但以理書四章1至18節

1尼布甲尼撒王曉諭住在全地各方、各國、各族的人說：願你們大享平安！

2我樂意將至高的神向我所行的神蹟奇事宣揚出來。

3他的神蹟何其大！他的奇事何其盛！他的國是永遠的；他的權柄存到萬代！

4我尼布甲尼撒安居在宮中，平順在殿內。

5我做了一夢，使我懼怕。我在床上的思念，並腦中的異象，使我驚惶。

6所以我降旨召巴比倫的一切哲士到我面前，叫他們把夢的講解告訴我。

7於是那些術士、用法術的、迦勒底人、觀兆的都進來，我將那夢告訴了他們，他們卻不能把夢的講解告訴我。

8末後那照我神的名，稱為伯提沙撒的但以理來到我面前，他裡頭有聖神的靈，我將夢告訴他說：

9術士的領袖伯提沙撒啊，因我知道你裡頭有聖神的靈，甚麼奧祕的事都不能使你為難。現在要把我夢中所見的異象和夢的講解告訴我。

10我在床上腦中的異象是這樣：我看見地當中有一棵樹，極其高大。

11那樹漸長，而且堅固，高得頂天，從地極都能看見，

12葉子華美，果子甚多，可作眾生的食物；田野的走獸臥在蔭下，天空的飛鳥宿在枝上；凡有血氣的都從這樹得食。

13我在床上腦中的異象，見有一位守望的聖者從天而降。

14大聲呼叫說：伐倒這樹！砍下枝子！搖掉葉子！拋散果子！使走獸離開樹下，飛鳥躲開樹枝。

15樹墩卻要留在地內，用鐵圈和銅圈箍住，在田野的青草中讓天露滴濕，使他與地上的獸一同吃草，

16使他的心改變，不如人心；給他一個獸心，使他經過七期（期：或譯年；本章同）。

17這是守望者所發的命，聖者所出的令，好叫世人知道至高者在人的國中掌權，要將國賜與誰就賜與誰，或立極卑微的人執掌國權。

18這是我─尼布甲尼撒王所做的夢。伯提沙撒啊，你要說明這夢的講解；因為我國中的一切哲士都不能將夢的講解告訴我，惟獨你能，因你裡頭有聖神的靈。

Daniel 4:1-18

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king,
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.

2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.

3 How great are His signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominion is from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

7 Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.

8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying:

9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

10 “These were the visions of my head while on my bed:
I was looking, and behold,
A tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great.

11 The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.

12 Its leaves were lovely,
Its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The beasts of the field found shade under it,
The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.

13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.

14 He cried aloud and said thus:
Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches.

15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Bound with a band of iron and bronze,
In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
And let him graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.

16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven times pass over him.

17 ‘ This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the lowest of men.’

18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.