Study Desk

So the king gave word to call for the sacred scribes and for the magicians, and for the users of incantations, and for the Chaldeans, that they might tell the king his dreams, - they came in therefore, and stood before the king.

That, if, the dream, ye shall not make known to me, one and the same, is the decree, and, a lying and wicked word, have ye agreed to speak before me, that meanwhile the time may be changed, - therefore, the dream, tell ye me, so shall I know that, the interpretation thereof, ye can declare for me.

For this cause, the king, was provoked and exceedingly indignant, - and gave word to destroy all the wise men of Babylon;

he began to speak and said to Arioch the king's captain, - For what cause, is the decree raging forth from before the king? Then did Arioch make the matter known unto Daniel.

Unto the, O God of my fathers, do I render thanks and praise, in that, wisdom and might, thou hast given unto me, - yea, already, hast thou made known to me that which we desired of thee, for, the matter of the king, hast thou made known unto us.

As for thee, O king, thy thoughts upon thy bed, arose regarding what should come to pass hereafter; and, he that revealeth secrets, made known to thee what shall come to pass.

But, as for me - not for any wisdom that is in me, more than any of the living, is, this secret, revealed to me, - therefore, it is in order that, the interpretation - unto the king, they should make known, and that, the thoughts of thy heart, thou shouldst get to know.

As for thee, O king, thou wast looking, when lo! a great image, this image, being mighty, and the brightness thereof surpassing, was standing before thee, - and, the appearance thereof, was terrible.

As for this image, its head, was of fine gold, its breast and its arms, were of silver, - its belly and its thighs, of bronze;

Then were broken in pieces at once, the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, and became like chaff out of the summer threshing-floors, and the wind, carried them away, and, no place, was found for them, - but, the stone that smote the image, became a mighty rock, and filled all the land.

Thou, O king, art the king of kings, - for, the God of the heavens, hath given unto thee, the kingship, the might, the power and the dignity;

they spake, and said, to Nebuchadnezzar the king: O king! for ages, live!

The foliage thereof, was beautiful, and, the fruit thereof, abundant, and there was food for all therein, - under it, the wild beast of the field found shade, and, among its branches, dwelt the birds of the heavens, and, therefrom, was well fed, all flesh.

Then, Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for about one moment, and, his thoughts, troubled him. The king spake and said, O Belteshazzar, let neither, the dream, nor the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My Lord, The dream, be for them who hate thee, and, the interpretation, for them who are thy foes.

Whose, foliage, was beautiful, and whose, fruit, abundant, and, food for all, was in it, - under it, dwelt the wild beasts of the field, and, in the branches thereof, nestled the birds of the heavens:

the king spake and said, Is not, this, Babylon the great, - which, I myself, have built as the home of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the dignity of my majesty?

At the same time, mine understanding, returned unto me, and, for the dignity of my kingdom, my majesty and my brightness, returned unto me, and, unto me, my nearest friends and my nobles, did seek, - and, over my kingdom, was I restored, and, surpassing greatness, was added unto me.

Then, as for the king, his bright looks, changed in him, and, his thoughts, terrified him, - and, the joints of his loins, were loosed, and, his knees, smote, one against another.

The queen, by reason of the words of the king and his nobles, into the house of banqueting, entered, - the queen spake and said, O king! for ages, live! Let not thy thoughts, terrify thee, and, as for thy bright looks, let them not be changed.

Then spake Daniel, and said before the king, As for thy gifts, thine own let them remain, and, thy presents, on another, bestow, - howbeit, the writing, will I read to the king, and, the interpretation thereof, will I make known to him.