Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
1 In the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had a dream. It worried him so much that he couldn't sleep, 2 so he sent for his fortunetellers, magicians, sorcerers, and wizards to come and explain the dream to him. When they came and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I'm worried about a dream I've had. I want to know what it means.”
4 They answered the king in Aramaic, “May Your Majesty live forever! Tell us your dream, and we will explain it to you.”
5 The king said to them, “I have made up my mind that you must tell me the dream and then tell me what it means. If you can't, I'll have you torn limb from limb and make your houses a pile of ruins. 6 But if you can tell me both the dream and its meaning, I will reward you with gifts and great honor. Now then, tell me what the dream was and what it means.”
7 They answered the king again, “If Your Majesty will only tell us what the dream was, we will explain it.”
8 At that, the king exclaimed, “Just as I thought! You are trying to gain time, because you see that I have made up my mind 9 to give all of you the same punishment if you don't tell me the dream. You have agreed among yourselves to go on telling me lies because you hope that in time things will change. Tell me what the dream was, and then I will know that you can also tell me what it means.”
10 The advisers replied, “There is no one on the face of the earth who can tell Your Majesty what you want to know. No king, not even the greatest and most powerful, has ever made such a demand of his fortunetellers, magicians, and wizards. 11 What Your Majesty is asking for is so difficult that no one can do it for you except the gods, and they do not live among human beings.”
12 At that, the king flew into a rage and ordered the execution of all the royal advisers in Babylon. 13 So the order was issued for all of them to be killed, including Daniel and his friends.
God Shows Daniel What the Dream Means
14 Then Daniel went to Arioch, commander of the king's bodyguard, who had been ordered to carry out the execution. Choosing his words carefully, 15 he asked Arioch why the king had issued such a harsh order. So Arioch told Daniel what had happened.
16 Daniel went at once and obtained royal permission for more time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant. 17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. 18 He told them to pray to the God of heaven for mercy and to ask him to explain the mystery to them so that they would not be killed along with the other advisers in Babylon. 19 Then that same night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he praised the God of heaven:
20 “God is wise and powerful!
Praise him forever and ever.
21 He controls the times and the seasons;
he makes and unmakes kings;
it is he who gives wisdom and understanding.
22 He reveals things that are deep and secret;
he knows what is hidden in darkness,
and he himself is surrounded by light.
23 I praise you and honor you, God of my ancestors.
You have given me wisdom and strength;
you have answered my prayer
and shown us what to tell the king.”
Daniel Tells the King the Dream and Explains It
24 So Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had commanded to execute the royal advisers. He said to him, “Don't put them to death. Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means.”
25 At once Arioch took Daniel into King Nebuchadnezzar's presence and told the king, “I have found one of the Jewish exiles who can tell Your Majesty the meaning of your dream.”
26 The king said to Daniel (who was also called Belteshazzar), “Can you tell me what I dreamed and what it means?”
27 Daniel replied, “Your Majesty, there is no wizard, magician, fortuneteller, or astrologer who can tell you that. 28 But there is a God in heaven, who reveals mysteries. He has informed Your Majesty what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you the dream, the vision you had while you were asleep.
29 “While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about the future; and God, who reveals mysteries, showed you what is going to happen. 30 Now, this mystery was revealed to me, not because I am wiser than anyone else, but so that Your Majesty may learn the meaning of your dream and understand the thoughts that have come to you.
31 “Your Majesty, in your vision you saw standing before you a giant statue, bright and shining, and terrifying to look at. 32 Its head was made of the finest gold; its chest and arms were made of silver; its waist and hips of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, and its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 While you were looking at it, a great stone broke loose from a cliff without anyone touching it, struck the iron and clay feet of the statue, and shattered them. 35 At once the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold crumbled and became like the dust on a threshing place in summer. The wind carried it all away, leaving not a trace. But the stone grew to be a mountain that covered the whole earth.
36 “This was the dream. Now I will tell Your Majesty what it means. 37 Your Majesty, you are the greatest of all kings. The God of heaven has made you emperor and given you power, might, and honor. 38 He has made you ruler of all the inhabited earth and ruler over all the animals and birds. You are the head of gold. 39 After you there will be another empire, not as great as yours, and after that a third, an empire of bronze, which will rule the whole earth. 40 And then there will be a fourth empire, as strong as iron, which shatters and breaks everything. And just as iron shatters everything, it will shatter and crush all the earlier empires. 41 You also saw that the feet and the toes were partly clay and partly iron. This means that it will be a divided empire. It will have something of the strength of iron, because there was iron mixed with the clay. 42 The toes—partly iron and partly clay—mean that part of the empire will be strong and part of it weak. 43 You also saw that the iron was mixed with the clay. This means that the rulers of that empire will try to unite their families by intermarriage, but they will not be able to, any more than iron can mix with clay. 44 At the time of those rulers the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never end. It will never be conquered, but will completely destroy all those empires and then last forever. 45 You saw how a stone broke loose from a cliff without anyone touching it and how it struck the statue made of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God is telling Your Majesty what will happen in the future. I have told you exactly what you dreamed, and have given you its true meaning.”
The King Rewards Daniel
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed to the ground and gave orders for sacrifices and offerings to be made to Daniel. 47 The king said, “Your God is the greatest of all gods, the Lord over kings, and the one who reveals mysteries. I know this because you have been able to explain this mystery.” 48 Then he gave Daniel a high position, presented him with many splendid gifts, put him in charge of the province of Babylon, and made him the head of all the royal advisers. 49 At Daniel's request the king put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in charge of the affairs of the province of Babylon; Daniel, however, remained at the royal court.
Nebūkadnecara sapnis
1 Nebūkadnecara otrajā valdīšanas gadā Nebūkadnecars redzēja sapni, un viņš tik ļoti uztraucās, ka vairs nespēja gulēt. 2 Ķēniņš pavēlēja sasaukt magus, burvjus, gaišreģus un zintniekus, lai tie izskaidro ķēniņa sapni. Sanākuši tie nostājās ķēniņa priekšā. 3 Ķēniņš tiem teica: “Es redzēju sapni un tagad esmu satraukts – kā lai uzzinu, ko esmu nosapņojis?”
4 Zintnieki runāja ar ķēniņu aramiešu valodā: “Ķēniņš lai dzīvo mūžīgi! Izstāsti saviem kalpiem sapni, un mēs to iztulkosim.” 5 Ķēniņš atbildēja zintniekiem: “Es saku tā: ja jūs manu sapni neizskaidrosiet un neiztulkosiet, tad tiksiet sarauti gabalos un jūsu namus padarīs par mēslu kaudzi. 6 Bet, ja iztulkosiet un izskaidrosiet manu sapni, tad saņemsiet no manis dāvanas, atlīdzību un lielu godu! Tādēļ tulkojiet un skaidrojiet manu sapni!” 7 Tad viņi ierunājās otrreiz: “Lai ķēniņš saviem kalpiem pastāsta sapni, tad mēs to iztulkosim un izskaidrosim!” 8 Ķēniņš atbildēja: “Nu es saprotu, ka gribat novilcināt laiku, jo zināt, ko es jau teicu! 9 Ja jūs man neizskaidrosiet sapni, tad jums var būt tikai viens spriedums! Jūs esat vienojušies mani krāpt un melot, līdz pienāks citi laiki, – tādēļ jūs man neskaidrojat sapni, taču es zinu gan, ka jūs to varētu iztulkot un izskaidrot!” 10 Zintnieki teica ķēniņam: “Virs zemes nav neviena, kurš spētu ķēniņam to izskaidrot! Tiesa, neviens ķēniņš, lai cik liels un spēcīgs tas būtu, nav šādu lietu prasījis nevienam burvim, pareģim vai zintniekam! 11 Jo ķēniņa prasības ir pārāk lielas, un nav neviena, kurš spētu ķēniņam to izskaidrot, – vienīgi dievi, kuri nemīt pie tiem, kam miesa!”
12 Ķēniņš par to sadusmojās, noskaitās un pavēlēja apkaut visus Bābeles gudros. 13 Kad tika izsludināta pavēle nokaut gudros, meklēja arī Daniēlu un viņa biedrus, lai tos nokautu.
14 Daniēls gudri un apdomīgi runāja ar ķēniņa sardzes virsnieku Arjohu, kas bija devies nokaut Bābeles gudros. 15 Viņš jautāja ķēniņa pilnvarniekam Arjoham: “Kādēļ izsludināta tik barga ķēniņa pavēle?” Un Arjohs to paskaidroja Daniēlam. 16 Tad Daniēls devās pie ķēniņa lūgt laiku sapņa tulkošanai.
Dievs atklāj Nebūkadnecara sapni Daniēlam
17 Pēc tam Daniēls atgriezās savā namā un visu pastāstīja saviem biedriem Hananjam, Mīšaēlam un Azarjam. 18 Tad tie lūdza debesu Dieva žēlastību, lai tas atklāj šo noslēpumu, ka Daniēlu un viņa biedrus nenokauj kopā ar Bābeles gudrajiem. 19 Un šis noslēpums Daniēlam atklājās nakts redzējumā. Tad Daniēls pateicās debesu Dievam 20 un sacīja:
“Lai slavēts Dieva vārds
no mūžības līdz mūžībai!
Gudrība un spēks pieder viņam!
21 Viņš maina laikus un laikmetus,
viņš atceļ ķēniņus un ieceļ tos,
viņš dod gudrību gudrajiem
un zināšanas saprātīgajiem!
22 Viņš atklāj dzīlēs apslēpto,
viņš zina, kas ir tumsā,
gaisma mājo pie viņa,
23 mans tēvu Dievs,
es cildinu un slavēju tevi!
Tu devi man gudrību un spēku,
ļāvi man uzzināt, ko tev lūdzu, –
tu ļāvi man izzināt ķēniņa sapni!”
Daniēls izskaidro sapni
24 Tad Daniēls devās pie Arjoha, ko ķēniņš bija norīkojis apkaut Bābeles gudros, un teica viņam: “Nenokauj Bābeles gudros! Ved mani pie ķēniņa, un es viņam iztulkošu un izskaidrošu!”
25 Tad Arjohs steigā veda Daniēlu pie ķēniņa un teica: “Esmu atradis kādu jūdu trimdinieku, kas ķēniņam iztulkos un izskaidros!” 26 Tad ķēniņš jautāja Daniēlam, ko tolaik dēvēja arī par Bēltšacaru: “Vai tu spēj izskaidrot manu sapni, ko es redzēju, un to iztulkot?” 27 Daniēls atbildēja ķēniņam: “Noslēpumu, par ko ķēniņš taujā, nespēs izstāstīt ne gudrais, ne burvis, ne zīlnieks, ne zvaigžņu tulks – 28 vienīgi Dievs, kas debesīs, spēj atklāt noslēpumus, un viņš var ļaut ķēniņam Nebūkadnecaram zināt, kas notiks nākamajās dienās!
Sapnis un redzējumi, kas bija tavā galvā, kamēr tu gulēji, ir šādi – 29 kad tu biji apgūlies, ķēniņ, tevi apņēma domas par to, kas notiks turpmāk. Un noslēpumu Atklājējs ļāva tev uzzināt, kas notiks. 30 Man šis noslēpums tika atklāts ne manas gudrības dēļ, kas man ir tāda pati kā visiem dzīvajiem, bet tādēļ, ka ķēniņam ir jāuzzina skaidrojums un jāizprot tas, kas nodarbina tavu prātu!
31 Raugies, ķēniņ, redzi – milzu tēls! Šis tēls, varens un spoži mirdzošs, stāvēja tavā priekšā un šķita baiss. 32 Tēla galva bija no tīra zelta, krūtis un rokas no sudraba, vēders un gurni no vara, 33 kājas no dzelzs, pēdas – gan no dzelzs, gan māla. 34 Tu redzēji, ka akmens, ko neviens netika pagrūdis, sita tēla pēdas, kas bija no dzelzs un māla, un satrieca tās gabalos. 35 Tad gabalos sašķīda gan dzelzs, gan māls, gan varš, gan sudrabs un zelts. Tie kļuva kā pelavas uz vasaras klona – vējš tos aizpūta, ka nevarēja atrast pat vietu, kur tie bijuši! Bet akmens, kas sasita tēlu, kļuva par milzīgu kalnu un piepildīja visu zemi!
36 Šis bija sapnis. Un tagad mēs ķēniņam teiksim tā skaidrojumu: 37 ak, ķēniņ, ķēniņu ķēniņ! Tev debesu Dievs ir devis valsti, spēku, varu un godu. 38 It viss, kas dzīvs – cilvēks, lauka zvērs vai debesu putns –, it viss ir nodots tev, un tu valdi pār visiem. Tu esi tā zelta galva! 39 Pēc tevis radīsies cita valsts, niecīgāka par tavējo. Tad trešā valsts, kas no vara, – tā valdīs pār visu zemi. 40 Ceturtā valsts būs stipra kā dzelzs. Tāpat kā dzelzs visu sasit drumslās, kā dzelzs sadrupina, tā šī valsts graus un drupinās visas citas! 41 Tu redzēji, ka pēdas un pirksti ir daļēji no māla un daļēji no dzelzs – tā arī šī valsts būs dalīta: gan cieta kā dzelzs, gan tāda, kā redzēji, – dzelzs sajaukta ar māliem. 42 Un, tāpat kā kāju pirksti, kas daļēji no dzelzs un daļēji no māla, tā arī šī valsts būs daļēji stipra, bet daļēji trausla. 43 Kā tu redzēji dzelzi jukām ar podnieka mālu, tā sajauksies cilvēku dzimums, bet viņi viens otram nepieķersies, tāpat kā dzelzs nesajaucas ar māliem. 44 Šo ķēniņu laikā debesu Dievs cels valsti, kas nekad netiks izpostīta, – šī valsts netiks atstāta citiem ļaudīm, tā dragās un nobeigs visas citas valstis, bet pati būs mūžīga! 45 Tādēļ tu redzēji, ka akmens, kuru neviens netika pagrūdis, atšķēlās no kalna un sadragāja dzelzi, varu, mālu, sudrabu un zeltu, – tā lielais Dievs ķēniņam dara zināmu, kas notiks turpmāk. Īsts ir sapnis un patiess tā skaidrojums!”
Daniēls un viņa biedri tiek paaugstināti
46 Tad ķēniņš Nebūkadnecars visai zemojās, pagodinot Daniēlu, un pavēlēja, lai viņam pienes dievu upuri un labības dāvanu. 47 Ķēniņš sacīja Daniēlam: “Patiesi, tavs Dievs ir dievu Dievs un ķēniņu Kungs, noslēpumu Atklājējs, kas tevi darījis spējīgu atklāt šo noslēpumu!” 48 Pēc tam ķēniņš viņu paaugstināja – deva tam dāvanas un iecēla par visas Bābeles pavalsts pārvaldnieku, kā arī par visu Bābeles gudro priekšstāvi. 49 Pēc Daniēla lūguma ķēniņš iecēla Šadrahu, Mēšahu un Abēd-Nego pārvaldīt visu Bābeles pavalsti. Bet Daniēls palika ķēniņa galmā.
