‘“Cut down the tree, and destroy it,
    but leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
    with a band of iron and bronze,
    in the lush grass of the countryside;
    let him be drenched with dew from the sky
    and share the lot of the wild animals
    until seven seasons pass over him.”

²¹⁽²⁴⁾“‘This is the interpretation, your majesty; and it is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:

²²⁽²⁵⁾“‘You will be driven from human society
    to live with the wild animals.
    You will be made to eat grass like an ox
    and be drenched with dew from the sky,
    as seven seasons pass over you;
    until you learn that the Most High
    rules in the human kingdom
    and gives it to whomever he pleases.

²³⁽²⁶⁾“‘But since it was ordered to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be kept for you until you have learned that Heaven rules everything. ²⁴⁽²⁷⁾Therefore, your majesty, please take my advice: break with your sins by replacing them with acts of charity, and break with your crimes by showing mercy to the poor; this may extend the time of your prosperity.’

²⁵⁽²⁸⁾“All this happened to King N’vukhadnetzar. ²⁶⁽²⁹⁾Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Bavel, ²⁷⁽³⁰⁾the king said, ‘Bavel the great! I built it as a royal residence by my power and force to enhance the glory of my majesty!’ ²⁸⁽³¹⁾No sooner had the king spoken these words when a voice came down from heaven: ‘King N’vukhadnetzar! These words are for you:

    ‘“The kingdom has left you.
²⁹⁽³²⁾You will be driven from human society
    to live with the wild animals.
    You will be made to eat grass like an ox
    and be drenched with dew from the sky,
    as seven seasons pass over you,
    until you learn that the Most High
    rules in the human kingdom
    and gives it to whomever he pleases.’

³⁰⁽³³⁾“Within the hour the word was fulfilled. N’vukhadnetzar was driven from human society, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

³¹⁽³⁴⁾“When this period was over, I, N’vukhadnetzar, lifted my eyes toward heaven, and my understanding came back to me. I blessed the Most High, I praised and gave honor to him who lives forever.

    “‘For his rulership is everlasting,
    his kingdom endures through all generations.
³²⁽³⁵⁾All who live on earth are counted as nothing.
    He does what he wishes with the army of heaven
    and with those living on earth.
    No one can hold back his hand
    or ask him, “What are you doing?”’

³³⁽³⁶⁾“It was at that moment that my understanding came back to me; and for the sake of the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor also came back to me. My advisers and lords sought me out, I was re-established in my kingdom, and to my previous greatness even more was added. ³⁴⁽³⁷⁾So now I, N’vukhadnetzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven:

    “‘For all his works are truth,
    and his ways are just;
    and he can humble those who walk in pride.’”

但以理书 4

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

尼布甲尼撒的第二个梦

4 尼布甲尼撒王传谕天下各族、各邦、各语种的人：“愿你们大享平安！ ²我乐意向你们述说至高的上帝对我所行的神迹奇事。

³“祂的神迹何其伟大！
祂的奇事何其可畏！
祂的国度永远长存，
祂的统治直到万代。

⁴“我尼布甲尼撒安居在家，在宫中享受荣华。 ⁵但我做了一个梦，令我害怕。我躺在床上的时候，脑中出现的情景和异象使我恐惧。 ⁶我便召巴比伦所有的智者来为我解梦。 ⁷术士、巫师、占星家和占卜者都来了，我将梦告诉他们，他们却不能给我解梦。 ⁸最后但以理来到我面前，他又名伯提沙撒——取自我神明的名，他有圣洁神明的灵。我将梦告诉他，说， ⁹‘术士的首领伯提沙撒啊，我知道你有圣洁神明的灵，任何奥秘都难不倒你。请你为我解释我梦中所见的异象。

¹⁰“‘以下是我躺在床上时脑中出现的异象：我看见大地中央有棵非常高大的树。 ¹¹这树长得苍劲有力，高可参天，从地极都能看见。 ¹²它的叶子美丽，果实累累，可作众生的食物。野兽在它的荫下躺卧，飞鸟在它的枝头栖息，一切生灵都从它那里得到食物。

¹³“‘我躺在床上时脑中出现了异象，我看见一位圣洁的守望者从天而降。 ¹⁴他大声说，砍倒那棵树，削掉它的枝子，剥光它的叶子，抛散它的果子，使野兽逃离树下，飞鸟离开枝头。 ¹⁵但把树丕留在地里，用铁环和铜环箍住他留在野地的青草中，让他被天上的露水浸湿，与野兽一起吃草。 ¹⁶要改变他的人心，给他一个兽心，达七年之久。 ¹⁷这是守望者的命令，是圣者的决定，要让众生知道至高者主宰世上万国，祂要把国赐给谁就赐给谁，即使是最卑微的人。’

¹⁸“这就是我尼布甲尼撒王所做的梦。伯提沙撒啊，你要为我解梦，因为我国中所有的智者都不能为我解梦。但是你能，因为你有圣洁神明的灵。”

但以理解梦

¹⁹但以理，又名伯提沙撒，一时非常惊讶，惶恐不安。王说：“伯提沙撒啊，不要因为这梦和梦的意思而惶恐不安。”伯提沙撒回答说：“我主啊，愿这梦发生在恨你的人身上，梦的意思应验在你的仇敌身上。 ²⁰你梦见的树苍劲有力，高可参天，从地极都能看见。 ²¹它的叶子美丽，果实累累，可作众生的食物。野兽住在它的荫下，飞鸟宿在它的枝头。 ²²王啊，这苍劲有力的树就是你，你的威名高达穹苍，你的权柄延至地极。 ²³王看见圣洁的守望者从天而降，说，‘将这树砍倒、毁灭，但把树丕用铁环和铜环箍住留在野地的青草中，让他被天上的露水浸湿，与野兽一起吃草，达七年之久。’

²⁴“王啊，以下是梦的意思，是至高者裁定要临到我主我王的事： ²⁵你必从人群中被赶走，与野兽同住，像牛一样吃草，被天上的露水浸湿，达七年之久，直到你知道至高者主宰世上万国，祂要把国赐给谁就赐给谁。 ²⁶守望者命令留下树丕，表示等到你承认上天掌权后，你将重掌国权。 ²⁷王啊，请接受我的劝谏，你要秉公行义，以断绝罪恶；怜悯穷人，以除掉罪过。这样，你的国运也许可以延续。”

梦兆应验

²⁸这一切事果然发生在尼布甲尼撒王身上。 ²⁹十二个月后，他在巴比伦王宫的屋顶散步时， ³⁰说：“这宏伟的巴比伦岂不是我用大能建立为京都，以显我的威严和荣耀吗？” ³¹话未说完，天上就有声音说：“尼布甲尼撒王啊，你听着，你已失去王权。 ³²你必从人群中被赶走，与野兽同住，像牛一样吃草，达七年之久，直到你知道至高者主宰世上万国，祂要把国赐给谁就赐给谁。” ³³这话立刻应验在尼布甲尼撒身上。他从人群中被赶走，像牛一样吃草，身体被天上的露水浸湿，直到他的头发长如鹰毛，指甲长如鸟爪。

³⁴“七年后，我尼布甲尼撒举目望天，恢复了神智，便称颂至高者，赞美、尊崇永活者。

“祂的统治永无穷尽，
祂的国度直到万代。
³⁵世人都微不足道，
祂在天军和世人中独行其道，
无人能拦阻祂的手，
或质问祂的作为。

³⁶“那时，我恢复了神智，也恢复了我的威严和荣耀，重现我国度的辉煌。我的谋士和大臣都来朝见我，我重掌国权，势力比以前更大。 ³⁷现在我尼布甲尼撒颂赞、尊崇、敬奉天上的王，因为祂的作为公正，祂行事公平，能够贬抑行为骄傲的人。”

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified) (CCB)

Daniel 4 Complete Jewish Bible

但以理书 4 Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

尼布甲尼撒的第二个梦

但以理解梦

梦兆应验

Daniel 4

Complete Jewish Bible

但以理书 4

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)