Daniel 2
Daniel, by divine revelation, declares the dream of Nabuchodonosor, and the interpretation of it. He is highly honoured by the king.
In anno secundo regni Nabuchodonosor, vidit Nabuchodonosor somnium, et conterritus est spiritus ejus, et somnium ejus fugit ab eo.
In the second year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, Nabuchodonosor had a dream, and his spirit was terrified, and his dream went out of his mind.
Præcepit autem rex ut convocarentur arioli, et magi, et malefici, et Chaldæi, ut indicarent regi somnia sua. Qui cum venissent, steterunt coram rege.
Then the king commanded to call together the diviners and the wise men, and the magicians, and the Chaldeans: to declare to the king his dreams: so they came and stood before the king.
Et dixit ad eos rex: Vidi somnium, et mente confusus ignoro quid viderim.
And the king said to them: I saw a dream: and being troubled in mind I know not what I saw.
Responderuntque Chaldæi regi syriace: Rex, in sempiternum vive! dic somnium servis tuis, et interpretationem ejus indicabimus.
And the Chaldeans answered the king in Syriac: O king, live for ever: tell to thy servants thy dream, and we will declare the interpretation thereof.
Et respondens rex ait Chaldæis: Sermo recessit a me: nisi indicaveritis mihi somnium, et conjecturam ejus, peribitis vos, et domus vestræ publicabuntur.
And the king, answering, said to the Chaldeans: The thing is gone out of my mind: unless you tell me the dream, and the meaning thereof, you shall be put to death, and your houses shall be confiscated.
Si autem somnium, et conjecturam ejus narraveritis, præmia, et dona, et honorem multum accipietis a me. Somnium igitur, et interpretationem ejus indicate mihi.
But if you tell the dream, and the meaning of it, you shall receive of me rewards, and gifts, and great honour: therefore, tell me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
Responderunt secundo, atque dixerunt: Rex somnium dicat servis suis, et interpretationem illius indicabimus.
They answered again and said: Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation of it.
Respondit rex, et ait: Certe novi quod tempus redimitis, scientes quod recesserit a me sermo.
The king answered and said: I know for certain, that you seek to gain time, since you know that the thing is gone from me.
Si ergo somnium non indicaveritis mihi, una est de vobis sententia, quod interpretationem quoque fallacem, et deceptione plenam composueritis, ut loquamini mihi donec tempus pertranseat. Somnium itaque dicite mihi, ut sciam quod interpretationem quoque ejus veram loquamini.
If, therefore, you tell me not the dream, there is one sentence concerning you, that you have also framed a lying interpretation, and full of deceit, to speak before me till the time pass away. Tell me, therefore, the dream, that I may know that you also give a true interpretation thereof.
Respondentes ergo Chaldæi coram rege, dixerunt: Non est homo super terram, qui sermonem tuum, rex, possit implere: sed neque regum quisquam magnus et potens verbum hujuscemodi sciscitatur ab omni ariolo, et mago, et Chaldæo.
Then the Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: There is no man upon earth, that can accomplish thy word, O king; neither doth any king, though great and mighty, ask such a thing of any diviner, or wise man, or Chaldean.
Sermo enim, quem tu quæris, rex, gravis est: nec reperietur quisquam qui indicet illum in conspectu regis, exceptis diis, quorum non est cum hominibus conversatio.
For the thing that thou asketh, O king, is difficult: nor can any one be found that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose conversation is not with men.
Quo audito, rex, in furore et in ira magna, præcepit ut perirent omnes sapientes Babylonis.
Upon hearing this, the king in fury, and in great wrath, commanded that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death.
Et egressa sententia, sapientes interficiebantur: quærebanturque Daniel et socii ejus, ut perirent.
And the decree being gone forth, the wise men were slain: and Daniel and his companions were sought for, to be put to death.
Tunc Daniel requisivit de lege atque sententia ab Arioch principe militiæ regis, qui egressus fuerat ad interficiendos sapientes Babylonis.
Then Daniel inquired concerning the law and the sentence, of Arioch, the general of the king's army, who was gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon.
Et interrogavit eum, qui a rege potestatem acceperat, quam ob causam tam crudelis sententia a facie regis esset egressa. Cum ergo rem indicasset Arioch Danieli,
And he asked him that had received the orders of the king, why so cruel a sentence was gone forth from the face of the king. And when Arioch had told the matter to Daniel,
Daniel ingressus rogavit regem ut tempus daret sibi ad solutionem indicandam regi.
Daniel went in, and desired of the king, that he would give him time to resolve the question, and declare it to the king.
Et ingressus est domum suam, Ananiæque et Misaëli et Azariæ, sociis suis, indicavit negotium,
And he went into his house, and told the matter to Ananias, and Misael, and Azarias, his companions:
ut quærerent misericordiam a facie Dei cæli super sacramento isto, et non perirent Daniel et socii ejus cum ceteris sapientibus Babylonis.
To the end that they should ask mercy at the face of the God of heaven, concerning this secret, and that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Tunc Danieli mysterium per visionem nocte revelatum est: et benedixit Daniel Deum cæli,
Then was the mystery revealed to Daniel by a vision in the night: and Daniel blessed the God of heaven,
et locutus ait: Sit nomen Domini benedictum a sæculo et usque in sæculum: quia sapientia et fortitudo ejus sunt.
And speaking, he said: Blessed be the name of the Lord from eternity and for evermore: for wisdom and fortitude are his.
Et ipse mutat tempora, et ætates: transfert regna, atque constituit: dat sapientiam sapientibus, et scientiam intelligentibus disciplinam.
And he changeth times and ages: taketh away kingdoms, and establisheth them: giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding:
Ipse revelat profunda et abscondita, et novit in tenebris constituta: et lux cum eo est.
He revealeth deep and hidden things, and knoweth what is in darkness: and light is with him.
Tibi, Deus patrum nostrorum, confiteor, teque laudo, quia sapientiam et fortitudinem dedisti mihi, et nunc ostendisti mihi quæ rogavimus te, quia sermonem regis aperuisti nobis.
To thee, O God of our fathers, I give thanks, and I praise thee: because thou hast given me wisdom and strength: and now thou hast shewn me what we desired of thee, for thou hast made known to us the king's discourse.
Post hæc Daniel ingressus ad Arioch, quem constituerat rex ut perderet sapientes Babylonis, sic ei locutus est: Sapientes Babylonis ne perdas: introduc me in conspectu regis, et solutionem regi narrabo.
After this Daniel went in to Arioch, to whom the king had given orders to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and he spoke thus to him: Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will tell the solution to the king.
Tunc Arioch festinus introduxit Danielem ad regem, et dixit ei: Inveni hominem de filiis transmigrationis Juda, qui solutionem regi annuntiet.
Then Arioch in haste brought in Daniel to the king, and said to him: I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Juda, that will resolve the question to the king.
Respondit rex, et dixit Danieli, cujus nomen erat Baltassar: Putasne vere potes mihi indicare somnium, quod vidi, et interpretationem ejus?
The king answered, and said to Daniel, whose name was Baltassar: Thinkest thou indeed that thou canst tell me the dream that I saw, and the interpretation thereof?
Et respondens Daniel coram rege, ait: Mysterium, quod rex interrogat, sapientes, magi, arioli, et aruspices nequeunt indicare regi:
And Daniel made answer before the king, and said: The secret that the king desireth to know, none of the wise men, or the philosophers, or the diviners, or the soothsayers, can declare to the king.
sed est Deus in cælo revelans mysteria, qui indicavit tibi, rex Nabuchodonosor, quæ ventura sunt in novissimis temporibus. Somnium tuum, et visiones capitis tui in cubili tuo hujuscemodi sunt.
But there is a God in heaven that revealeth mysteries, who hath shewn to thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, what is to come to pass in the latter times. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these:
Tu, rex, cogitare cœpisti in strato tuo, quid esset futurum post hæc: et qui revelat mysteria, ostendit tibi quæ ventura sunt.
Thou, O king, didst begin to think in thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth mysteries shewed thee what shall come to pass.
Mihi quoque non in sapientia, quæ est in me plus quam in cunctis viventibus, sacramentum hoc revelatum est: sed ut interpretatio regi manifesta fieret, et cogitationes mentis tuæ scires.
To me also this secret is revealed, not by any wisdom that I have more than all men alive: but that the interpretation might be made manifest to the king, and thou mightest know the thought of thy mind.
Tu, rex, videbas, et ecce quasi statua una grandis: statua illa magna, et statura sublimis stabat contra te, et intuitus ejus erat terribilis.
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was as it were a great statue: this statue, which was great and high, tall of stature, stood before thee, and the look thereof was terrible.
Hujus statuæ caput ex auro optimo erat, pectus autem et brachia de argento, porro venter et femora ex ære,
The head of this statue was of fine gold, but the breast and the arms of silver, and the belly and the thighs of brass.
tibiæ autem ferreæ: pedum quædam pars erat ferrea, quædam autem fictilis.
And the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay.
Videbas ita, donec abscissus est lapis de monte sine manibus: et percussit statuam in pedibus ejus ferreis et fictilibus, et comminuit eos.
Thus thou sawest, till a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands: and it struck the statue upon the feet thereof that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
Tunc contrita sunt pariter ferrum, testa, æs, argentum, et aurum, et redacta quasi in favillam æstivæ areæ, quæ rapta sunt vento, nullusque locus inventus est eis: lapis autem, qui percusserat statuam, factus est mons magnus, et implevit universam terram.
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of a summer's threshing floor, and they were carried away by the wind: and there was no place found for them: but the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Hoc est somnium: interpretationem quoque ejus dicemus coram te, rex.
This is the dream: we will also tell the interpretation thereof before thee, O king.
Tu rex regum es: et Deus cæli regnum, et fortitudinem, et imperium, et gloriam dedit tibi:
Thou art a king of kings: and the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, and strength, and power, and glory:
et omnia, in quibus habitant filii hominum, et bestiæ agri: volucres quoque cæli dedit in manu tua, et sub ditione tua universa constituit: tu es ergo caput aureum.
And all places wherein the children of men, and the beasts of the field do dwell: he hath also given the birds of the air into thy hand, and hath put all things under thy power: thou, therefore, art the head of gold.
Et post te consurget regnum aliud minus te argenteum: et regnum tertium aliud æreum, quod imperabit universæ terræ.
And after thee shall rise up another kingdom, inferior to thee, of silver: and another third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all the world.
Et regnum quartum erit velut ferrum: quomodo ferrum comminuit, et domat omnia, sic comminuet, et conteret omnia hæc.
And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break, and destroy all these.
Porro quia vidisti pedum, et digitorum partem testæ figuli, et partem ferream, regnum divisum erit: quod tamen de plantario ferri orietur, secundum quod vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto.
And whereas thou sawest the feet, and the toes, part of potter's clay, and part of iron: the kingdom shall be divided, but yet it shall take its origin from the iron, according as thou sawest the iron mixed with the miry clay.
Et digitos pedum ex parte ferreos, et ex parte fictiles: ex parte regnum erit solidum, et ex parte contritum.
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay: the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
Quod autem vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto, commiscebuntur quidem humano semine, sed non adhærebunt sibi, sicut ferrum misceri non potest testæ.
And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall be mingled indeed together with the seed of man, but they shall not stick fast one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay.
In diebus autem regnorum illorum suscitabit Deus cæli regnum, quod in æternum non dissipabitur, et regnum ejus alteri populo non tradetur: comminuet autem, et consumet universa regna hæc, et ipsum stabit in æternum.
But in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people: and it shall break in pieces, and shall consume all these kingdoms: and itself shall stand for ever.
Secundum quod vidisti, quod de monte abscissus est lapis sine manibus, et comminuit testam, et ferrum, et æs, et argentum, et aurum, Deus magnus ostendit regi quæ ventura sunt postea: et verum est somnium, et fidelis interpretatio ejus.
According as thou sawest, that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and broke in pieces the clay and the iron, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold, the great God hath shewn the king what shall come to pass hereafter, and the dream is true, and the interpretation thereof is faithful.
Tunc rex Nabuchodonosor cecidit in faciem suam, et Danielem adoravit, et hostias, et incensum præcepit ut sacrificarent ei.
Then king Nabuchodonosor fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer in sacrifice to him victims and incense.
Loquens ergo rex, ait Danieli: Vere Deus vester Deus deorum est, et Dominus regum, et revelans mysteria: quoniam tu potuisti aperire hoc sacramentum.
And the king spoke to Daniel, and said: Verily, your God is the God of gods, and Lord of kings, and a revealer of hidden things: seeing thou couldst discover this secret.
Tunc rex Danielem in sublime extulit, et munera multa et magna dedit ei: et constituit eum principem super omnes provincias Babylonis, et præfectum magistratuum super cunctos sapientes Babylonis.
Then the king advanced Daniel to a high station, and gave him many and great gifts: and he made him governor over all the provinces of Babylon: and chief of the magistrates over all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel autem postulavit a rege, et constituit super opera provinciæ Babylonis Sidrach, Misach, et Abdenago: ipse autem Daniel erat in foribus regis.
And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, over the works of the province of Babylon: but Daniel himself was in the king's palace.