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Rh heaven. 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.
 * Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth,
 * Even in 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;
 * 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.
 * The matter is by the decree of the watchers,
 * And the sentence 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.

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.'

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while, and his thoughts affrighted him. The king spoke and said: 'Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, affright thee.' Belteshazzar answered and said: 'My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 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 fowls of the heaven had their habitation; 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. 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 in 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—this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king, 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. And whereas it was 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. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by almsgiving, and