| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The Prophecy
of Daniel 4
Nabuchodonosor the king, to all peoples, nations, and
tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied
unto you.
The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders toward
me. It hath seemed good to me therefore to publish
His signs, because they are great: and his wonders,
because they are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, I and his power to all generations.
I Nabuchodonosor was at rest in my house, and flourishing
in my palace:
I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in
my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me.
Then I set forth a decree, that all the wise men of
Babylon should be brought in before me, and that they
should shew me the interpretation of the dream.
Then came in the diviners, the wise men, the Chaldeans,
and the soothsayers, and I told the dream before them:
but they did not shew me the interpretation thereof:
Till their colleague Daniel came in before me, whose
name is Baltassar, according to the name of my god,
who hath in him the spirit of the holy gods: and I told
the dream before him.
Baltassar, prince of the diviners, because I know that
thou hast in thee the spirit of the holy gods, and that
no secret is impossible to thee: tell me the visions
of my dreams that I have seen, and the interpretation
of them.
This was the vision of my head in my bed: I saw, and
behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height
thereof was exceeding great.
The tree was great, and strong: and the height thereof
reached unto heaven: the sight thereof was even to the
ends of all the earth.
Its leaves were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding
much: and in it was food for all: under it dwelt cattle,
and beasts, and in the branches thereof the fowls of
the air had their abode: and all flesh did eat of it.
I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold
a watcher, and a holy one came down from heaven.
He cried aloud, and said thus: Cut down the tree, and
chop off the branches thereof: shake off its leaves,
and scatter its fruits: let the beasts fly away that
are under it, and the birds from its branches.
Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth,
and let it be tied with a band of iron, and of brass,
among the grass, that is without, and let it be wet
with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with
the wild beasts in the grass of the earth.
Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's
heart be given him; and let seven times pass over him.
This is the decree by the sentence of the watchers,
and the word And demand of the holy ones; till the living
know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men;
and he will give it to whomsoever it shall please him,
and he will appoint the basest man over it.
I king Nabuchodonosor saw this dream: thou, therefore,
O Baltassar, tell me quickly the interpretation: for
all the wise men of my kingdom axe not able to declare
the meaning of it to me: but thou art able, because
the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
Then Daniel, whose name was Baltassar, began silently
to think within himself for about one hour: and his
thoughts troubled him. But the king answering, said:
Baltassar, let not the dream and the interpretation
thereof trouble thee. Baltassar answered, and said:
My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the
interpretation thereof to thy enemies.
The tree which thou sawest which was high and strong,
whose height reached to the skies, and the sight thereof
into all tire earth:
And the branches thereof were most beautiful, and its
fruit exceeding much, and in it was food for all, under
which the beasts of the field dwelt, and the birds of
the air had their abode in its branches.
It is thou, O king, who art grown great and become mighty:
for thy greatness hath grown, and hath reached to heaven,
and thy power unto the ends of the earth.
And whereas the king saw a watcher, and a holy one come
down from heaven, and say: Cut down the tree and destroy
it, but leave the stump of the roots thereof in the
earth, and let it be bound with iron and brass among
the grass without, and let it be sprinkled with the
dew of heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild
beasts, till seven times pass over him.
This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most
High, which is come upon my lord the king.
They shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling
shall be with cattle and with wild beasts, and thou
shalt eat grass as an ox, and shalt be wet with the
dew of heaven: and seven times shall pass over thee,
till thou know that the most High ruleth over the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots
thereof, that is, of the tree, should be left: thy kingdom
shall remain to thee after thou shalt have known that
power is from heaven.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee,
and redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities
with works of mercy to the poor: perhaps he will forgive
thy offences.
All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor.
At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace
of Babylon.
And the king answered, and said: Is not this the great
Babylon, which I have built to be the seat of the kingdom,
by the strength of my power, and in the glory of my
excellence?
And while the word was yet in the king's mouth, a voice
came down from heaven: To thee, O king Nabuchodonosor,
it is said: Thy kingdom shall pass from thee,
And they shall cast thee out from among men, and thy
dwelling shall be with cattle and wild beasts: thou
shalt eat grass like an ox, and seven times shall pass
over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth
in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he
will.
The same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor,
and he was driven away from among men, and did eat grass
like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven:
till his hairs grew like the feathers of eagles, and
his nails like birds' claws.
Now at the end of the days, I Nabuchodonosor lifted
up my eyes to heaven, and my sense was restored to me:
and I blessed the most High, and I praised and glorified
him that liveth for ever: for his power is an everlasting
power, and his kingdom is to all generations.
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as
nothing before him: for he doth according to his will,
I as well with the powers of heaven, as among the inhabitants
of the earth: and there is none that can resist his
hand, and say to him: Why hast thou done it?
At the same time my sense returned to me, and I came
to the honour and glory of my kingdom: and my shape
returned to me: and my nobles, and my magistrates sought
for me, and I was restored to my kingdom: and greater
majesty was added to me.
Therefore I Nabuchodonosor do now praise, and magnify,
and glorify the King of heaven: because all his works
are true, and his ways judgments, and them that walk
in pride he is able to abase.
|
English version
Version française 
