4. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
5. I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
6. So I issued a decree to bring all the wise men of Babylon to me in order that they might make the dream’s interpretation known to me.
7. When the diviner-priests, mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.
8. Finally Daniel, named Belteshazzar after the name of my god — and the spirit of the holy gods is in him — came before me. I told him the dream:
9. “Belteshazzar, head of the diviners, because I know that you have a spirit of the holy gods and that no mystery puzzles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation.
10. In the visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this:There was a tree in the middle of the earth,and its height was great.
11. The tree grew large and strong;its top reached to the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant,and on it was food for all. Wild animals found shelter under it,the birds of the air lived in its branches,and every creature was fed from it.
13. “As I was lying in my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind an observer, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14. He called out loudly:Cut down the tree and chop off its branches;strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.Let the animals flee from under it,and the birds from its branches.
15. But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, and with a band of iron and bronze around it,in the tender grass of the field.Let him be drenched with dew from the skyand share the plants of the earth with the animals.
16. Let his mind be changed from that of a man,and let him be given the mind of an animalfor seven periods of time.
17. This word is by decree of the observers;the matter is a command from the holy ones.This is so the living will knowthat the Most High is rulerover the kingdom of men.He gives it to anyone He wantsand sets the lowliest of men over it.
18. This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can make the interpretation known to me. But you can, because you have the spirit of the holy gods.”
19. Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was stunned for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.”Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
20. The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth,
21. whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant — and on it was food for all, under it the wild animals lived, and in its branches the birds of the air lived —
22. that tree is you, the king. For you have become great and strong: your greatness has grown and even reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.
23. “The king saw an observer, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky, and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’