Nebuchadnezzar the King, unto all people, nations, and languages that dwell in all
the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.
I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the 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.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in mine house and flourishing in my palace.
I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the 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 astrologers, 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 before him I told the dream, 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 mine head in 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 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.
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watcher and an holy one
came down from heaven.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen.
Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof.
For as much 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 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.
The tree that thou sawest, which grew and was strong, whose height reached unto the
heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth, 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, 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 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, this is the interpretation, O king.
And this is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king,
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.
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.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy
sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor,
if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of twelve months, he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
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 honor 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 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.
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 eagle's feathers, and his nails like
bird's 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 forever, whose dominion is an everlasting
dominion, and his kingdom is 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 stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
At the same time, my reason returned unto me, and for the glory of my kingdom,
mine honor and brightness returned unto me, and my counselors and my lords sought
unto me, and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added
unto me.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose
works are truth, and his ways judgment, and those that walk in pride he is able to
abase.
This concludes Disc Number 45.