1 أنا نَبوخذنَصَّرُ، كُنتُ مُطمَئِنًّا في بَيتي، ناعِمَ البالِ في قصري. 2 فرأيتُ حُلُما أفزَعَني، وأقلَقَتْني هَواجِسي وتَخَيُّلاتي وأنا نائِمٌ في الفِراشِ 3 فصَدَرَ مِنِّي أمرٌ بإحضارِ جميعِ حُكَماءِ بابِلَ إلى أمامي ليُعلِمونيَ تَفسيرَ الحُلُمِ الّذي حَلُمْتُهُ. 4 فحَضَرَ السَّحَرَةُ والمَجوسُ والمُنَجِّمونَ، فقَصَصْتُ حُلُمي علَيهِم، فما أعلَموني تفسيرَهُ. 5 فدخَلَ أخيرا إلى أمامي دانيالُ الّذي اسمُهُ بلطشاصَّرُ كإِسْمِ إلهي، وفيهِ رُوحُ الآلهةِ القُدُّوسينَ، فقَصَصْتُ الحُلُمَ علَيهِ وقُلتُ: 6 يا بَلطَشاصَّرُ سيِّدَ السَّحرَةِ، عَلِمْتُ أنَّ روحَ الآلهةِ القُدُّوسينَ فيكَ ولا يَصعُبُ علَيكَ سِرٌّ، فأخبِرْني بِتفسيرِ هذا الحُلُمِ الّذي رَأيتُهُ: 7 رَأيتُ وأنا نائِمٌ في فِراشي، فإذا بِشجَرَةٍ في وسَطِ الأرضِ مُرتَفِعَةٍ جدًّا. 8 فرَبـيتِ الشَّجرَةُ وقَويَت وبلَغَ ارتِفاعُها إلى السَّماءِ ومرآها إلى أقصى الأرضِ كُلِّها. 9 وأوراقُها بَهيَّةٌ وثمَرُها كثيرٌ، وفيها غِذاءٌ للجميعِ، وتَحتَها تَستَظِلُّ وحُوشُ البرِّيَّةِ، وفي أغصانِها تُقيمُ طُيورُ السَّماءِ، ومِنها يَقتاتُ كُلُّ البشَرِ.
10 «وبَينَما كُنتُ أرى هذا الحُلُمَ وأنا نائِمٌ في فِراشي، إذا بِملاكٍ قِدِّيسٍ نزَلَ مِنَ السَّماءِ 11 وهَتَفَ بصوتٍ شديدٍ: إقطَعُوا الشَّجرَةَ وقُصُّوا أغصانَها. أنثروا أوراقَها وبدِّدوا ثِمارَها لتَهرُبَ الوُحوشُ مِنْ تَحتِها والطُّيورُ مِنْ أغصانِها. 12 ولكنِ أُتْرُكوا أصْلَ جُذورِها في الأرضِ وأوثِقوهُ بالحديدِ والنُّحاسِ في وسَطِ عُشْبِ البرِّيَّةِ، ودَعُوهُ يتَبَلَّلُ بنَدَى السَّماءِ، وليكُنْ نَصيـبُهُ معَ الوُحوشِ في عُشْبِ الأرضِ، 13 وليَتَحَوَّلْ قلبُهُ عَنْ قلبِ البشَرِ ويُعطَ قلبَ وَحشٍ إلى أنْ تَمُرَّ علَيهِ سَبْعُ سنينَ. 14 هذا الحُكْمُ قضى بهِ الملائِكَةُ وأمرَ بهِ القدِّيسونَ لِـيَعلَمَ الأحياءُ أنَّ اللهَ العليَّ يتَسَلَّطُ على مَملَكَةِ البشَرِ، وأنَّهُ يُعطيها مَنْ يشاءُ ويُقيمُ علَيها أدنَى النَّاسِ. 15 هذا هوَ الحُلُمُ الّذي رَأيتُهُ، أنا المَلِكُ نَبوخذنَصَّرُ، وأنتَ يا بَلطَشاصَّرُ أخبِرْ بتفسيرِهِ لأنَّ جميعَ حُكَماءِ مَملَكَتي لا يَقدِرونَ أنْ يُعلِموني تفسيرَهُ. أمَّا أنتَ فقادِرٌ على ذلِكَ لأنَّ فيكَ رُوحَ الآلهةِ القُدُّوسينَ».
دانيال يفسر الحلم
16 فبُهِتَ دانيالُ الّذي إِسمُهُ بَلطَشاصَّرُ ساعةً وأقلَقَتْهُ أفكارُهُ، فقالَ لَه المَلِكُ: «يا بَلطَشاصَّرُ، لا يُقلِقكَ الحُلُمُ ولا تفسيرُهُ». فأجابَهُ بَلطَشاصَّرُ: «يا سيِّدي، لِـيَكُنِ الحُلُمُ لمُبغِضيكَ وتفسيرُهُ لأعدائِكَ. 17 الشَّجرَةَ الّتي رَأيتَها تَرْبَـى وتَقَوى ويَبلُغُ ارْتِفاعُها إلى السَّماءِ ومَرآها إلى الأرضِ كُلِّها، 18 والّتي أورَاقُها بَهِيَّةٌ وثَمَرُها كثيرٌ، وفيها غِذاءٌ للجميعِ، وتَحتَها تُقيمُ وُحُوشُ البَرِّيَّةِ، وفي أغصانِها تَسكُنُ طُيورُ السَّماءِ 19 هيَ أنتَ أيُّها المَلِكُ. فأنتَ رَبِيتَ وقَوِيتَ وزادَت عَظَمتُكَ وبلَغْتَ إلى السَّماءِ وسُلطانُكَ إلى أقصى الأرضِ. 20 ما رأيتَهُ أيُّها المَلِكُ، مِنْ أنَّ ملاكا قدِّيسا نزَلَ مِنَ السَّماءِ وقالَ: إقطَعُوا الشَّجَرَةَ وأبـيدُوها، ولكنِ أُترُكُوا أصْلَ جُذورِها في الأرضِ وأوثِقُوهُ بالحديدِ والنُّحاسِ في وسَطِ عُشْبِ البرِّيَّةِ ودَعُوهُ يَتَبَلَّلُ بِنَدى السَّماءِ، ولِـيكُنْ نَصيـبُه معَ وُحوشِ البرِّيَّةِ إلى أن تَمُرَّ علَيهِ سَبْعُ سِنينَ، 21 فهذا تفسيرُهُ أيُّها المَلِكُ وهذا هوَ حُكْمُ اللهِ العليِّ علَيكَ يا سيِّدي المَلِكُ: 22 سَتُطرَدُ مِنْ بَينِ النَّاسِ وتُقيمُ معَ وُحوشِ البرِّيَّةِ، وتَقتاتُ العُشْبَ كالثِّيرانِ وتـتَبَلَّلُ مِنْ نَدى السَّماءِ، وتَمُرُّ علَيكَ سَبْعُ سِنينَ إلى أنْ تعلَمَ أنَّ اللهَ العليَّ يتَسَلَّطُ على مَملكَةِ البشَرِ ويُعطيها مَنْ يشاءُ. 23 أمَّا ما أمرَ بهِ الملاكُ مِنْ أنْ يُترَكَ أصْلُ جُذورِ الشَّجَرَةِ، فتفسيرُهُ أنَّ مُلكَكَ يـبقَى لكَ بَعدَ أنْ تَعلَمَ أنَّ السُّلطانَ لِربِّ السَّماواتِ. 24 فلتَحْسُنْ مَشورَتي لدَيكَ أيُّها المَلِكُ، وهيَ أنْ تَفتديَ خطاياكَ بالصَّدَقَةِ وآثامَكَ بالرَّحمَةِ لِلمساكينِ، فيَطُولُ هَناؤُكَ».
25 كُلُّ ذلِكَ حصَلَ لِنَبوخذنَصَّرَ المَلِكِ. 26 فبَعدَ انْقِضاءِ اثْنَي عشَرَ شهرا كانَ يتَمَشَّى على شُرْفَةِ قصرِ مَملَكَةِ بابِلَ، 27 فقالَ: «أما هذِهِ بابِلُ العُظْمَى الّتي بَنَيتُها أنا عاصِمَةً لِمَملَكَتي بِقُدْرَتي وعِزَّتي وجَلالي وبهَائي؟» 28 وفيما كانَ هذا الكلامُ بَعدُ في فَمِه، وقَعَ صوتٌ مِنَ السَّماءِ: «لكَ يا نَبوخذنَصَّرُ المَلِكُ أقولُ: زالَ عَنْكَ المُلْكُ، 29 فتُطرَدُ مِنْ بَينِ النَّاسِ وتُقيمُ معَ وُحوشِ البرِّيَّةِ وتَقتاتُ العُشْبَ كالثِّيرانِ، وتَمُرُّ علَيكَ سَبْعُ سِنينَ إلى أنْ تَعلَمَ أنَّ اللهَ العليَّ يتَسَلَّطُ على مَملَكَةِ البشَرِ ويُعطيها مَنْ يشاءُ». 30 وفي تِلكَ السَّاعةِ تَمَّ الحُكْمُ على نَبوخذنَصَّرَ، فطُرِدَ مِنْ بَينِ النَّاسِ، وأكلَ العُشْبَ كالثِّيرانِ، تَبَلَّلَ جسمُهُ مِنْ نَدى السَّماءِ، حتّى طالَ شَعْرُهُ كريشِ النُّسورِ وأَظفارُهُ كمَخالِبِ الطُّيورِ.
نبوخذنصّر يمجد الله
31 وقالَ المَلِكُ نَبوخذنَصَّرُ: «وبَعدَ انْقِضاءِ سَبْعِ سِنينَ رَفَعْتُ أنا نَبوخذنَصَّرُ، عينَيَّ إلى السَّماءِ فرَجَعَ إليَّ عقلي، وبارَكْتُ اللهَ العليَّ، وسَبَّحْتُ وعَظَّمْتُ الحَيَّ إلى الأبدِ، الّذي سُلطانُه سُلطانٌ أبديٌّ ومُلْكُهُ إلى جِيلٍ فجِيلٍ، 32 وجميعُ سُكَّانِ الأرضِ كلا شَيءٍ يُحسَبُونَ أمامَهُ، وهوَ يتَصَرَّفُ كيفَ شاءَ في جُنْدِ السَّماءِ وسُكَّانِ الأرضِ، ولا أحدَ يُعارِضُهُ ويقولُ لَه: ماذا صَنَعْتَ.
33 في ذلِكَ الوقتِ رجَعَ إليَّ عقلي، وَرُدَّ لي مَجدي ومُلْكي وجَلالي وبَهائي. وطَلَبَني وزَرَائي وعُظَمائي وثَبَّتُوني في مُلْكي، وازدادَت عَظَمَتي. 34 فالآنَ، أنا نَبوخذنَصَّرُ، أُسَبِّحُ وأُعَظِّمُ وأُمَجِّدُ مَلِكَ السَّماءِ. فجميعُ أعمالِهِ حَقٌّ وسُبُلُهُ عَدلٌ، وهوَ قادِرٌ على إذلالِ مَنْ يسلُكُ طريقَ الكِبْرياءِ.
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3 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.
4 ¶ I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 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. 7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
8 ¶ 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 before him I told the dream, saying , 9 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. 10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his 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: 16 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. 17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the 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 basest of men. 18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, 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.
19 ¶ Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22 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. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet 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; 24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee 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. 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
28 ¶ All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 31 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. 32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee 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. 33 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 hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers , and his nails like birds’ claws .
34 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 honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 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 stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.