{[Chapter 3:31 in Aramaic]}Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.
It hath seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath wrought toward me.
How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
{[Chapter 4:1 in Aramaic]}I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the {Or, imaginations}thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying,
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height thereof was great.
The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth.
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it.
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven.
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.
Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the {Or, matter}demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men.
This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries.
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation:
it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and {Or, redeem}break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be {Or, as otherwise read, a healing of thine error}a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of twelve months he was walking {Aramaic: upon.}in the royal palace of Babylon.
The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee:
and thou shalt be driven from men; and they dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation;
and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can {Aramaic: strike.}stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Querverweise zu Daniel 4,34 Dan 4,34
let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
A Song of Ascents.I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains:From whence shall my help come?
and he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah.
The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the {Or, matter}demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men.
And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
A Prayer of Moses the man of God.Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-placeIn all generations.
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
A Song of Ascents.Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes,O thou that sittest in the heavens.
Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving;And pay thy vows unto the Most High;
and thou shalt be driven from men; and they dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Before the mountains were brought forth,Or ever thou {Hebrew: gavest birth to.}hadst formed the earth and the world,Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
and thou shalt be driven from men; and they dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
A Song of Ascents.Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Jehovah.
A Psalm of David.Bless Jehovah, O my soul;And all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless Jehovah, O my soul,And forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;Who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from {Or, the pit}destruction;Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
I will give thanks unto Jehovah according to his righteousness,And will sing praise to the name of Jehovah Most High.
I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days:Thy years are throughout all generations.
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Lord, hear my voice:Let thine ears be attentiveTo the voice of my supplications.
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
I will be glad and exult in thee;I will sing praise to thy name, O thou {Or, Most High; Because mine &c.}Most High.
Jehovah will reign for ever,Thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. {Hebrew: Hallelujah.}Praise ye Jehovah.
Jehovah is King for ever and ever:The {Or, heathen}nations are perished out of his land.
And he said, I called {Or, out of mine affliction}by reason of mine affliction unto Jehovah,And he answered me;Out of the belly of Sheol cried I,And thou heardest my voice.
For thou didst cast me into the depth, in the heart of the seas,And the flood was round about me;All thy waves and thy billows passed over me.
And I said, I am cast out from before thine eyes;Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
A Psalm, a Song for the sabbath day.It is a good thing to give thanks unto Jehovah,And to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High;
But Jehovah is {Or, God in truth}the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,And thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
But the {See marginal note on chapter 3:12.}publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, {Or, be thou propitiated}be thou merciful to me {Or, the sinner}a sinner.
And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,And declare his works with singing.
Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?
For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called {Or, Wonderful counsellor}Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, {Hebrew: Father of Eternity.}Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Now unto the King {Greek: of the ages. Compare Hebrews 1:2; Revelation 15:3.}eternal, {Greek: incorruptible.}immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory {Greek: unto the ages of the ages.}for ever and ever. Amen.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.
Wherefore glorify ye Jehovah in the {Or, lights Or, fire}east, even the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the {Or, coast-lands}isles of the sea.
who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power eternal. Amen.
But Jehovah is {Or, God in truth}the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.
Remember mine affliction and my {Or, wandering}misery, the wormwood and the gall.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope.
It is of Jehovah's lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Jehovah will reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever.
and sware by him that liveth {Greek: unto the ages of ages.}for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, {Some ancient authorities omit and the sea and the things that are therein.}and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be {Or, time}delay no longer:
and he shall reign over the house of Jacob {Greek: unto the ages.}for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said,The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign {Greek: unto the ages of the ages}for ever and ever.