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1 I Nabuchodonosor, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace: 2 I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and the visions of my head, troubled me. 3 Then I set forth a decree, that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought in before me, and that they should show me the interpretation of the dream. 4 Then came in the diviners, the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers, and I told the dream before them: but they did not show me the interpretation thereof. 5 Till their colleague, Daniel, came in before me, whose name is Baltassar, according to the name of my god, who has in him the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him. 6 Baltassar, prince of the diviners, because I know that you have in you the spirit of the holy gods, and that no secret is impossible to you, tell me the visions of my dreams that I have seen, and the interpretation of them.

7 This was the vision of my head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was exceeding great. 8 The tree was great and strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven: the sight thereof was even to the ends of all the earth. 9 Its leaves were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much: and in it was food for all: under it dwelt cattle and beasts, and in the branches thereof the fowls of the air had their abode: and all flesh ate of it. 10 I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, and a holy one came down from heaven. 11 He cried aloud, and said thus: Cut down the tree, and chop off the branches thereof: shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruits: let the beasts fly away that are under it, and the birds from its branches. 12 Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be tied with a band of iron and of brass, among the grass, that is without, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the wild beasts in the grass of the earth. 13 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given him: and let seven times pass over him. 14 This is the decree by the sentence of the watchers, and the word and demand of the holy ones: till the living know, that the most High rules in the kingdom of men: and he will give it to whomsoever it shall please him, and he will appoint the basest man over it. 15 I, King Nabuchodonosor, saw this dream: you, therefore, O Baltassar, tell me quickly the interpretation: for all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to declare the meaning of it to me: but you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.

16 Then Daniel, whose name was Baltassar, began silently to think within himself for about one hour: and his thoughts troubled him. But the king answering, said: Baltassar, let not the dream and the interpretation thereof trouble you. Baltassar answered, and said: My lord, the dream be to them that hate you, and the interpretation thereof to your enemies. 17 The tree which you saw, which was high and strong, whose height reached to the skies, and the sight thereof into all the earth: 18 And the branches thereof were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and the birds of the air had their abode in its branches. 19 It is you, O king, who has grown great, and become mighty: for your greatness has grown, and has reached to heaven, and your power unto the ends of the earth. 20 And whereas the king saw a watcher, and a holy one come down from heaven, and say: Cut down the tree, and destroy it, but leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and brass, among the grass without, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, till seven times pass over him. 21 This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which has come upon my lord, the king. 22 They shall cast you out from among men, and your dwelling shall be with cattle, and with wild beasts, and you shall eat grass, as an ox, and shall be wet with the dew of heaven: and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the most High rules over the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will. 23 But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots thereof, that is, of the tree, should be left: your kingdom shall remain to you, after you shall have known that power is from heaven. 24 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and redeem your sins with alms, and your iniquities with works of mercy to the poor: perhaps he will forgive your offences.

 

 

25 All these things came upon King Nabuchodonosor. 26 At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of Babylon. 27 And the king answered, and said: Is not this the great Babylon, which I have built, to be the seat of the kingdom, by the strength of my power, and in the glory of my excellence? 28 And while the word was yet in the king's mouth, a voice came down from heaven: To you, O King Nabuchodonosor, it is said: Your kingdom shall pass from you. 29 And they shall cast you out from among men, and your dwelling shall be with cattle and wild beasts: you shall eat grass like an ox, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will. 30 The same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor, and he was driven away from among men, and ate grass, like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: till his hairs grew like the feathers of eagles, and his nails like birds' claws.

 

 

31 Now at the end of the days, I, Nabuchodonosor, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my sense was restored to me: and I blessed the most High, and I praised and glorified him that lives for ever: for his power is an everlasting power, and his kingdom is to all generations. 32 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing before him: for he does according to his will, as well with the powers of heaven, as among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none that can resist his hand, and say to him: Why have you done it? 33 At the same time my sense returned to me, and I came to the honour and glory of my kingdom: and my shape returned to me: and my nobles, and my magistrates, sought for me, and I was restored to my kingdom: and greater majesty was added to me. 34 Therefore I, Nabuchodonosor, do now praise, and magnify, and glorify the King of heaven: because all his works are true, and his ways judgments, and them that walk in pride he is able to abase.

 

 

 

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4:1-2 If certain things are divinely represented to any man by means of imaginary likenesses, as happened to Nabuchodonosor, such a man is not to be considered a prophet, unless his mind be enlightened for the purpose of judgment; and such an apparition is something imperfect in the genus of prophecy. Wherefore some have called this "prophetic ecstasy," and such is divination by dreams. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 4:6 prince of the diviners: One thing he said truly, and one falsely; for that he had the Holy Spirit was true, but he was not the master of the magicians, for he was no magician, but was wise through the Holy Spirit. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) It is not surprising if he had been appointed chief over all the soothsayers since he had at the king's order been taught the wisdom of the Chaldeans, and had besides been found ten times wiser than all the rest. (St. Jerome) 4:10 watcher: An early name for an angel. (Fr. Most) 4:16 Daniel silently understood that the dream was directed against the king, and his countenance showed forth the fear in his heart, and he felt sorry for the man who had conferred upon him the greatest of honor. And to avoid all appearance of taunting the king or glorying over him as an enemy, he only told him what he understood of the matter after he had begged to be excused. (St. Jerome)

4:7-20 The height, that is, of the tree, is his thoughts and the pride of his spirit. Its leaves is his army. Its fruits are his nobles. The cattle and beasts, and in the branches thereof the fowls of the air are the nations and kingdoms that he has subdued. All flesh ate of it because the silver and gold that were for the benefit of people were coined by his mint. A holy watcher is one of the angels. Its branches is his dominion. Its stumps and roots is said because his sovereignty will last until his return. The band of iron and of brass, among the grass are the words because when he is in the desert and feeds on vegetables, his sovereignty will stay with him in this manner, like something with iron and bronze. (Ishodad of Merv) 4:24 alms: Daniel's advice meant that he should give up sin and repent, and so make satisfaction by giving alms. (St. Thomas Aquinas) The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort at reconciliation with one's neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one's neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1434)

 

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4:25-30 The episode of Nabuchodonosor's temporary insanity(boanthropy) does seem strange. Yet we notice that the Babylonian records carry no entries of military activity on his part between 582 and 575. Boanthropy was a mental disease comparable to the better known lycanthropy. The victim being constantly in the open in the difficult climate (range from 110 or 120 down to below freezing in winter, with high humidity) would develop coarser skin. His hair never being cut would be matted and coarse and his nails would grow long. (Fr. Most)

Often, when means are abundant, and many things can be done for subordinates to admire, the mind exalts itself in thought, and fully provokes to itself the anger of the judge, though not breaking out in overt acts of iniquity. For he who judges is within; that which is judged is within. When, then, in heart we transgress, what we are doing within ourselves is hidden from men. but yet in the eyes of the judge we sin. (St. Pope Leo the Great)

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4:32 according to His will: This too Nebuchadnezzar expresses like a worldly man. For God does not simply do what He wishes, but rather God wishes only that which is good. Nebuchadnezzar, however, expressed himself in this way, in order that even while he declared God's power, he

might appear to impugn God's justice, on the ground that he had suffered unmerited punishment. (St. Jerome) Notice when He takes vengeance, consider Him likewise when He shows mercy. (Tertullian)