Daniel 4
New English Translation
4 (3:31)[a] King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: “Peace and prosperity![b] 2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.
3 “How great are his signs!
How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever,[c]
and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”
Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Tree Chopped Down
4 (4:1)[d] I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home,[e] living luxuriously[f] in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that[g] frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed—these visions of my mind—were terrifying me. 6 So I issued an order[h] for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought[i] before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me. 8 Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,[j] and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, 9 saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider[k] my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation! 10 Here are the visions of my mind[l] while I was on my bed.
“While I was watching,
there was a tree in the middle of the land.[m]
It was enormously tall.[n]
11 The tree grew large and strong.
Its top reached far into the sky;
it could be seen[o] from the borders of all the land.[p]
12 Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful;
on it there was food enough for all.
Under it the wild animals[q] used to seek shade,
and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest.
All creatures[r] used to feed themselves from it.
13 While I was watching in my mind’s visions[s] on my bed,
a holy sentinel[t] came down from heaven.
14 He called out loudly[u] as follows:[v]
‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches!
Strip off its foliage
and scatter its fruit!
Let the animals flee from under it
and the birds from its branches.
15 But leave its taproot[w] in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze around it[x]
surrounded by the grass of the field.
Let it become damp with the dew of the sky,
and let it live with[y] the animals in the grass of the land.
16 Let his mind[z] be altered from that of a human being,
and let an animal’s mind be given to him,
and let seven periods of time[aa] go by for[ab] him.
17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;
this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,
so that[ac] those who are alive may understand
that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms,[ad]
and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.
He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its[ae] interpretation, for none of the wise men in[af] my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
19 Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time;[ag] his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir,[ah] if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 20 The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and that could be seen[ai] in all the land, 21 whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals[aj] used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest— 22 it is you,[ak] O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. 23 As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’— 24 this is the interpretation, O king. It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 25 You will be driven[al] from human society,[am] and you will live[an] with the wild animals. You will be fed[ao] grass like oxen,[ap] and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before[aq] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. 26 They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven[ar] rules. 27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”[as]
28 Now all this happened[at] to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements[au] of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence[av] by my own mighty strength[aw] and for my majestic honor?” 31 While these words were still on the king’s lips,[ax] a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you,[ay] King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! 32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before[az] you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”
33 Now in that very moment[ba] this pronouncement about[bb] Nebuchadnezzar came true.[bc] He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws.[bd]
34 But at the end of the appointed time[be] I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up[bf] toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.
I extolled the Most High,
and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.
For his authority is an everlasting authority,
and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing.[bg]
He does as he wishes with the army of heaven
and with those who inhabit the earth.
No one slaps[bh] his hand
and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored[bi] to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated[bj] over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live[bk] in pride.
Footnotes
- Daniel 4:1 sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:37 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:31 AT, 4:2 ET = 3:32 AT, 4:3 ET = 3:33 AT, 4:4 ET = 4:1 AT, etc., through 4:37 ET = 4:34 AT. Thus Dan 3:31-33 of the Aramaic text appears as Dan 4:1-3 in the English Bible, and the corresponding verses of ch. 4 differ accordingly. In spite of the division of the Aramaic text, a good case can be made that 3:31-33 AT (= 4:1-3 ET) is actually the introduction to ch. 4.
- Daniel 4:1 tn Aram “May your peace increase!”
- Daniel 4:3 tn Aram “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”
- Daniel 4:4 sn This verse marks the beginning of chap. 4 in the Aramaic text of Daniel (see the note on 4:1). The Greek OT (LXX) has the following addition: “In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign he said.” This date would suggest a link to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. In general, the LXX of chapters 4-6 is very different from the MT, so much so that the following notes will call attention only to selected readings. In Daniel 4 the LXX lacks sizable portions of material in the MT (e.g., vv. 3-6, 31-32), includes sizable portions of material not in the MT (e.g., v. 14a, parts of vv. 16, 28), has a different order of some material (e.g., v. 8 after v. 9), and in some instances is vastly different from the MT (e.g., vv. 30, 34). Whether these differences are due to an excessively paraphrastic translation technique adopted for these chapters in the LXX, or are due to differences in the underlying Vorlage of the LXX, is a disputed matter. The latter seems more likely. There is a growing trend in modern scholarship to take the LXX of chapters 4-6 much more seriously than was the case in most earlier text-critical studies that considered this issue.
- Daniel 4:4 tn Aram “my house.”
- Daniel 4:4 tn Aram “happy.”
- Daniel 4:5 tn Aram “and it.”
- Daniel 4:6 tn Aram “from me there was placed a decree.”
- Daniel 4:6 tn The Aramaic infinitive here is active.
- Daniel 4:8 sn This explanation of the meaning of the name Belteshazzar may be more of a paronomasia than a strict etymology. See the note at 1:7. The king's god was Marduk, who was called Bel (“Lord”).
- Daniel 4:9 tc The present translation assumes the reading חֲזִי (khazi, “consider”) rather than the MT חֶזְוֵי (khezve, “visions”). The MT implies that the king required Daniel to disclose both the dream and its interpretation, as in chapter 2. But in the following verses Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream, while Daniel presents only its interpretation.
- Daniel 4:10 tc The LXX lacks the first two words (Aram “the visions of my head”) of the Aramaic text.
- Daniel 4:10 tn Instead of “in the middle of the land,” some English versions render this phrase “a tree at the center of the earth” (NRSV); NAB, CEV “of the world”; NLT “in the middle of the earth.” The Hebrew phrase can have either meaning.
- Daniel 4:10 tn Aram “its height was great.”
- Daniel 4:11 tn Aram “its sight,” as also v. 17.
- Daniel 4:11 tn Or “to the end of all the earth” (so KJV, ASV); NCV, CEV “from anywhere on earth.”
- Daniel 4:12 tn Aram “the beasts of the field.”
- Daniel 4:12 tn Aram “all flesh.”
- Daniel 4:13 tn Aram “the visions of my head.”
- Daniel 4:13 tn Aram “a watcher and a holy one.” The expression is a hendiadys, as also in v. 23. This “watcher” is apparently an angel. The Greek OT (LXX) in fact has ἄγγελος (angelos, “angel”) here. Theodotion simply transliterates the Aramaic word (ʿir). The term is sometimes rendered “sentinel” (NAB) or “messenger” (NIV, NLT).
- Daniel 4:14 tn Aram “in strength.”
- Daniel 4:14 tn Aram “and thus he was saying.”
- Daniel 4:15 tn Aram “the stock of its root,” as also in v. 23. The implication here is that although the tree is chopped down, it is not killed. Its life-giving root is spared. The application to Nebuchadnezzar is obvious.
- Daniel 4:15 sn The function of the band of iron and bronze is not entirely clear, but it may have had to do with preventing the splitting or further deterioration of the portion of the tree that was left after being chopped down. By application it would then refer to the preservation of Nebuchadnezzar’s life during the time of his insanity.
- Daniel 4:15 tn Aram “its lot be.”
- Daniel 4:16 tn Aram “its heart.” The metaphor of the tree begins to fade here and the reality behind the symbol (the king) begins to emerge.
- Daniel 4:16 sn The seven periods of time probably refer to seven years.
- Daniel 4:16 tn Aram “over” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
- Daniel 4:17 tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (ʿal divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (ʿad divrat, “until”).
- Daniel 4:17 tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”
- Daniel 4:18 tc The present translation, as also in the next verse, reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ (pishreh, “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss; the Kethib is פִּשְׁרָא (pishraʾ, “the interpretation”).
- Daniel 4:18 tn Aram “of.”
- Daniel 4:19 tn Aram “about one hour.” The expression refers idiomatically to a brief period of time of undetermined length.
- Daniel 4:19 tn Aram “my lord.”
- Daniel 4:20 tn Aram “its sight.”
- Daniel 4:21 tn Aram “the beasts of the field” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
- Daniel 4:22 sn Much of modern scholarship views this chapter as a distortion of traditions that were originally associated with Nabonidus rather than with Nebuchadnezzar. A Qumran text, the Prayer of Nabonidus, is often cited for parallels to these events.
- Daniel 4:25 tn The Aramaic indefinite active plural is used here like the English passive, as also in vv. 28, 29, and 32.
- Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “from mankind,” as also in v. 32.
- Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “your dwelling will be,” as also in v. 32.
- Daniel 4:25 tn Or perhaps: “be made to eat.”
- Daniel 4:25 sn Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity has features that are associated with the mental disorder boanthropy, in which the person so afflicted imagines himself to be an ox or a similar animal and behaves accordingly.
- Daniel 4:25 tn Aram “until.”
- Daniel 4:26 sn The reference to heaven here is a circumlocution for God. There was a tendency in Jewish contexts to avoid direct reference to God. Compare the expression “kingdom of heaven” in the NT and such statements as: “I have sinned against heaven and in your sight” (Luke 15:21).
- Daniel 4:27 tn Aram “if there may be a lengthening to your prosperity.”
- Daniel 4:28 tn Aram “reached.”
- Daniel 4:29 tn The word “battlements” is not in the text but is supplied from context. Many English versions supply “roof” here (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); cf. NLT “on the flat roof.”
- Daniel 4:30 tn Aram “house.”
- Daniel 4:30 tn Aram “by the might of my strength.”
- Daniel 4:31 tn Aram “in the mouth of the king.”
- Daniel 4:31 tn Aram “to you they say.”
- Daniel 4:32 tn Aram “until.”
- Daniel 4:33 tn Aram “hour.”
- Daniel 4:33 tn Or “on.”
- Daniel 4:33 tn Aram “was fulfilled.”
- Daniel 4:33 tn The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.
- Daniel 4:34 tn Aram “days.”
- Daniel 4:34 tn Aram “lifted up my eyes.”
- Daniel 4:35 tc The present translation reads כְּלָא (kelaʾ), with many medieval Hebrew mss, rather than כְּלָה (kelah) of BHS.
- Daniel 4:35 tn Aram “strikes against.”
- Daniel 4:36 tc The translation reads הַדְרֵת (hadret, “I returned”) rather than the MT הַדְרִי (hadri, “my honor”); cf. Theodotion.
- Daniel 4:36 tc The translation reads הָתְקְנֵת (hotqenet, “I was established”) rather than the MT הָתְקְנַת (hotqenat, “it was established”). The MT could read: “And regarding my kingdom, it was established.”
- Daniel 4:37 tn Aram “walk.”
Даниил 4
Библия, нов превод от оригиналните езици (с неканоничните книги)
Сънят на Навуходоносор и лудостта му
4 [a] „Аз, Навуходоносор[b], живях безгрижно в дома си и се радвах на благополучие в палата си. 2 Но имах сън, който ме уплаши, докато лежах в леглото си; размишленията и виденията, които нахлуха в главата ми, ме смутиха. 3 Затова издадох заповед да повикат при мене всички вавилонски мъдреци, за да ми изтълкуват значението на този сън. 4 (A)Тогава дойдоха вълшебници, гадатели, звездобройци и прорицатели и аз им разказах съня, но те не можаха да ми го разтълкуват. 5 (B)Най-после влезе при мене Даниил, който беше наречен Валтасар, по името на моя бог и в когото действа духът на светите богове. На него аз разказах съня с думите: 6 ‘Валтасаре, ти, който си началник на мъдреците! Аз зная, че у тебе действа духът на светите богове и никаква тайна не те затруднява; разтълкувай ми видяното в моя сън и какво е значението му.
7 (C)А виденията, които видях на леглото си, бяха такива: видях – ето посред земята имаше необикновено високо дърво. 8 Това дърво израсна голямо и яко и височината му достигаше до небето, и то се виждаше до краищата на цялата земя. 9 (D)Листата му бяха прекрасни и плодовете му – изобилни, и то даваше храна на всички; под него намираха защита полските зверове и в клоните му се укриваха небесните птици, и от него се хранеше всяко живо същество.
10 И във виденията, които съзерцавах на леглото си, видях – и ето от небето слезе един свят Страж. 11 Той извика с мощен глас и каза:
«Отсечете това дърво, окастрете клоните му, обрулете листата му и разхвърляйте плодовете му; нека изчезнат зверовете под него и птиците от неговите клони. 12 Но оставете в земята ствола с корена му и нека бъде стегнат в железен и меден обръч. Нека да се напоява с небесна роса сред полската трева и нека участта му да бъде с животните в тревата. 13 Разумът му да не бъде повече човешки разум, а да му се даде зверски разум и да преминат над него седем години. 14 (E)Това е определено по възвестена от Стражите заповед и е отредено по присъда на Светиите, за да знаят живите: Всевишният владее над човешкото царство. Той го дава на този, на когото пожелае и поставя над него най-нищожния между хората».’
15 Такъв сън видях аз, цар Навуходоносор. А ти, Валтасаре, разкрий какво е значението му, понеже никой от мъдреците в моето царство не можа да разтълкува значението му, а ти можеш, защото у тебе действа духът на святите богове.“
16 Тогава Даниил, чието име е Валтасар, остана смаян известно време и изпита страх поради мислите си. Но царят каза: „Валтасаре, не се страхувай от този сън и от значението му.“ Валтасар отговори: „Господарю мой! Този сън нека бъде за твоите врагове и значението му – за твоите противници! 17 Дървото, което си видял, че е израснало голямо и яко, чиято височина достигала до небето и се виждало по цялата земя, 18 листата на което са били прекрасни, с изобилни плодове за храна за всички, под което живеели полски зверове и в чиито клони се укривали небесните птици, 19 това си ти, царю! Ти си велик и мощен; твоето величие се е извисило и се простира до небето, а властта ти – до последните предели на земята. 20 А това, че царят е видял един свят Страж, Който слизал от небето и казал: ‘Отсечете това дърво и го сломете, само ствола с корена му оставете в земята; нека той, стегнат в железен и меден обръч, да се напоява с небесна роса сред полската трева и с полските зверове да бъде участта му, докато не преминат над него седем години’ 21 – ето царю, значението на всичко това: то е решение на Всевишния, което се отнася за моя господар – царя. 22 Ти ще бъдеш отстранен от общение с хората и ще живееш с полските зверове; ще те хранят с трева, както хранят воловете, ще бъдеш напояван с небесна роса; така над тебе ще преминат седем години[c], докато най-после разбереш, че Всевишният владее над човешкото царство и го дава на този, на когото пожелае. 23 А това, че е заповядано да се остави стволът на дървото, това означава, че твоето царство се запазва и ще ти бъде върнато, щом признаеш небесната власт. 24 (F)Затова, царю, приеми моя съвет: заличи греховете си със справедливи дела и беззаконията си чрез милосърдие към бедните с надежда, че твоето благоденствие ще продължи.“
25 Всичко това се сбъдна с цар Навуходоносор. 26 Дванайсет месеца по-късно той се разхождаше по покрива на царския палат във Вавилон. 27 Тогава царят се възхити и каза: „Не е ли това величественият Вавилон, който аз съградих със силата на своята мощ като царствен град за прослава на моето величие!“ 28 Тези думи бяха още в устата на царя, когато прозвуча глас: „На тебе, царю Навуходоносоре, се известява: царството се отнема от тебе! 29 Ти ще бъдеш отстранен от общение с хората и ще живееш с полските зверове; ще те хранят с трева, както хранят воловете; така над тебе ще преминат седем години, докато най-после разбереш, че Всевишният владее над човешкото царство и го дава на този, на когото пожелае!“ 30 В същия миг тази присъда над Навуходоносор се изпълни: той беше отстранен от общение с хората, ядеше трева, както се хранят воловете, и тялото му се напояваше с небесна роса, така че косата му порасна като орлови пера, а ноктите му – като на птица.
31 „След като отминаха определените дни, аз, Навуходоносор, вдигнах очи към небето и разумът ми се възвърна. Тогава възвеличих Всевишния, възхвалих и прославих вечно Живеещия, Чието могъщество е вечно могъщество и Чието царство надживява родовете. 32 (G)Всички живеещи на земята са нищо. Той владее над небесното войнство, както и над живеещите на земята така, както пожелае. Никой не може да Го възпрепятства и да Го попита: ‘Защо Ти направи това?’
33 В същото време разумът ми се възвърна и за слава на моето царство се възвърнаха величието ми и царският ми блясък. Тогава моите съветници и велможи ме потърсиха, аз бях възстановен в царското си достойнство и величието ми още повече се увеличи. 34 (H)Затова аз, Навуходоносор, възхвалявам, прославям и величая Небесния Цар, Който върши всичко справедливо, делата Му са справедливи и има силата да смири онези, които постъпват горделиво.“
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