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!”
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.
