engthening of thy tranquillity.

'All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months
he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. The king spake and said,
Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling
place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? 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. And thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling
shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made 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." 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 hair was grown like eagles' feathers,
and his nails like birds' claws. 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; for his dominion is an everlasting
dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation: 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? At
the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of
my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my
counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my
kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me.

'Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven;
for all his works are truth, and his ways judgement: and those that walk
in pride he is able to abase.'

VII

BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and
drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine,
commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar
his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the
king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink therein.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple
of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his l