1 Na Nepukaneha, na te kingi ki nga tangata katoa, ki nga iwi, ki nga reo e noho ana i te whenua katoa; kia whakanuia to koutou rangimarie.

2 I mea ahau e pai ana kia whakakitea nga tohu me nga mea whakamiharo i mahia nei e te Atua, e te Runga Rawa ki ahau.

3 Ano te nui o ana tohu! ano te nui o ana mea whakamiharo! ko tona kingitanga he kingitanga mau tonu, ko tona kawanatanga kei tera whakatupuranga, kei tera whakatupuranga.

4 I te ata noho ahau, a Nepukaneha, i roto i toku whare, koa tonu i roto i toku whare kingi:

5 Ka kite ahau i tetahi moe i wehi ai ahau; raruraru ana ahau i nga whakaaro i runga i toku moenga, i nga mea ano hoki i kitea e toku mahunga.

6 Na reira i puaki ai taku ture kia kawea mai nga tangata whakaaro nui katoa o Papurona ki toku aroaro, kia whakakitea ai e ratou te tikanga o te moe ki ahau.

7 Na, ko te haerenga mai o nga tohunga maori, o nga kaititiro whetu, o nga Karari, ratou ko nga tohunga tuaahu, korerotia ana e ahau te moe ki to ratou aroaro: heoi kihai i whakaaturia mai e ratou tona tikanga ki ahau.

8 Nawai a kua tae mai ki toku aroaro a Raniera, ko tona ingoa nei ko Peretehatara, ko te ingoa o toku atua, he tangata kei a ia nei te wairua o nga atua tapu; a korerotia ana e ahau te moe ki tona aroaro; i mea ahau,

9 E Peretehatara, e te rangatira o nga tohunga maori, e mohio ana hoki ahau kei a koe te wairua o nga atua tapu, e kore koe e he ki tetahi mea ngaro, whakaaturia mai ki ahau nga mea i puta mai, te moemoea i kitea e ahau, me te tikanga o aua mea.

10 Ko nga mea enei i kitea e toku mahunga i runga i toku moenga; titiro rawa atu ahau, na ko tetahi rakau i waenganui o te whenua, nui atu tona tiketike.

11 Kua tupu taua rakau, kua kaha, roa tonu, tutuki tonu ki te rangi, he mea hoki i kitea mai i nga pito o te whenua katoa.

12 Ataahua tonu nga rau, he maha nga hua, a i runga i a ia he kai ma te katoa: i whai taumarumarunga iho nga kirehe o te parae i raro i a ia, i noho ano nga manu o te rangi i runga i ona manga, i reira hoki nga kikokiko katoa e kai ana.

13 I kite ahau i roto i nga mea i kitea e toku mahunga i runga i toku moenga, na he tutei, he mea tapu, e heke iho ana i te rangi;

14 Nui atu tana karanga; i mea ia, Tuaina te rakau, poutoutoa ona manga, whakahoroa ona rau, titaria ona hua; kia haere atu nga kararehe i raro i a ia, me nga manu i ona manga:

15 Me waiho ano ia te take o ona pakiaka i te whenua, here rawa ki te rino, ki te parahi, i roto i te taru hou o te parae; kia maku ano i te tomairangi o te rangi; na, ko te wahi mona kei to nga kararehe, kei te tarutaru o te whenua:

16 Kia puta ke tona ngakau tangata, kia hoatu he ngakau kararehe ki a ia, kia whitu hoki ona wa e taka.

17 Ko tenei mea he mea whakatakoto na nga tutei; he mea ki mai ano na te kupu a nga mea tapu: kia mohio ai te hunga ora kei te kawana te Runga Rawa ki te kingitanga o nga tangata, a e hoatu ana e ia ki tana e pai ai, e meinga ana hoki e ia nga ware rawa o nga tangata hei rangatira mo reira.

18 Ko tenei moe, he mea kite naku, na Kingi Nepukaneha. Na mau, e Peretehatara, e whakaatu mai tona tikanga, kahore nei hoki i taea e nga tangata whakaaro nui katoa o toku kingitanga te whakaatu te tikanga ki ahau; e taea ia e koe, kei roto na hoki i a koe te wairua o nga atua tapu.

19 Katahi a Raniera, ko tona ingoa nei ko Peretehatara, ka ketekete, he wa poto ano, a raruraru ana ia i ona whakaaro. Ka whakahoki te kingi, ka mea, Kei raruraru koe, e Peretehatara, i te moe, i tona tikanga ranei. Ka whakahoki a Peretehatara, ka mea, E toku ariki, waiho tenei moe mo te hunga e kino ana ki a koe, me tona tikanga ano mo ou hoariri.

20 Ko te rakau i kite na koe, ko tera i tupu ra, a kua kaha, ko tona tiketike nei i tutuki atu ki te rangi, a i kitea hoki e te whenua katoa;

21 Ko ona rau he ataahua, he maha ona hua, a he kai i runga ma te katoa; a i noho nga kararehe o te parae i raro i a ia, he nohoanga hoki a runga i ona manga no nga manu o te rangi:

22 Ko koe, e te kingi, kua tupu na, kua kaha na: kua tupu na hoki tou nui, kua tutuki atu ki te rangi, me tou kingitanga ki te pito o te whenua.

23 Na, i kite na te kingi i te tutei, i te mea tapu hoki e heke iho ana i te rangi, e mea ana, Tuaina te rakau, whakangaromia; me waiho ano ia te take o ona pakiaka ki te whenua, here rawa ki te rino, ki te parahi, i te taru hou o te parae; kia mak u ano i te tomairangi o te rangi; a ko te wahi mona, hei to nga kararehe o te parae, kia taka ra ano ona wa e whitu;

24 Ko te tikanga tenei, E te kingi, ko te ture ano tenei a te Runga Rawa ka tae iho nei ki runga ki toku ariki, ki te kingi:

25 Ara kia aia atu koe i roto i nga tangata, ki nga kararehe o te parae he nohoanga mou, kia meinga ano koe kia kai tarutaru, kia pera me nga kau, kia maku ano i te tomairangi o te rangi, a e whitu nga wa ou ka taka; kia mohio ra ano koe kei te kaw ana te Runga Rawa ki te kingitanga o nga tangata, a e hoatu ana e ia ki tana e pai ai.

26 Na, ko te kainga mai ra kia waiho te take o nga pakiaka o te rakau: ka pumau ki a koe tou kingitanga, ina mohio koe ko nga rangi hei kawana.

27 Mo reira kia manakohia mai toku whakaaro e koe, e te kingi, kia whatiia atu ano ou hara e te tika, kia whatiia ano ou kino e te mahi tohu ki nga rawakore; a tera pea e roa tou ata noho.

28 I pa katoa mai tenei ki a Kingi Nepukaneha.

29 I te mutunga o nga marama kotahi tekau ma rua e haereere ana ia i te whare kingi o Papurona.

30 Ka korero te kingi, ka mea, He teka ianei ko Papurona nui tenei i hanga nei e ahau hei whare mo te kingitanga; he nui no toku kaha, hei whakahonore ano mo toku kororia?

31 I te kupu ano i te mangai o te kingi ka pa he reo no te rangi, E Kingi Nepukaneha, he kupu tenei ki a koe: ka riro tou kingitanga.

32 Ka aia atu ano koe i roto i nga tangata, a ko te kainga mou kei nga kararehe o te parae: ka meinga koe kia kai tarutaru, kia pera me nga kau, a e whitu nga wa ou ka taka; kia mohio ra ano koe kei te kawana te Runga Rawa ki te kingitanga o nga ta ngata, a e hoatu ana e ia ki tana e pai ai.

33 I taua haora ano ka rite taua mea ki a Nepukaneha: na ka aia atu ia i roto i nga tangata, a kai tarutaru ana ia, pera ana me nga kau, i maku ano tona tinana i te tomairangi o te rangi, tupu noa iho ona huruhuru, kei nga huruhuru ekara te rite, o na matikuku rite tonu ki o te manu.

34 Na i te mutunga o nga ra ka anga ake nga kanohi oku, o Nepukaneha, ki te rangi, a hoki mai ana toku ngakau mahara ki ahau, a whakapaingia ana e ahau te Runga Rawa, whakamoemiti atu ana ahau, whakahonore ana i a ia, e ora tonu ana hoki ia, he ran gatiratanga mau tonu tona rangatiratanga, ko tona kingitanga ano kei tera whakatupuranga, kei tera whakatupuranga.

35 Ki ta te whakaaro he kahore noa iho nga tangata katoa o te whenua: a e mahia ana e ia tana e pai ai i roto i te ope o te rangi, i waenga ano o nga tangata o te whenua; e kore ano tona ringa e taea te pupuri e tetahi, kahore hoki he kianga ki a i a, E aha ana koe?

36 I taua wa ano ka hoki mai oku mahara ki ahau; i hoki mai ano toku honore me toku ahua rangatira ki ahau, hei whakakororia mo toku kingitanga; i rapua mai ano ahau e aku kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro, e aku ariki; na ka u ahau ki toku kingitanga, a nui atu te kororia i whakanekehia ake moku.

37 Na, tenei ahau, a Nepukaneha, te whakamoemiti, te whakanui, te whakahonore nei i te Kingi o te rangi; he pono hoki ana mahi katoa, ko ona ara he whakarite whakawa: ko te hunga ano e haere ana i runga i te whakapehapeha, ka taea e ia te whakaiti.

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. 2 It hath seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath wrought toward me. 3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying, 9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 10 Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height thereof was great. 11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. 12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it. 13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven. 14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches. 15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 16 let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men. 18 This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries. 20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation: 22 it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25 that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. 30 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? 31 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: 32 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. 33 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.

34 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 honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation; 35 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? 36 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. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.