3. His miracles are mightyand marvellous.He will rule for ever,and his kingdomwill never end.
4. I was enjoying a time of peace and prosperity,
5. when suddenly I had some horrifying dreams and visions.
6. Then I commanded every wise man in Babylonia to appear in my court, so they could explain the meaning of my dream.
7. After they arrived, I told them my dream, but they were not able to say what it meant.
8. Finally, a young man named Daniel came in, and I told him the dream. The holy gods had given him special powers, and I had renamed him Belteshazzar after my own god.
9. I said, “Belteshazzar, not only are you the wisest of all advisers and counsellors, but the holy gods have given you special powers to solve the most difficult mysteries. So listen to what I dreamed and tell me what it means:
10. “In my sleep I sawa very tall treein the centre of the world.
11. It grew stronger and higher,until it reached to heavenand could be seenfrom anywhere on earth.
12. It was covered with leavesand heavy with fruit—enough for all nations.Wild animals enjoyed its shade,birds nested in its branches,and all creatures on earthlived on its fruit.
13. “While I was in bed, having this vision, a holy angel came down from heaven
14. and shouted:‘Chop down the treeand cut off its branches;strip off its leavesand scatter its fruit.Make the animals leave its shadeand send the birds flyingfrom its branches.
15. But leave its stump and rootsin the ground,surrounded by grassand held by chainsof iron and bronze.‘Make sure that this rulerlives like the animalsout in the open fields,unprotected from the dew.
16. Give him the mindof a wild animalfor seven long years.