17. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the decision by the command of the holy ones, in order that the living will know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and to whomever he wills he gives it, and he even sets the humblest of men over it.”
18. “ ‘This is the dream that I, Nebuchadnezzar the king, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its explanation, for all of the wise men of my kingdom were not able to make the explanation known to me, but you are able because the spirit of holy gods is in you.’
19. “Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was distressed for some time, and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, ‘Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘My lord, may the dream and its explanation be for those who hate you and for your enemies.
20. The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong and its height reached to heaven and it was visible to the end of the whole earth,
21. and its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and so there was provision for all in it, and the animals of the field lived under it and in its branches nest the birds of heaven,
22. —it is you, O king, who have grown great and you have grown strong, and so your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven and your sovereignty to the end of the earth.
23. And inasmuch that the king saw the watcher, a holy one coming down from heaven and he said, “Cut down the tree and destroy it, but the stump of its root in the earth leave with a band of iron and bronze in the grass of the field, and let it be watered with the dew of heaven and let his lot be with the animals of the field until seven times have passed over him.”
24. This is the explanation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:
25. you will be driven away from human society and you will dwell with the animals of the field, and you will be caused to graze grass like the oxen yourself, and you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time will pass over you until that you have acknowledged that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and to whom he wills he gives it.
26. And in that they said to leave alone the stump of the tree’s root, so your kingdom will be restored for you when you acknowledge that heaven is sovereign.
27. Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you and your sin remove with righteousness and your iniquity with having mercy on the oppressed, in case there might be a prolongation of your prosperity.’ ”
28. All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king.
29. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.