7. “These are the visions in my head while I was on my bed: I looked, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth. Its height was enormous.
8. The tree grew large and became strong and its top reached to heaven; it was visible to the ends of the earth.
9. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Beneath it the beasts of the field found shade and birds of the sky lived in its branches, and from it all creatures were fed.
10. “I was watching the visions in my mind while on my bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.
11. He called loudly, saying: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let beasts flee from under it, and birds from its branches.
12. Yet leave a stump with its roots in the earth, in fetters of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be damp with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth.
13. Let his mind be altered from that of a man and let an animal’s mind be given to him and let seven periods of time pass over him.
14. This sentence is by the decree of the watchers, this verdict by the command of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the realm of man and bestows it to whomever He wishes, and may set over them even the lowliest of men.’
15. “I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw this dream. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning, for none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to make known to me its interpretation. But you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
16. Then Daniel, whose name is also Belteshazzar, was perplexed for a brief time; his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered, and said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or the interpretation disturb you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies!
17. The tree that you saw grow large and strong, whose top reached to heaven and that was visible to all the earth,
18. whose leaves were beautiful and whose fruit was so abundant that there was food for all in it and beneath which the beasts of the fields lived and in its branches birds of the sky dwelt—
19. it is you, O king! For you have grown great and mighty. Your greatness reaches to heaven, and your authority extends to the end of the earth.
20. “‘You, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it! Yet leave a stump with its roots in the ground, in fetters of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, until seven time periods pass over him.’
21. “This is the interpretation, O king. It is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: