, 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."

Daniel was astonished, and his thoughts greatly troubled him.

"Belteshazzar," said the king, "let not the dream or the interpretation
thereof give thee pain or uneasiness."

"My lord," said Daniel, "the dream is to them that hate thee, and the
interpretation thereof to thine enemies. The tree that thou sawest, which
grew and was strong, whose height reached into the heavens, and the sight
thereof to all the earth, 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. And whereas the king saw a watcher and
a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, 'Hew down the tree and
destroy it, yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even
with the 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,' this is the interpretation,
O king, and this is the decree of the Most High which is come upon my
lord the king: that they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling
shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee 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 to whomsoever he will. 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.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and break off
thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the
poor, if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility."

The king, conscious that the Hebrew was under peculiar inspiration, bowed
in solemn reverence, dismissed him in the most respectful manner, and
then threw himself on his couch, in the deepest agony of mind.

"The fates are against me! What shall I do? Shall I weep like a woman,
and sob like a corrected child? Shall the King of Babylon, the great
conqueror of nations, turn at last to be a coward? Shall the great
sovereign of Chaldea say he is sorry, beg pardon