26. The king asked Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Can you tell me the dream that I had and its meaning?”
27. In the king’s presence Daniel made this reply:“The mystery about which the king has inquired, the wise men, enchanters, magicians, and diviners could not explain to the king.
28. But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what is to happen in the last days; this was your dream, the visions you saw as you lay in bed.
29. To you in your bed there came thoughts about what should happen in the future, and he who reveals mysteries showed you what is to be.
30. To me also this mystery has been revealed; not that I am wiser than any other living person, but in order that its meaning may be made known to the king, that you may understand the thoughts of your own mind.
31. “In your vision, O king, you saw a statue, very large and exceedingly bright, terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.
32. Its head was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs bronze,
33. its legs iron, its feet partly iron and partly clay.
34. While you watched, a stone was hewn from a mountain without a hand being put to it, and it struck its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces.
35. The iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once, fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer, and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36. “This was the dream; the interpretation we shall also give in the king’s presence.
37. You, O king, are the king of kings; to you the God of heaven has given dominion and strength, power and glory;
38. human beings, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell, he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all; you are the head of gold.