Upon this the Chaldeans answered the king in the Syrians' speech, "O king, God save thy life forever. Show thy servants the dream, and we shall show thee, what it meaneth."

I thank thee, and pray thee, O thou God of my fathers, that thou hast lent me wisdom and strength, and hast showed me the thing that we desired of thee, for thou hast opened the king's matter unto me."

O king, thou didst cast in thy mind, what should come hereafter: So he that is the opener of mysteries, telleth thee what is for to come.

Thou king sawest, and behold: there stood before thee a great Image, whose figure was marvelous great, and his visage grim.

O king, thou art a king of kings: For the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, riches, strength, and majesty:

And hath delivered thee all things that are among the children of men: the beasts of the field, and the fowls under the heaven, and given thee dominion over them all. Thou art that golden head.

After thee there shall arise another kingdom, which shall be less than thine. The third kingdom shall be like copper, and have domination in all lands.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, an said, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we ought not to consent unto thee in this matter. For why?

"O Balteshazzar, thou prince of soothsayers: Forsomuch as I know that thou hast the spirit of the holy gods, and no secret is hid from thee. Tell me therefore, what the vision of my dream that I have seen may signify.

This is the dream, that I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Therefore O Balteshazzar, tell thou me what it signifieth: forsomuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to show me, what it meaneth. But thou canst do it, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee."

Then Daniel, whose name was Balteshazzar, held his peace by the space of a hour and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spake, and said, "O Balteshazzar, let neither the dream nor the interpretation thereof fear thee." Balteshazzar answered saying, "O my lord, this dream happen to thine enemies, and the interpretation to thine adversaries!

Thou shalt be cast out from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: with grass shalt thou be fed like an ox. Thou must be wet with the dew of the heaven: yea, seven years shall come and go upon thee, till thou know that the highest hath power upon the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whom he list.

Moreover, whereas it was said that the root of the tree should be left still in the ground: it betokeneth that thy kingdom shall remain whole unto thee, after thou hast learned to know that the power cometh from heaven.

While these words were yet in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, "O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee be it spoken, 'Thy kingdom is departed from thee.

Thou shalt be cast out of men's company: thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, so that thou shalt eat grass like as an ox, till seven years be come and gone over thee: even until thou knowest, that the highest hath power upon the kingdoms of men, and that he may give them, unto whom it pleaseth him.'"

So by reason of this matter, that had happened to the king and his lords, the queen went up herself into the banquet house, and spake unto the king, saying, "O king, God save thy life forever: Let not the thoughts trouble thee, and let not thy countenance be changed.

I have heard speak of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the holy gods, experience and understanding, and that there hath been great wisdom found in thee.

but hast magnified thyself above the LORD of heaven, so that the vessels of his house were brought before thee: that thou, and thy lords, with thy queen and concubines, might drink wine thereout: and hast praised the Idols of silver and gold, copper and iron, of wood and stone. As for the God in whose hand consisteth thy breath and all thy ways: thou hast not loved him.

All the great estates of the realm - as the princes, dukes, senators and judges - are determined to put out a commandment of the king, and to make a sure statute. Namely, that whoso desireth any petition, either of any god or man within this thirty days, except it be only of thee, O king: the same person may be cast into the lions' den.

Then answered they, and said unto the king, "Daniel one of the prisoners of Judah, O king, regardeth neither thee nor thy statute that thou hast made, but maketh his petition three times a day."

Then the king had them bring Daniel, and cast him into the Lions' den. The king also spake unto Daniel, and said, "Thy God whom thou always servest, even he shall defend thee."

Now as he came nigh unto the den, he cried with a piteous voice unto Daniel: Yea, the king spake, and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, thou servant of the living God, is not thy God, whom thou alway servest, able to deliver thee from the lions?"

My God hath sent his angel, which hath shut the lions' mouths, so that they might not hurt me. For why? Mine unguiltiness is found out before him. And as for thee, O king, I never offended thee."

saying, "Behold, I will show thee what shall happen in the last wrath: for in the time appointed it shall be fulfilled.

And this vision that is showed unto thee, is as sure as the evening and the morning. Therefore write thou upon this sight, for it will be long before it come to pass."

I prayed before the LORD my God, and knowledged, saying, "O LORD, thou great and fearful God, thou that keepest covenant and mercy with them which love thee, and do thy commandments:

O LORD righteousness belongeth unto thee; unto us pertaineth nothing but open shame: as it is come to pass this day unto every man of Judah, and to them that dwell at Jerusalem. Yea, unto all Israel, whether they be far or nigh, throughout all lands wherein thou hast strawed them, because of the offenses that they had done against thee.

Yea O LORD: Unto us, to our kings and princes, to our forefathers, even to us all that have offended thee, belongeth open shame.

But unto thee O LORD our God, pertaineth mercy and forgiveness. As for us, we are gone back from him,

O LORD, and done wickedly against all thy righteousness: Yet let thy wrathful displeasure be turned away, I beseech thee, from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy hill. And why? For our sins' sake, and for the wickedness of our forefathers is Jerusalem and thy people abhorred, of all them that are about us.

O my God, incline thine ear, and hearken; at the least for thine own sake, open thine eyes. Behold how we be desolated: yea, and the city also, which is called after thy name. For we do not cast our prayers before thee in our own righteousnesses, no, but only in thy great mercies.

He informed me, and spake unto me, "O Daniel," said he, "I am now come, to make thee understand it:

For as soon as thou begannest to make thy prayer, it was so devised, and therefore am I come to show thee. And why? For thou art a man greatly beloved. Wherefore, ponder the matter well, that thou mayest learn to understand the vision.

saying unto me, "O Daniel, thou well beloved man: take good heed of the words, that I shall say unto thee, and stand right up, for unto thee am I now sent." And when he had said these words, I stood up trembling.

Then said he unto me, "Fear not, Daniel: for why? Since the first day that thou set thine heart to understand, and didst chasten thyself before thy God: thy words have been heard. And I had come unto thee, when thou begannest to speak,

and am come to show thee what shall happen unto thy people in the latter days: For it will be long yet before the vision be fulfilled."

saying, "O thou man so well beloved, fear not: be content, take a good heart unto thee, and be strong." So when he had spoken unto me, I recovered, and said, "Speak on, my lord, for thou hast refreshed me."

Then said he, "Knowest thou wherefore I am come unto thee? Now will I go again to fight with the prince of the Persians: As soon as I go forth, lo, the prince of Greekland shall come.

Nevertheless, I will show thee the thing that is fast noted in the scripture of truth. And as for all yonder matters, there is none that helpeth me in them, but Michael your prince.

and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland.