14 He spoke very loudly and said, ‘Cut down the tree and cut off its branches. Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals under the tree run away, and let the birds in its branches fly away.
15 But leave the stump and its roots in the ground with a band of iron and bronze around it; let it stay in the field with the grass around it.“ ‘Let the man become wet with dew, and let him live among the animals and plants of the earth.
16 Let him not think like a human any longer, but let him have the mind of an animal for seven years.
17 “ ‘The observers gave this command; the holy ones declared the sentence. This is so all people may know that the Most High God rules over every kingdom on earth. God gives those kingdoms to anyone he wants, and he chooses people to rule them who are not proud.’
18 “That is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, dreamed. Now Belteshazzar, tell me what the dream means. None of the wise men in my kingdom can explain it to me, but you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19 Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was very quiet for a while, because his understanding of the dream frightened him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning make you afraid.”Then Belteshazzar answered, “My master, I wish the dream were about your enemies, and I wish its meaning were for those who are against you!
20 You saw a tree in your dream that grew large and strong. Its top touched the sky, and it could be seen from all over the earth.