¹ In anno secundo regni Nabuchodonosor, vidit Nabuchodonosor somnium, et conterritus est spiritus ejus, et somnium ejus fugit ab eo.

² Præcepit autem rex ut convocarentur arioli, et magi, et malefici, et Chaldæi, ut indicarent regi somnia sua. Qui cum venissent, steterunt coram rege.

³ Et dixit ad eos rex : Vidi somnium, et mente confusus ignoro quid viderim.

⁴ Responderuntque Chaldæi regi syriace : Rex, in sempiternum vive ! dic somnium servis tuis, et interpretationem ejus indicabimus.

⁵ Et respondens rex ait Chaldæis : Sermo recessit a me : nisi indicaveritis mihi somnium, et conjecturam ejus, peribitis vos, et domus vestræ publicabuntur.

⁶ Si autem somnium, et conjecturam ejus narraveritis, præmia, et dona, et honorem multum accipietis a me. Somnium igitur, et interpretationem ejus indicate mihi.

⁷ Responderunt secundo, atque dixerunt : Rex somnium dicat servis suis, et interpretationem illius indicabimus.

⁸ Respondit rex, et ait : Certe novi quod tempus redimitis, scientes quod recesserit a me sermo.

⁹ Si ergo somnium non indicaveritis mihi, una est de vobis sententia, quod interpretationem quoque fallacem, et deceptione plenam composueritis, ut loquamini mihi donec tempus pertranseat. Somnium itaque dicite mihi, ut sciam quod interpretationem quoque ejus veram loquamini.

¹⁰ Respondentes ergo Chaldæi coram rege, dixerunt : Non est homo super terram, qui sermonem tuum, rex, possit implere : sed neque regum quisquam magnus et potens verbum hujuscemodi sciscitatur ab omni ariolo, et mago, et Chaldæo.

¹¹ Sermo enim, quem tu quæris, rex, gravis est : nec reperietur quisquam qui indicet illum in conspectu regis, exceptis diis, quorum non est cum hominibus conversatio.

¹² Quo audito, rex, in furore et in ira magna, præcepit ut perirent omnes sapientes Babylonis.

¹³ Et egressa sententia, sapientes interficiebantur : quærebanturque Daniel et socii ejus, ut perirent.

¹⁴ Tunc Daniel requisivit de lege atque sententia ab Arioch principe militiæ regis, qui egressus fuerat ad interficiendos sapientes Babylonis.

¹⁵ Et interrogavit eum, qui a rege potestatem acceperat, quam ob causam tam crudelis sententia a facie regis esset egressa. Cum ergo rem indicasset Arioch Danieli,

¹⁶ Daniel ingressus rogavit regem ut tempus daret sibi ad solutionem indicandam regi.

¹⁷ Et ingressus est domum suam, Ananiæque et Misaëli et Azariæ, sociis suis, indicavit negotium,

¹⁸ ut quærerent misericordiam a facie Dei cæli super sacramento isto, et non perirent Daniel et socii ejus cum ceteris sapientibus Babylonis.

¹⁹ Tunc Danieli mysterium per visionem nocte revelatum est : et benedixit Daniel Deum cæli,

²⁰ et locutus ait : Sit nomen Domini benedictum a sæculo et usque in sæculum : quia sapientia et fortitudo ejus sunt.

²¹ Et ipse mutat tempora, et ætates : transfert regna, atque constituit : dat sapientiam sapientibus, et scientiam intelligentibus disciplinam.

²² Ipse revelat profunda et abscondita, et novit in tenebris constituta : et lux cum eo est.

²³ Tibi, Deus patrum nostrorum, confiteor, teque laudo, quia sapientiam et fortitudinem dedisti mihi, et nunc ostendisti mihi quæ rogavimus te, quia sermonem regis aperuisti nobis.

²⁴ Post hæc Daniel ingressus ad Arioch, quem constituerat rex ut perderet sapientes Babylonis, sic ei locutus est : Sapientes Babylonis ne perdas : introduc me in conspectu regis, et solutionem regi narrabo.

²⁵ Tunc Arioch festinus introduxit Danielem ad regem, et dixit ei : Inveni hominem de filiis transmigrationis Juda, qui solutionem regi annuntiet.

²⁶ Respondit rex, et dixit Danieli, cujus nomen erat Baltassar : Putasne vere potes mihi indicare somnium, quod vidi, et interpretationem ejus ?

²⁷ Et respondens Daniel coram rege, ait : Mysterium, quod rex interrogat, sapientes, magi, arioli, et aruspices nequeunt indicare regi :

²⁸ sed est Deus in cælo revelans mysteria, qui indicavit tibi, rex Nabuchodonosor, quæ ventura sunt in novissimis temporibus. Somnium tuum, et visiones capitis tui in cubili tuo hujuscemodi sunt.

²⁹ Tu, rex, cogitare cœpisti in strato tuo, quid esset futurum post hæc : et qui revelat mysteria, ostendit tibi quæ ventura sunt.

³⁰ Mihi quoque non in sapientia, quæ est in me plus quam in cunctis viventibus, sacramentum hoc revelatum est : sed ut interpretatio regi manifesta fieret, et cogitationes mentis tuæ scires.

³¹ Tu, rex, videbas, et ecce quasi statua una grandis : statua illa magna, et statura sublimis stabat contra te, et intuitus ejus erat terribilis.

³² Hujus statuæ caput ex auro optimo erat, pectus autem et brachia de argento, porro venter et femora ex ære,

³³ tibiæ autem ferreæ : pedum quædam pars erat ferrea, quædam autem fictilis.

³⁴ Videbas ita, donec abscissus est lapis de monte sine manibus : et percussit statuam in pedibus ejus ferreis et fictilibus, et comminuit eos.

³⁵ Tunc contrita sunt pariter ferrum, testa, æs, argentum, et aurum, et redacta quasi in favillam æstivæ areæ, quæ rapta sunt vento, nullusque locus inventus est eis : lapis autem, qui percusserat statuam, factus est mons magnus, et implevit universam terram.

³⁶ hoc est somnium. Interpretationem quoque ejus dicemus coram te, rex.

³⁷ Tu rex regum es : et Deus cæli regnum, et fortitudinem, et imperium, et gloriam dedit tibi :

³⁸ et omnia, in quibus habitant filii hominum, et bestiæ agri : volucres quoque cæli dedit in manu tua, et sub ditione tua universa constituit : tu es ergo caput aureum.

³⁹ Et post te consurget regnum aliud minus te argenteum : et regnum tertium aliud æreum, quod imperabit universæ terræ.

⁴⁰ Et regnum quartum erit velut ferrum : quomodo ferrum comminuit, et domat omnia, sic comminuet, et conteret omnia hæc.

⁴¹ Porro quia vidisti pedum, et digitorum partem testæ figuli, et partem ferream, regnum divisum erit : quod tamen de plantario ferri orietur, secundum quod vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto.

⁴² Et digitos pedum ex parte ferreos, et ex parte fictiles : ex parte regnum erit solidum, et ex parte contritum.

⁴³ Quod autem vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto, commiscebuntur quidem humano semine, sed non adhærebunt sibi, sicut ferrum misceri non potest testæ.

⁴⁴ In diebus autem regnorum illorum suscitabit Deus cæli regnum, quod in æternum non dissipabitur, et regnum ejus alteri populo non tradetur : comminuet autem, et consumet universa regna hæc, et ipsum stabit in æternum.

⁴⁵ Secundum quod vidisti, quod de monte abscissus est lapis sine manibus, et comminuit testam, et ferrum, et æs, et argentum, et aurum, Deus magnus ostendit regi quæ ventura sunt postea : et verum est somnium, et fidelis interpretatio ejus.

⁴⁶ Tunc rex Nabuchodonosor cecidit in faciem suam, et Danielem adoravit, et hostias, et incensum præcepit ut sacrificarent ei.

⁴⁷ Loquens ergo rex, ait Danieli : Vere Deus vester Deus deorum est, et Dominus regum, et revelans mysteria : quoniam tu potuisti aperire hoc sacramentum.

⁴⁸ Tunc rex Danielem in sublime extulit, et munera multa et magna dedit ei : et constituit eum principem super omnes provincias Babylonis, et præfectum magistratuum super cunctos sapientes Babylonis.

⁴⁹ Daniel autem postulavit a rege, et constituit super opera provinciæ Babylonis Sidrach, Misach, et Abdenago : ipse autem Daniel erat in foribus regis.

¹ In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.

² Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

³ The king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.

⁴ Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in the Syrian language, O king, live forever: tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.

⁵ The king answered the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if you don't make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

⁶ But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor: therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.

⁷ They answered the second time and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.

⁸ The king answered, I know of a certainty that you would gain time, because you see the thing is gone from me.

⁹ But if you don't make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.

¹⁰ The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man on the earth who can show the king's matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.

¹¹ It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

¹² For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

¹³ So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.

¹⁴ Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon;

¹⁵ he answered Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so urgent from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

¹⁶ Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

¹⁸ that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

¹⁹ Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

²⁰ Daniel answered, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his.

²¹ He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding;

²² he reveals the deep and secret things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

²³ I thank you, and praise you, you God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king's matter.

²⁴ Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus to him: Don't destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.

²⁵ Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus to him, I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.

²⁶ The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?

²⁷ Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show to the king;

²⁸ but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:

²⁹ as for you, O king, your thoughts came [into your mind] on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what shall happen.

³⁰ But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

³¹ You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its aspect was awesome.

³² As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass,

³³ its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.

³⁴ You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

³⁵ Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them: and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

³⁶ This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation before the king.

³⁷ You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;

³⁸ and wherever the children of men dwell, the animals of the field and the birds of the sky has he given into your hand, and has made you to rule over them all: you are the head of gold.

³⁹ After you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

⁴⁰ The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.

⁴¹ Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.

⁴² As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

⁴³ Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cling to one another, even as iron does not mingle with clay.

⁴⁴ In the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

⁴⁵ Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall happen hereafter: and the dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.

⁴⁶ Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors to him.

⁴⁷ The king answered to Daniel, and said, Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.

⁴⁸ Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.

⁴⁹ Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel was in the gate of the king.