18 I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw this dream. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, shall declare its interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom could never show me its interpretation; but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy God in thee.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was silent for almost one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. Then the king spoke and said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, let the dream be to thine enemies, and its interpretation to those that wish thee evil.
20 The tree that thou didst see, which grew and made himself strong, whose height reached unto the heaven and the sight thereof to all the earth;
21 whose leaves were fair and his fruit abundant and in him was food for all, under whom the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the fowls of the heaven dwelt:
22 it is thou, O king, that grew and made thyself strong; for thy greatness has grown and has reached unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
23 And regarding that which the king saw, one who was a watchman and holy who came down from heaven and said, Hew the tree down and destroy it; yet leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and with a band of iron and of brass let it remain bound in the green 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 until seven times pass over him:
24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: