1 WYC Nabugodonosor, the kyng, writith thus to alle puplis and langagis, that dwellen in al erthe, pees be multiplied to you. BSB BSB: King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.
2 WYC Hiy God made at me myraclis and merueils; BSB BSB: I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3 WYC therfor it pleside me to preche hise myraclis, for tho ben greet, and hise merueils, for tho ben stronge; and his rewme is an euerlastynge rewme, and his power is in generacioun and in to generacioun. BSB BSB: How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation.
4 WYC I, Nabugodonosor, was restful in myn hous, and flourynge in my paleis; BSB BSB: I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
5 WYC Y siy a dreem, that made me aferd; and my thouytis in my bed, and the siytis of myn heed disturbliden me. BSB BSB: I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
6 WYC And a decre was set forth bi me, that alle the wise men of Babiloyne schulden be brouyt in bifor my siyt, and that thei schulden schewe to me the soilyng of the dreem. BSB BSB: So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
7 WYC Than false dyuynours, astronomyens, Caldeis, and biholderis of auteris entriden; and Y telde the dreem in the siyt of hem, and thei schewiden not to me the soilyng therof, til the felowe in office, BSB BSB: When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
8 WYC Danyel, to whom the name was Balthasar, bi the name of my God, entride in my siyt, which Danyel hath the spirit of hooli goddis in hym silf; and Y spak the dreem bifor hym. BSB BSB: But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream:
9 WYC Balthasar, prince of dyuynouris, whom Y knowe, that thou hast in thee the spirit of hooli goddis, and ech sacrament, ether preuytee, is not vnpossible to thee, telle thou to me the visiouns of my dreemes, whiche Y siy, and the soilyng of tho. BSB BSB: “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation.
10 WYC This is the visioun of myn heed in my bed. Y siy, and lo! a tree was in the myddis of erthe, and the hiynesse therof was ful greet. BSB BSB: In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: There was a tree in the midst of the land, and its height was great.
11 WYC And the tree was greet and strong, and the heiythe therof touchide heuene, and the biholdynge therof was `til to the endis of al erthe. BSB BSB: The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12 WYC The leeuys therof weren ful faire, and the fruyt therof was ful myche, and the mete of alle was in it; beestis and wielde beestis dwelliden vndur it, and briddis of the eir lyuyden in the braunchis therof, and ech man ete of it. BSB BSB: Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and upon it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, in its branches the birds of the air nested, and from it every creature was fed.
13 WYC Thus Y siy in the visioun of myn heed, on my bed. And lo! a wakere, and hooli man cam doun fro heuene, BSB BSB: As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14 WYC and he criede strongli, and seide thus, Hewe ye doun the tree, and kitte ye doun the bowis therof, and schake ye awei the leeuys therof, and scatere ye abrood the fruytis therof; beestis fle awei, that be vndur it, and briddis fro the bowis therof. BSB BSB: He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.
15 WYC Netheles suffre ye the seed of rootis therof in erthe, and be he boondun with a boond of irun and of bras, in erbis that ben with out forth, and in the deew of heuene be he died, and his part be with wielde beestis in the erbe of erthe. BSB BSB: But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.
16 WYC His herte be chaungid fro mannus herte, and the herte of a wielde beeste be youun to hym, and seuene tymes be chaungid on hym. BSB BSB: Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.
17 WYC In the sentence of wakeris it is demed, and it is the word and axyng of seyntis, til lyuynge men knowe, that hiy God is Lord in the rewme of men; and he schal yyue it to whom euere he wole, and he schal ordeyne on it the mekeste man. BSB BSB: This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
18 WYC Y, Nabugodonosor, the kyng, siy this dreem. Therfor thou, Balthasar, telle hastili the interpretyng, for alle the wise men of my rewme moun not seie to me the soilyng; but thou maist, for the spirit of hooli goddis is in thee. BSB BSB: This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19 WYC Thanne Danyel, to whom the name was Balthasar, began to thenke priueli with ynne hym silf, as in oon our, and hise thouytis disturbliden hym. Forsothe the kyng answeride, and seide, Balthasar, the dreem and the interpretyng therof disturble not thee. Balthasar answeride, and seide, My lord, the dreem be to hem that haten thee, and the interpretyng therof be to thin enemyes. BSB BSB: For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” “My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
20 WYC The tree which thou siyest hiy and strong, whos heiythe stretchith `til to heuene, and the biholdyng therof in to ech lond, BSB BSB: The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
21 WYC and the faireste braunchis therof, and the fruyt therof ful myche, and the mete of alle in it, and beestis of the feeld dwellynge vndur it, and the briddis of the eir dwellynge in the boowis therof, BSB BSB: whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested—
22 WYC thou art, kyng, that art magnefied, and wexidist strong, and thi greetnesse encreesside, and cam `til to heuene, and thi power in to the endis of al erthe. BSB BSB: you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.
23 WYC Sotheli that the kyng siy a wakere and hooli come doun fro heuene, and seie, Hewe ye doun the tree, and distrie ye it, netheles leeue ye the seed of rootis therof in erthe, and be he boundun with irun and bras, in erbis with out forth, and be he bispreynt with the deew of heuene, and his mete be with wielde beestis, til seuene tymes be chaungid on hym; BSB BSB: And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’
24 WYC this is the interpretyng of the sentence of the hiyeste, which sentence is comun on my lord, the kyng. BSB BSB: This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25 WYC Thei schulen caste thee out fro men, and thi dwellyng schal be with beestys and wielde beestis, and thou schalt ete hey, as an oxe doith, but also thou schalt be bisched with the dew of heuene, also seuene tymes schulen be chaungid on thee, til thou knowe, that hiy God is Lord `on the rewme of men, and yyueth it to whom euer he wole. BSB BSB: You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.
26 WYC Forsothe that he comaundide, that the seed of rootis therof, that is, of the tree, schulde be left, thi rewme schal dwelle to thee, aftir that thou knowist that the power is of heuene. BSB BSB: As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 WYC Wherfor, kyng, my counsel plese thee, and ayenbie thi synnes with almesdedis, and ayenbie thi wickidnessis with mercies of pore men; in hap God schal foryyue thi trespassis. BSB BSB: Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”
28 WYC Alle these thingis camen on Nabugodonosor, the kyng. BSB BSB: All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 WYC After the ende of twelue monethis he walkide in the halle of Babiloyne; BSB BSB: Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
31 WYC Whanne the word was yit in the mouth of the kyng, a vois felle doun fro heuene, Nabugodonosor, kyng, it is seid to thee, Thi rewme is passid fro thee, BSB BSB: While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you.
32 WYC and thei schulen caste thee out fro men, and thi dwellyng schal be with beestis and wielde beestis; thou schalt ete hey, as an oxe doith, and seuene tymes schulen be chaungid on thee, til thou knowe, that hiy God is Lord in the rewme of men, and yyueth it to whom euere he wole. BSB BSB: You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”
33 WYC In the same our the word was fillid on Nabugodonosor, and he was cast out fro men, and he eet hey, as an oxe doith, and his bodi was colouryd with the deew of heuene, til hise heeris wexiden at the licnesse of eglis, and hise nailis as the nailis of briddis. BSB BSB: At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and 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 WYC Therfor after the ende of daies, Y, Nabugodonosor, reiside myn iyen to heuene, and my wit was yoldun to me; and Y blesside the hiyeste, and Y heriede, and glorifiede hym that lyueth with outen ende; for whi his power is euerlastynge power, and his rewme is in generacioun and in to generacioun. BSB BSB: But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 WYC And alle the dwelleris of erthe ben arettid in to noyt at hym; for bi his wille he doith, bothe in the vertues of heuene, and in the dwelleris of erthe, and noon is, that ayenstondith his hond, and seith to hym, Whi didist thou so? BSB BSB: All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
36 WYC In that tyme my wit turnede ayen to me, and Y cam fulli to the onour and fairnesse of my rewme, and my figure turnede ayen to me; and my beste men and my magistratis souyten me, and Y was set in my rewme, and my greet doyng was encreessid grettir to me. BSB BSB: At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
37 WYC Now therfor Y Nabugodonosor herie, and magnefie, and glorifie the kyng of heuene; for alle hise werkis ben trewe, and alle his weies ben domes; and he may make meke hem that goon in pride. BSB BSB: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
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