但以理書 4
1 尼布甲尼撒王、曉諭住在全地各方各國各族的人說、願你們大享平安．
King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly!
2 我樂意將至高的　神向我所行的神蹟奇事、宣揚出來．
It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3 他的神蹟何其大、他的奇事何其盛、他的國是永遠的、他的權柄存到萬代。
How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.
4 我尼布甲尼撒安居在宮中、平順在殿內、
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.
5 我作了一夢、使我懼怕．我在床上的思念、並腦中的異象、使我驚惶．
I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me.
6 所以我降旨召巴比倫的一切哲士到我面前、叫他們把夢的講解告訴我．
So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
7 於是那些術士、用法術的、迦勒底人、觀兆的、都進來、我將那夢告訴了他們、他們卻不能把夢的講解告訴我．
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
8 末後那照我神的名、稱為伯提沙撒的但以理、來到我面前、他裡頭有聖神的靈、我將夢告訴他說、
Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
9 術士的領袖伯提沙撒阿、因我知道你裡頭有聖神的靈、甚麼奧秘的事、都不能使你為難、現在要把我夢中所見的異象、和夢的講解告訴我．
I said, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.
10 我在床上腦中的異象是這樣．我看見地當中有一棵樹、極其高大、
These are the visions I saw while lying in my bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.
11 那樹漸長、而且堅固、高得頂天、從地極都能看見、
The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12 葉子華美、果子甚多、可作眾生的食物、田野的走獸、臥在蔭下、天空的飛鳥、宿在枝上、凡有血氣的、都從這樹得食．
Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
13 我在床上腦中的異象、見有一位守望的聖者、從天而降、
"In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14 大聲呼叫說、伐倒這樹、砍下枝子、搖掉葉子、拋散果子、使走獸離開樹下、飛鳥躲開樹枝、
He called in a loud voice: 'Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
15 樹猹卻要留在地內、用鐵圈和銅圈箍住、在田野的青草中、讓天露滴濕、使他與地上的獸一同喫草、
But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. "'Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.
16 使他的心改變、不如人心、給他一個獸心、使他經過七期．〔期或作年本章同〕
Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
17 這是守望者的所發的命、聖者所出的令、好叫世人知道、至高者在人的國中掌權、要將國賜與誰、就賜與誰．或立極卑微的人執掌國權．
"'The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.'
18 這是我尼布甲尼撒王所作的夢、伯提沙撒阿、你要說明這夢的講解、因為我國中的一切哲士、都不能將夢的講解告訴我、惟獨你能、因你裡頭有聖神的靈。
"This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."
19 於是稱為伯提沙撒的但以理、驚訝片時、心意驚惶。王說、伯提沙撒阿、不要因夢和夢的講解驚惶。伯提沙撒回答說、我主阿、願這夢歸與恨惡你的人、講解歸與你的敵人。
Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!
20 你所見的樹漸長、而且堅固、高得頂天、從地極都能看見、
The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,
21 葉子華美、果子甚多、可作眾生的食物、田野的走獸、住在其下、天空的飛鳥、宿在枝上．
with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air--
22 王阿、這漸長又堅固的樹就是你、你的威勢漸長及天、你的權柄管到地極．
you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
23 王既看見一位守望的聖者從天而降、說、將這樹砍伐毀壞、樹猹卻要留在地內、用鐵圈如銅圈箍住、在田野的青草中、讓天露滴濕、使他與地上的獸一同喫草、直到經過七期。
"You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.'
24 王阿、講解就是這樣．臨到我主我王的事、是出於至高者的命．
"This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25 你必被趕出離開世人、與野地的獸同居、喫草如牛、被天露滴濕、且要經過七期。等你知道至高者在人的國中掌權、要將國賜與誰、就賜與誰．
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
26 守望者既吩咐存留樹猹、等你知道諸天掌權、以後你的國必定歸你．
The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 王阿、求你悅納我的諫言、以施行公義斷絕罪過、以憐憫窮人除掉罪孽、或者你的平安可以延長。
Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue."
28 這事都臨到尼布甲尼撒王。
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 過了十二個月、他遊行在巴比倫王宮裡、〔原文作上〕
Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
30 他說、這大巴比倫不是我用大能大力建為京都、要顯我威嚴的榮耀麼。
he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
31 這話在王口中尚未說完、有聲音從天降下、說、尼布甲尼撒王阿、有話對你說、你的國位離開你了．
The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
32 你必被趕出離開世人、與野地的獸同居、喫草如牛、且要經過七期．等你知道至高者在人的國中掌權、要將國賜與誰、就賜與誰。
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."
33 當時這話就應驗在尼布甲尼撒的身上、他被趕出離開世人、喫草如牛、身被天露滴濕、頭髮長長、好像鷹毛、指甲長長、如同鳥爪。
Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34 日子滿足、我尼布甲尼撒舉目望天、我的聰明復歸於我、我便稱頌至高者、讚美尊敬活到永遠的　神、他的權柄是永有的、他的國存到萬代。
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 世上所有的居民、都算為虛無、在天上的萬軍、和世上的居民中、他都憑自己的意旨行事．無人能攔住他手、或問他說、你作甚麼呢。
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"
36 那時我的聰明復歸於我、為我國的榮耀威嚴和光耀、也都復歸於我、並且我的謀士和大臣、也來朝見我．我又得堅立在國位上、至大的權柄加增於我。
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.
37 現在我尼布甲尼撒讚美尊崇恭敬天上的王、因為他所作的全都誠實、他所行的也都公平．那行動驕傲的、他能降為卑。
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.