1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all peoples, nations, and languages {lishshanayya: spoken tongues} who are dwelling throughout all the earth: may your peace {shelamkhon: covenant well-being} be multiplied.
2 The signs and the wonders {timhayya: astonishing acts} that the Most High God {elahaa illaa, Supreme Ruler} has done for me, it seemed good before me to declare.
3 How great are His {Elah, Eternal King} signs, and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom {alam: unending age}, and His dominion is from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease {šeleh: settled security} in my house and flourishing in my palace {beheykhli: royal residence}.
5 I saw a dream {chelem: troubling night-message}, and it frightened me; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions {chezvei: vivid inner-scenes} of my head were terrifying me.
6 So from me a decree {taem: formal royal command} was set to bring in before me all the wise men {hakkime: learned court advisers} of Babylon, so that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7 Then my magicians {hartummay: royal ritual specialists}, my enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I declared the dream before them, but they were not making its interpretation {pishreh: full explanatory meaning} known to me.
8 But at last Daniel came before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god {elahi: personal deity}, and in whom was the spirit of the holy gods {ruach-elahin: inner life-breath of the gods}; and before him I told the dream.
9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods {elahin, Nebuchadnezzar's Deities} is in you, and that no mystery is difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation {pishreh: formal explanation of the dream’s message}.”
10 These were the visions {hezwe: repeated night-revelations} of my head as I lay upon my bed: I was watching, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth {ar'a: the whole inhabited land}, and its height was great.
11 The tree {ilana: great, prominent tree} grew and became strong, and its height reached to the heavens {lishmayya: sky or heavenly realm}, and its appearance was to the end of all the earth.
12 Its foliage {opyeho: dense leafy crown} was beautiful, and its fruit was abundant, and food was there for all. Under it the beasts of the field {hevat bara: wild open-country animals} were shaded, and in its branches the birds of heaven dwelt, and from it all flesh was fed.
13 I was looking in the visions {chezvei: repeated revelatory visions} of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watcher {ir: heavenly sentinel}, a holy one, came down from heaven.
14 He called out with a mighty voice {behayil: forceful loud cry}, and thus he said, “Hew down the tree {ilanah: great prominent tree} and cut off its branches; shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.”
15 Nevertheless, leave the stump {iqqar: remaining tree base} of its roots in the earth, with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field, and let it be drenched with the dew {tal: nightly sky moisture} of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
16 His heart {ulevav: inner self and will} shall be changed from that of a man, and the heart of a beast shall be given to him, and seven times {iddanin: fixed, appointed periods of time} shall pass over him.
17 By the decree of the watchers the edict stands, and by the word of the holy ones the decision is fixed, in order that the living may know that the Most High {illaya, Supreme Ruler} rules in the kingdom {malkhut: realm of royal authority} of mankind, and He gives it to whomever He wills, and He sets over it the lowliest of men.
18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. And you, Belteshazzar, tell the interpretation, because all the wise men {chakkime: learned court advisers} of my kingdom are not able to make the interpretation known to me; but you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods {elahin: king’s many deities} is in you.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while {eshtomam: stunned and speechless}, and his thoughts terrified him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let the dream and its interpretation not alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you {lesanakh: hostile opponents}, and its interpretation for your enemies.”
20 The tree {ilanah: large cultivated tree} that you saw, which grew great and strong, whose height reached to the heavens {shmaya: sky realm}, and whose appearance was visible to all the earth.
21 And its foliage {apyeh: leafy crown} was beautiful, and its fruit was abundant, and there was food for all in it; under it the beasts of the field would dwell {cheivat bara: untamed land-animals}, and in its branches the birds of the heavens would live.
22 It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; and your greatness {revutakh: overflowing royal majesty} has grown and has reached to the heavens {lishmaya: high sky realm}, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23 And that the king saw a watcher {ir: vigilant heavenly sentinel} and a holy one coming down from heaven, and he said, “Hew down the tree and destroy it, yet leave the stump {iqqar: remaining root-stock} with its roots in the earth, with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts of the field, until seven times pass over him.”
24 This is the interpretation {pishra: divinely given meaning}, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High God {illaah, Supreme Judge}, which has come upon my lord the king.
25 And you they will drive away from among men, and your dwelling, your habitation, will be with the beasts of the field, and they will make you eat grass like oxen, and they will drench you with the dew of heaven, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High {illaya: Exalted Sovereign} rules in the kingdom of mankind, and He gives it to whomever He wills {yitsbe: freely chooses}.
26 And in that they said to leave the stump with its roots of the tree, your kingdom {malkhutakh: royal authority and realm entrusted to you} will be confirmed for you from the time that you come to know that Heaven {shemayya: exalted realm expressing supreme rule} rules.
27 Therefore, O king, may my counsel be pleasing to you; break off your sins by righteousness{betsidqah: public justice}, and your iniquities by acts of mercy to the poor; perhaps there will be a lengthening{arukha: prolonged time-span} of your tranquility.
28 All this came {meta: arrival of foretold events} upon King Nebuchadnezzar {nevukhadnetsar: Babylonian monarch}.
29 At the end of twelve months, he was walking on the palace roof of the kingdom{malkhuta: royal rule} of Babylon{bavel: imperial center}.
30 The king answered and said, “Is this not the great Babylon {bavel: imperial capital city} that I have built as a house for the kingdom {malku: royal rule}, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?”
31 Still the word was in the king’s mouth when a voice fell from heaven {shemayya: sky and divine realm}, saying, “To you it is declared, King Nebuchadnezzar, the kingdom {malkutah: royal authority and rule} has departed from you.”
32 And from among men they will drive you, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field, and they will make you eat grass like oxen, and seven times {iddanin: fixed appointed periods} will pass over you, until you know that the Most High {illaya, Highest Authority} is ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that He gives it to whomever He wills.
33 At that very hour the word {milleta: decreed matter} was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven away from men and ate grass like oxen. His body was drenched with the dew {u-mittal: nightly moisture} of heaven until his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me. Then I blessed the Most High {illaya, Exalted Above All}, and I praised and honored Him who lives forever, whose dominion {sholtan: Sovereign Rule} is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He {Sovereign Judge} does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants {dayre: settled residents} of the earth, and there is none who can restrain His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?”
36 At that time my understanding {mandei: restored clear judgment} returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom my majesty and my splendor returned to me. Then my counselors {haddaray: royal court advisers} and my nobles sought me out, and I was established in my kingdom, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven {lemelek shemayya, Sovereign Judge}, for all His works are truth {qeshot: firm reliability} and His ways are justice, and those who walk in pride He is able to humble.