但以理书四章1至18节

1尼布甲尼撒王晓谕住在全地各方、各国、各族的人说：愿你们大享平安！

2我乐意将至高的神向我所行的神迹奇事宣扬出来。

3他的神迹何其大！他的奇事何其盛！他的国是永远的；他的权柄存到万代！

4我尼布甲尼撒安居在宫中，平顺在殿内。

5我做了一梦，使我惧怕。我在床上的思念，并脑中的异象，使我惊惶。

6所以我降旨召巴比伦的一切哲士到我面前，叫他们把梦的讲解告诉我。

7于是那些术士、用法术的、迦勒底人、观兆的都进来，我将那梦告诉了他们，他们却不能把梦的讲解告诉我。

8末后那照我神的名，称为伯提沙撒的但以理来到我面前，他里头有圣神的灵，我将梦告诉他说：

9术士的领袖伯提沙撒啊，因我知道你里头有圣神的灵，甚么奥秘的事都不能使你为难。现在要把我梦中所见的异象和梦的讲解告诉我。

10我在床上脑中的异象是这样：我看见地当中有一棵树，极其高大。

11那树渐长，而且坚固，高得顶天，从地极都能看见，

12叶子华美，果子甚多，可作众生的食物；田野的走兽卧在荫下，天空的飞鸟宿在枝上；凡有血气的都从这树得食。

13我在床上脑中的异象，见有一位守望的圣者从天而降。

14大声呼叫说：伐倒这树！砍下枝子！摇掉叶子！抛散果子！使走兽离开树下，飞鸟躲开树枝。

15树墩却要留在地内，用铁圈和铜圈箍住，在田野的青草中让天露滴湿，使他与地上的兽一同吃草，

16使他的心改变，不如人心；给他一个兽心，使他经过七期（期：或译年；本章同）。

17这是守望者所发的命，圣者所出的令，好叫世人知道至高者在人的国中掌权，要将国赐与谁就赐与谁，或立极卑微的人执掌国权。

18这是我─尼布甲尼撒王所做的梦。伯提沙撒啊，你要说明这梦的讲解；因为我国中的一切哲士都不能将梦的讲解告诉我，惟独你能，因你里头有圣神的灵。

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.