Daniel 2

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's rule, he was haunted by dreams that disturbed his soul and robbed him of sleep.

Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

The king urgently summoned the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, eager to understand his dreams. They arrived and respectfully stood in his presence.

And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

The king confessed to them, "I had a dream that deeply unsettled my soul, and I'm anxious to understand it."

Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.

The Chaldeans, with respect and reverence, addressed the king, "May you live eternally, O King. Share your dream with us, and we will provide its meaning."

The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

The king responded to the Chaldeans, his voice laced with frustration, "I've forgotten my dream. If you can't tell me what it was and explain its meaning, you'll be cut into pieces, and your homes will be reduced to rubble."

But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

If you share your dream and its meaning with me, I'll reward you with gifts, honor, and praise. So, please, tell me about your dream and what it signifies.

They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.

They responded once more, "Please, let the king share his dream with us, his servants, and we will help him understand its meaning."

The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

The king replied, 'I know for certain that you are trying to gain time, because you know the dream has gone from my memory.'

But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

If you don't reveal your dream to me, there's only one outcome for you. You've been planning to deceive me with false words until circumstances change. So, tell me your dream, and I'll know you can explain its meaning to me.

The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

The Chaldeans responded to the king, saying, "No one on earth can reveal the king's request. No king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such a thing of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean."

And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

It's unusual for the king to ask for something that no one but the divine, who don't live among mortals, can provide.

For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

The king, in his rage and fury, ordered the execution of all Babylon's intellectuals.

And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

An order was issued for the execution of the wise men, and they were hunting for Daniel and his friends to kill them. Their hearts were heavy with fear and uncertainty.

Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

Daniel, filled with wisdom and calm, bravely spoke to Arioch, the king's chief guard, who was on a mission to kill Babylon's wise men:

He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

He responded to Arioch, the king's commander, with a hint of surprise, "Why is the king rushing his decision?" Upon hearing this, Arioch promptly explained the situation to Daniel.

Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

Daniel bravely approached the king, pleading for time to unravel the meaning of the king's vision.

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

Daniel hurried home, his heart pounding, and quickly shared the news with his dear friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

They prayed for God's mercy to reveal the mystery, hoping to save Daniel and his friends from the same fate as Babylon's wise men.

Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

In a dream one night, the mystery was unveiled to Daniel. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he praised the God of the skies.

Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

Daniel responded with gratitude, "Praise God's name eternally, for He is the source of all wisdom and strength."

And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

He transforms time and seasons, dethrones and crowns kings. He blesses the wise with wisdom, and enlightens those who seek understanding.

He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

He unveils the hidden mysteries and depths; He's aware of what's concealed in the shadows, and He is the home of light.

I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

With gratitude and joy, I thank you, God of my ancestors, for blessing me with wisdom and strength. You've revealed to me what we've longed to know, sharing with us the king's concerns.

Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.

So, Daniel approached Arioch, the man the king had ordered to kill Babylon's wise men. With a heavy heart, he pleaded, "Don't harm the wise men. Let me see the king. I can explain everything to him."

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king's presence, excitedly announcing, "I've found a captive from Judah who can reveal the meaning of your dreams, my king!"

The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

The king turned to Daniel, known also as Belteshazzar, his voice filled with hope and desperation. "Can you, Daniel, reveal the mystery of the dream that haunts me and explain its meaning?"

Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;

Daniel, standing before the king, bravely declared, "The mystery you seek, O King, is beyond the grasp of your wise men, astrologers, magicians, and fortune tellers."

But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

In heaven, there's a God who unveils mysteries. He's shown King Nebuchadnezzar what the future holds. Your dreams and visions are His messages.

As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

O King, while you were in bed, you pondered about the future. The one who unveils mysteries has shown you what is to come.

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

I've been given this secret not because I'm wiser than anyone else, but so I can explain it to the king and help him understand the thoughts of his mind.

Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

You, dear king, witnessed a magnificent vision. A radiant and awe-inspiring figure stood before you, its presence both grand and terrifying.

This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

The statue's head shone with pure gold, its chest and arms gleamed with silver, while its belly and thighs radiated the strength of brass.

His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

His legs were as strong as iron, his feet a mix of iron's strength and clay's fragility.

Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

You watched as a stone, not shaped by human hands, struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, shattering them.

Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

The iron, clay, brass, silver, and gold all shattered, becoming as insignificant as summer's leftover chaff, swept away by the wind, leaving no trace. The stone that caused this destruction grew into a mighty mountain, covering the entire earth.

This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

This is the vision; we'll explain its meaning to the king with clarity and sincerity.

Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

You, dear king, are the greatest among kings. The God from the heavens has blessed you with a kingdom, power, strength, and glory.

And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

Wherever people live, God has placed them in your hands, along with the wild animals and the birds, and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

After you, a lesser kingdom will rise, followed by a third, a brass kingdom, that will govern the entire world.

And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

The fourth reign will be as unyielding and powerful as iron, shattering and dominating everything. Just as iron crushes all, this kingdom will shatter and wound.

And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

You saw feet and toes, some made of clay, some of iron. This symbolizes a divided kingdom. Yet, it will still hold some strength, like the iron you saw mixed with clay.

And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

Just like feet made of a mix of iron and clay are both sturdy and fragile, so too will the kingdom be - strong in parts, yet vulnerable in others.

And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

You saw iron mixed with muddy clay, symbolizing different kinds of people trying to unite. But just like iron doesn't blend with clay, they won't truly bond with each other.

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

During the reign of these kings, the God of heaven will establish an eternal kingdom. This kingdom will not be handed over to others. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, standing strong forever.

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

You saw a stone, not carved by human hands, shatter iron, brass, clay, silver, and gold. God has shown the king what the future holds. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.

Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.

Overwhelmed, King Nebuchadnezzar dropped to his knees before Daniel, awestruck. He ordered offerings and fragrant incense to honor him.

The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

The king spoke to Daniel, deeply moved, "Indeed, your God is the supreme God, the ruler of all rulers, and the one who unveils mysteries, as you've just revealed this secret."

Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

The king honored Daniel immensely, showering him with lavish gifts. He made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and the head of all its wise men.

Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Daniel asked the king, who then put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in charge of Babylon's affairs. Meanwhile, Daniel remained close to the king's side.