King Nebuchadnezzar's Letter about His Second Dream
1 King Nebuchadnezzar sent the following letter to the people of all nations and races on the earth:
Greetings to all of you!
2 I am glad to tell about
the wonderful miracles
God Most High
has done for me.
3 His miracles are mighty
and marvelous.
He will rule forever,
and his kingdom
will never end.
4 I was enjoying a time of peace and prosperity, 5 when suddenly I had some horrifying dreams and visions. 6 Then I commanded every wise man in Babylonia to appear in my court, so they could explain the meaning of my dream. 7 After they arrived, I told them my dream, but they were not able to say what it meant. 8 Finally, a young man named Daniel came in, and I told him the dream. The holy gods had given him special powers, and I had renamed him Belteshazzar after my own god.
9 I said, “Belteshazzar, not only are you the wisest of all advisors and counselors, but the holy gods have given you special powers to solve the most difficult mysteries. So listen to what I dreamed and tell me what it means:
10 In my sleep I saw
a very tall tree
in the center of the world.
11 It grew stronger and higher,
until it reached to heaven
and could be seen
from anywhere on earth.
12 It was covered with leaves
and heavy with fruit—
enough for all nations.
Wild animals enjoyed its shade,
birds nested in its branches,
and all creatures on earth
lived on its fruit.
13 “While I was in bed, having this vision, a holy angel came down from heaven 14 and shouted:
‘Chop down the tree
and cut off its branches;
strip off its leaves
and scatter its fruit.
Make the animals leave its shade
and send the birds flying
from its branches.
15 But leave its stump and roots
in the ground,
surrounded by grass
and held by chains
of iron and bronze.
‘Make sure that this ruler
lives like the animals
out in the open fields,
unprotected from the dew.
16 Give him the mind
of a wild animal
for seven long years.
17 This punishment is given
at the command
of the holy angels.
It will show to all who live
that God Most High
controls all kingdoms
and chooses for their rulers
persons of humble birth.’
18 “Daniel, that was the dream that none of the wise men in my kingdom were able to understand. But I am sure that you will understand what it means, because the holy gods have given you some special powers.”
19 For a while, Daniel was terribly confused and worried by what he was thinking. But I said, “Don't be bothered either by the dream or by what it means.”
Daniel replied:
Your Majesty, I wish the dream had been against your enemies. 20 You saw a tree that grew so big and strong that it reached up to heaven and could be seen from anywhere on earth. 21 Its leaves were beautiful, and it produced enough fruit for all living creatures; animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. 22 Your Majesty, that tree is you. Your glorious reputation has reached heaven, and your kingdom covers the earth.
23 Then you saw a holy angel come down from heaven and say, “Chop down the tree and destroy it! But leave its stump and roots in the ground, fastened there by a chain of iron and bronze. Let it stay for seven years out in the field with the wild animals, unprotected from the dew.”
24 Your Majesty, God Most High has sent you this message, and it means 25 that you will be forced to live with the wild animals, far away from humans. You will eat grass like a wild animal and live outdoors for seven years, until you learn that God Most High controls all earthly kingdoms and chooses their rulers. 26 But he gave orders not to disturb the stump and roots. This is to show that you will be king once again, after you learn that the God who rules from heaven is in control. 27 Your Majesty, please be willing to do what I say. Turn from your sins and start living right; have mercy on those who are mistreated. Then all will go well with you for a long time.
The Rest of Nebuchadnezzar's Letter about His Second Dream
28-30 About twelve months later, I was walking on the flat roof of my royal palace and admiring the beautiful city of Babylon, when these things started happening to me. I was saying to myself, “Just look at this wonderful capital city that I have built by my own power and for my own glory!”
31 But before I could finish speaking, a voice from heaven interrupted:
King Nebuchadnezzar, this kingdom is no longer yours. 32 You will be forced to live with the wild animals, away from people. For seven years you will eat grass, as though you were an ox, until you learn that God Most High is in control of all earthly kingdoms and that he is the one who chooses their rulers.
33 This was no sooner said than done—I was forced to live like a wild animal; I ate grass and was unprotected from the dew. As time went by, my hair grew longer than eagle feathers, and my fingernails looked like the claws of a bird.
34 Finally, I prayed to God in heaven, and my mind was healed. Then I said:
“I praise and honor
God Most High.
God lives forever,
and his kingdom
will never end.
35 To him the nations
are far less than nothing;
God controls the stars in the sky
and everyone on this earth.
When God does something,
we cannot change it
or even ask why.”
36 At that time my mind was healed, and once again I became the ruler of my glorious kingdom. My advisors and officials returned to me, and I had greater power than ever before. 37 That's why I say:
“Praise and honor the King
who rules from heaven!
Everything he does
is honest and fair,
and he can shatter the power
of those who are proud.”
Nebūkadnecara sapnis par koku
1 Es, Nebūkadnecars, labklājībā dzīvoju savā namā, ar vērienu savā pilī, 2 bet tad es redzēju sapni, kas mani izbiedēja. Es gulēju, un prātā man parādījās tēli, kas mani uzmodināja. 3 Es pavēlēju pie sevis atvest visus Bābeles gudros, lai tie man izskaidro sapni. 4 Atnāca burvji, pareģi, zintnieki un zvaigžņu tulki, un es tiem izstāstīju sapni, bet tie nespēja to iztulkot. 5 Beidzot pie manis ieradās Daniēls, kam dots mana dieva Bēltšacara vārds, – viņā mājo svēto dievu gars! – un es pastāstīju sapni viņam. 6 Es teicu: Bēltšacar, tu, kas liels starp burvjiem, es zinu, ka tevī mājo svēto dievu gars un neviens noslēpums tev nav par grūtu! Rau, mans sapnis, ko redzēju, – iztulko to man! 7 Kamēr es gulēju, man rādījās šāds sapnis:
es ieraudzīju koku zemes vidū,
varen diža garuma,
8 koks kļuva arvien varenāks,
un galotne tam sniedzās debesīs –
no visiem zemes galiem tas saskatāms!
9 Daiļa tam lapotne, un augļu pārpilns –
barība tiek visiem, kas tajā mīt!
Lauka zvēri rod paēnu zem tā,
debesu putni vij zaros ligzdas,
ikviens, kam miesa, rod barību tur!
10 Kamēr es gulēju, man rādījās šāds sapnis: redzi, svēts sargs nonāk no debesīm 11 un sauc stiprā balsī:
nogāziet šo koku un nocērtiet tam zarus,
noplūciet tam lapas un izmētājiet tā augļus,
lai pamūk zvēri no tā un putni no tā zariem!
12 Bet celms ar visām saknēm lai paliek zemē –
dzelzs un vara važās, lauka zālē lai guļ.
To slacīs debess rasa, tam liktenis viens
ar meža zvēriem un lauka zāli!
13 Cilvēka prāts lai tiek tam atņemts
un dzīvnieka prāts lai tiek tam dots,
līdz paiet septiņi laiki!
14 Šo spriedumu teica sargs,
šo nodomu vēstīja svētais!
Lai dzīvie to zina – Visuaugstajam ir vara pār cilvēku valstīm, viņš valsti dod, kam vien grib, viņš var pat viszemāko pār to iecelt! – 15 Šis ir sapnis, ko es, ķēniņš Nebūkadnecars, redzēju, un tev, Bēltšacar, man tas jāiztulko, jo pat visi manas valsts gudrie nespēj to iztulkot, bet tu to vari, jo tevī mīt svēto dievu gars!”
Daniēls izskaidro sapni
16 Daniēls, kam Bēltšacars vārdā, kādu brīdi stāvēja pārbijies, un viņa domas pārņēma šausmas. Ķēniņš viņu uzrunāja: “Bēltšacar, lai sapnis un tā tulkojums tevi nešausmina!” Bēltšacars teica: “Mans kungs, kaut jel šis sapnis būtu par tiem, kas tevi nīst, un tā skaidrojums par taviem ienaidniekiem! 17 Koks, ko tu redzēji, kas kļuva arvien varenāks, kam galotne sniedzās debesīs, kas bija saskatāms no visiem zemes galiem, 18 zem kura lapotnes patvērās lauka zvēri un kura zaros vija ligzdas debesu putni, – 19 tas esi tu, ak, ķēniņ! Arvien varenāks tu kļuvi, tu augtin augi līdz debesīm, tu valdīji līdz zemes malām!
20 Bet tad, ķēniņ, tu redzēji svētu sargu nonākam no debesīm, un tas teica: nocērtiet šo koku, iznīciniet to, bet celms ar visām saknēm lai paliek zemē – dzelzs un vara važās lauka zālē lai guļ, lai to slaka debess rasa – tam liktenis viens ar meža zvēriem, līdz paiet septiņi laiki! 21 Šis ir sapņa skaidrojums, un šāds, ķēniņ, ir Visuaugstā spriedums par manu kungu, ķēniņu: 22 tevi padzīs no cilvēku vidus, tu mitīsi pie meža zvēriem un ēdīsi zāli kā vērsis, debesu rasa tevi slacīs, līdz paies septiņi laiki, līdz tu zināsi, ka Visuaugstais valda pār cilvēku valstīm – viņš tās dod, kam grib! 23 Un tika pavēlēts: celms ar visām saknēm lai paliek – tev atkal piederēs tava valsts, tev tikai jāatzīst, ka debesis valda! 24 Tādēļ, ak, ķēniņ, lai mans padoms tev tīk – tu atsvabinies no grēkiem, darīdams taisnību, un no negantības, apžēlodamies par nabagiem! Varbūt tava labklājība nemitēsies.” 25 Tā arī notika ar ķēniņu Nebūkadnecaru.
Sapnis piepildās
26 Divpadsmit mēnešus vēlāk, kad viņš staigāja pa savas valsts pili Bābelē, 27 viņš teica: “Vai gan es neesmu šo lielo Bābeli uzcēlis, kur dzīvot ķēniņam, ar savu lielo spēku un vareno slavu?!”
28 Ķēniņš vēl nebija paspējis teikt šos vārdus, kad no debesīm atskanēja balss: “Tev, ķēniņ Nebūkadnecar, saka: valsts tev ir atņemta! 29 Tevi padzīs no cilvēku vidus, pie meža zvēriem tu mitīsi un ēdīsi zāli kā vērsis; lai paiet septiņi laiki, tad tu zināsi – Visuaugstais valda pār cilvēku valstīm, viņš tās dod, kam grib!”
30 Tūdaļ piepildījās par Nebūkadnecaru teiktais – viņu padzina no cilvēku vidus, viņš ēda zāli kā vērsis, debesu rasa to slacīja, viņa mati izauga gari kā ērgļa spalvas un nagi kā putniem. 31 Kad šis laiks beidzās, es, Nebūkadnecars, pacēlu savu skatu uz debesīm un atgriezās mans prāts:
“Visuaugsto es godināju, viņš dzīvo mūžīgi!
To slavēju un teicu, jo viņš valda!
Viņa vara ir mūžīga,
viņa valsts paliek uz audžu audzēm!
32 Visi, kas mīt uz zemes, ir nieks!
Ar debesu pulkiem un zemes ļaudīm viņš dara, ko grib!
Nav neviena, kas spētu apturēt viņa roku,
kas varētu viņam teikt: ko tu dari?!”
33 Tajā pašā brīdī atgriezās mans prāts un gods un diženums manai valstij par slavu. Mani padomnieki un augstmaņi mani sameklēja un atkal iecēla valdīt pār valsti, un es kļuvu vēl varenāks nekā iepriekš. 34 Tagad es, Nebūkadnecars, slavēju, teicu un godinu debesu Ķēniņu: “Visi viņa darbi ir patiesi, visi viņa ceļi ir taisnīgi, viņš spēj pazemot tos, kas lepnīgi staigā!”
