القراءة بلغتين

وفي السَّنَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ مِن مُلكِ نَبوكَدنَصَّر، حَلَمَ نَبوكَدنَصَّرُ أَحْلامًا، فٱضطَرَبَت نَفسُه وذَهَبَ عَنه نَومُه

فأَمَرَ المَلِكُ أَن يُدْعى السَّحَرَةُ والعَرَّافونَ والرُّقاةُ والكَلْدانِيُّونَ لِيُبَيِّنوا لِلمَلِكِ أَحْلامَه. فأَتَوا ووَقَفوا أَمامَ المَلِك

فقالَ لَهمُ المَلِك: «إِنِّي حَلَمتُ حُلْمًا، فٱضطَرَبَت نَفْسي رَغبةً في مَعرِفَةِ الحُلْم»

فأَجابَ الكَلْدانِيُّونَ المَلِكَ (بِالآرامِيَّة): «أَيُّها المَلِك، حَييتَ لِلأَبَد. أَخبِرْ عَبيدَكَ بِالحُلْمِ، فنُبَيِّنَ تَفْسيرَه»

فأَجابَ المَلِكُ وقالَ لِلكَلْدانِيِّين: «لقَد قَرَّرتُ أَنَّكم، إِن لم تُعلِموني بِالحُلمِ وتَفْسيرِه، تُقَطَّعونَ قِطَعًا وتُحَوَّلُ بُيوتُكم إِلى أَوحال

وإِن بَيَّنتُمُ الحُلمَ وتَفْسيرَه، تَنالونَ مِنِّي عَطايا وهَدايا وإِكْرامًا كَثيرًا. فبَيِّنوا لِيَ الحُلمَ وتَفْسيرَه»

فأَجابوا ثانِيَةً وقالوا: «لِيُخبِرِ المَلِكُ عَبيدَه بِالحُلم، فنُبَيِّنَ تَفْسيرَه»

فأَجابَ المَلِكُ وقال: «إِنِّي أَعلَمُ يَقينًا أَنَّكم تُحاوِلونَ كَسْبَ الوَقْت، لِأَنَّكم رَأَيتُم ما قَرَّرتُه

فإِن لم تُعلِموني بِالحُلْم، فالحُكْمُ علَيكم يَكونُ واحِدًا. لقَدِ ٱتَّفَقتُم على التَّكَلُّمِ بِالكَذِبِ والفَسادِ أَمامي، إِلى أَن يَفوتَ الوَقت. لِذٰلكَ أَخبروني بِالحُلم، فأَعلَمَ أَنَّكم تَستَطيعونَ أَن تُبَيِّنوا لي تَفسيرَه»

فأَجابَ الكَلْدانِيُّونَ أَمامَ المَلِكِ وقالوا: «لَيسَ على الأَرضِ إِنْسانٌ يَستَطيعُ أَن يُبَيِّنَ أَمرَ المَلِك، وما مِن مَلِكٍ عَظيمٍ ذي سُلْطانٍ سأَلَ ساحِرًا أَو عَرَّافًا أَو كَلْدانِيًّا عن أَمرٍ مِثلِ هٰذا

والأَمرُ الَّذي سَأَلَ المَلِكُ عنه عَويص، ولا أَحَدٌ يُبَيِّنُه أَمامَ المَلِك، ما خَلا الآلِهَةَ الَّذينَ لا سُكْنى لَهم مع البَشَر»

فعِندَ ذٰلك غَضِبَ المَلِكُ وحَنِقَ جِدًّا وأَمَرَ بإِبادَةِ جَميعِ حُكَماءِ بابِل

فصَدَرَ القَضاء، وأَوشَكَ الحُكَماءُ أَن يُقتَلوا، وطُلِبَ دانِيالُ وأَصْحابُه لِيُقتَلوا

حينئذٍ تَحَدَّثَ دانِيالُ بِبَصيرَةٍ وحِكمَةٍ إِلى أَرْيوك، رَئيسِ شُرَطِ المَلِكِ، الَّذي خَرَجَ لِيَقتُلَ حُكَماءَ بابِل

وخاطَبَ أَرْيوكَ المُتَسَلِّطَ مِن قِبَلِ المَلِك، وقالَ لَه: «لِمَ هٰذا القَضاءُ المُستَعجَلُ مِن لَدُنِ المَلِك؟» فأَخبَرَ أَرْيوكُ دانِيالَ بِالأَمْر

فدَخَلَ دانِيالُ على المَلِكِ وسَأَلَه أَن يَهَبَه زَمانًا لِيُبَيِّنَ التَّفْسيرَ لِلمَلِك

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ دانِيالُ إِلى بَيتِه وأَعلَمَ حَنَنْيا وميشائيلَ وعَزَرْيا أَصْحابَه بِالأَمْر

لِيَلتَمِسوا رَحمَةً مِن لَدُنِ إِلٰهِ السَّمَاءِ في أَمرِ هٰذا السِّرّ، لِئَلَّا يُبادَ دانِيالُ وأَصْحابُه مع سائِرِ حُكَماءِ بابِل

حينَئِذٍ كُشِفَ السِّرُّ لِدانِيالَ في رُؤْيا لَيل، فبارَكَ دانِيالُ إِلٰهَ السَّمَاء

وأَجابَ دانِيالُ وقال: «تَبارَكَ ٱسم اللهِ مِنَ الأَزَلِ ولِلأَبَد فإِنَّ لَه الحِكمَةَ والجَبَروت

وهو مُحَوِّلُ الأَوقاتِ والأَزمِنَة وخالِعُ المُلوكِ ورافِعُهم وواهِبُ الحِكمَةِ لِلحُكَماء والعِلمِ لِعارِفي الفِطنَة

وهو كاشِفُ الأَعْماقِ والخَفايا وعالِمٌ بِمَا في الظُّلمَة وعِندَه يَسكُنُ النُّور

إِيَّاكَ أَحمَدُ يا إِلٰهَ آبائي وإِيَّاكَ أُسَبِّح لِأَنَّكَ وَهبَتَ لِيَ الحِكمَةَ والقُدرَة وأَعلَمتَني ما سأَلْناكَ إِذ أَعلَمتَنا أَمرَ المَلِك»

ثُمَّ دَخَلَ دانِيالُ على أَرْيوكَ الَّذي أَقامَه المَلِكُ على إِبادَةِ حُكَماءِ بابِل وقالَ لَه: «لا تُبِدْ حُكَماءَ بابِل، بل أَدخِلْني إِلى أَمامِ المَلِك، فأُبَيِّنَ لِلمَلِكِ التَّفْسير»

حينَئِذٍ بادَرَ أَرْيوكُ إِلى الدُّخولِ بِدانِيالَ إِلى أَمامِ المَلِكِ وقالَ لَه: «قد وَجَدتُ رَجُلًا مِن بَني يَهوذا المَجلُوِّينَ يُعلِمُ المَلِكَ بِالتَّفْسير»

فأَجابَ المَلِكُ وقالَ لِدانِيالَ الَّذي ٱسمُه بَلشَصَّر: «أَتَستَطيعُ أَنتَ أَن تُعلِمَني بِالحُلمِ الَّذي رَأَيتُه وتَفْسيرِه؟»

فأَجابَ دانِيالُ أَمامَ المَلِكِ وقال: «إِنَّ السِّرَّ الَّذي يَسأَلُ عنه المَلِكُ لا يَستَطيعُ الحُكَماءُ ولا العَرَّافونَ ولا السَّحَرَةُ ولا المُنَجِّمونَ أَن يُبَيِّنوه لِلمَلِك

لٰكِنَّ في السَّماءِ إِلٰهًا يَكشِفُ الأَسْرار، وقد أَخبَرَ المَلِكَ نَبوكَدنَصَّر بِمَا سَيَكونُ في آخِرِ الأَيَّام. إِنَّ حُلمَكَ ورُؤيا رَأسِكَ على مَضجَعِكَ هو هٰذا

«إِنَّكَ، أَيُّها المَلِك، قدِ ٱعتَرَتكَ، وأَنتَ على مَضجَعِكَ، أَفْكارٌ فيما سَيَكونُ مِن بَعدُ، والَّذي يَكشِفُ الأَسْرارَ أَعلَمَكَ بِما سَيَكون

وهٰذا السِّرُّ قد كُشِفَ لي، لا لِحِكمَةٍ فِيَّ أَكثَرَ مِمَّا في سائِرِ الأَحْياء. ولٰكن، لِكَي يُعلَمَ المَلِكُ بِتَفْسيرِه وتَعلَمَ أَفكارَ قَلبِكَ

إِنَّكَ، أَيُّها المَلِك، كُنتَ تَنظُر، فإِذا بِتِمْثالٍ عَظيم، وكانَ هٰذا التِّمثالُ الكَبيرُ والكَثيرُ البَهاءِ واقِفًا أَمامَكَ، وكانَ مَنظَرُه هائلًا

وكانَ رَأسُ التِّمْثالِ مِن ذَهَبٍ خالِص، وصَدرُه وذِراعاه مِن فِضَّة، وبَطنُه وفَخِذاه مِن نُحاس

وساقاه مِن حَديد، وقَدَماه بَعضُهما مِن حَديدٍ وبَعضُهما الآخَرُ مِن خَزَف

وبَينَما أَنتَ ناظِر، إِذِ ٱنفَصَلَ حَجَرٌ، لا بِقُوَّةِ اليَدَين، فضَرَبَ التِّمثالَ على قَدَمَيه اللَّتَينِ مِن حَديدٍ وخَزَفٍ وسَحَقَهما

فٱنسَحَقَ الحَديدُ والخَزَفُ والنُّحاسُ والفِضَّةُ والذَّهَبُ مَعًا، وصارَت كعُصافَةِ البَيدَرِ في الصَّيف، فذَهَبَت بِها الرِّيح، ولم يَبقَ لَها أَثَر. أَمَّا الحَجَرُ الَّذي ضَرَبَ التِّمثال، فصارَ جَبَلًا كَبيرًا ومَلَأَ الأَرضَ كُلَّها

هٰذا هو الحُلْم، أَمَّا تَفْسيرُه فنُخبِرُ بِه أَمامَ المَلِك

أَنتَ، أَيُّها المَلِك، مَلِكُ المُلوك، لِأَنَّ إِلٰهَ السَّمَاءِ آتاكَ المُلكَ والقُدرَةَ والسُّلطانَ والمَجْد

وكُلُّ ما يَسكُنُه بَنو البَشَرِ ووُحوشُ البَرِّ وطُيورُ السَّمَاءِ جَعَلَه في يَدِكَ وسَلَّطَكَ على جَميعِه، فأَنتَ الرَّأسُ الَّذي مِن ذَهَب

وبَعدَكَ تَقومُ مَملَكَةٌ أُخْرى أَصغَرُ مِنكَ، ثُمَّ مَملَكَةٌ ثالِثَةٌ أُخْرى مِن نُحاس، فتَتَسَلَّطُ على الأَرْضِ كُلِّها

ثُمَّ مَملَكَةٌ رابِعَةٌ تَكونُ صُلبَةً كالحَديد، لِأَنَّ الحَديدَ يَسحَقُ ويَطحَنُ كُلَّ شَيء. فكَما أَنَّ الحَديدَ يُحَطِّم، فكذٰلك هي تَسحَقُ وتُحَطِّمُ تِلكَ المَمالِكَ جَميعًا

وما رَأَيتَ مِن أَنَّ القَدَمَينِ بَعضُهما مِن خَزَفِ الفَخَّارِ وبَعضُهما الآخَرُ مِن حَديد، فهو أَنَّ المَملَكَة تَكونُ مُنقَسِمَةً، ويَكونُ فيها مِن قُوَّةِ الحَديد، كما رَأَيتَ الحَديدَ مُختَلِطًا بِخَزَفٍ مِنَ الطِّين

فكَما أَنَّ القَدَمَينِ بَعضُهما مِن حَديدٍ وبَعضُهما مِن خَزَف، فكذٰلك يَكونُ بَعضُ المَملَكَةِ صُلْبًا وبَعضُها الآخَرُ هَشًّا

وما رَأَيتَ مِن أَنَّ الحَديدَ مُختَلِطٌ بِخَزَفِ الطِّين، فهُو أَنَّهم يَختَلِطونَ بِزَرْعٍ بَشَرِيّ، ولٰكِن لا يَلتَحِمُ هٰذا بِذاك، كَما أَنَّ الحَديدَ لا يَختَلِطُ بِالخَزَف

وفي أَيَّامِ هٰؤُلاءِ المُلوك، يُقيمُ إِلٰهُ السَّماءِ مَملَكَةً لا تُنقَضُ لِلأَبَد، ومُلكُه لا يُترَكُ لِشَعبٍ آخَر، فتَسحَقُ وتُفْني جَميعَ تِلكَ المَمالِك، وهي تَثبُتُ لِلأَبَد

كما أَنَّكَ رَأَيتَ أَنَّ حَجَرًا ٱنفَصَلَ عن الجَبَل، لا بِقُوَّةِ اليَدَين، فسَحَقَ الحَديدَ والنُّحاسَ والخَزَفَ والفِضَّةَ والذَّهَب. إِنَّ الإِلٰهَ العَظيمَ أَعلَمَ المَلِكَ بِما سَيَكونُ بَعدَ ذٰلك. الحُلمُ حَقٌّ وتَفْسيرُه صِدْق»

حينَئِذٍ سَقَطَ المَلِكُ نَبوكَدنَصَّرُ على وَجهِه وسَجَدَ لِدانِيال، وأَمَرَ أَن تُقَرَّبَ لَه تَقدِمَةٌ وبَخورُ رِضًى

وأَجابَ المَلِكُ دانِيالَ وقالَ: «إِنَّ إِلٰهَكم هو إِلٰهُ الآلِهَةِ حَقًّا ورَبُّ المُلوكِ وكاشِفُ الأَسْرار، إِذ قدِ ٱستَطَعتَ كَشفَ هٰذا السِّرّ»

حينَئِذٍ عَظَّمَ المَلِكُ دانِيالَ وأَعْطاه هَدايا عَظيمةً كَثيرَةً وسَلَّطَه على كُلِّ إِقْليمِ بابِل، وجَعَلَه رَئيسًا أَعْلى على جَميعِ حُكَماءِ بابِل

وطَلَبَ دانِيالُ إِلى المَلِكِ أَن يُوَلِّيَ شَدرَكَ وميشَكَ وعَبدَ نَجو على شُؤُونِ إِقْليمِ بابِل. أَمَّا دانِيالُ فكانَ في بابِ المَلِك

In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.

Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be called to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

The king said to them, “I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”

Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”

The king answered the Chaldeans, “The thing has gone from me. If you don’t make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill.

But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”

They answered the second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”

The king answered, “I know of a certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see the thing has gone from me.

But if you don’t make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.”

The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can show the king’s matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or Chaldean.

It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

Because of this, the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.

So the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain. They sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.

Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.

He answered Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

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

that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret, and that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

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

Daniel answered, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his.

He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.

He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.”

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him: “I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation.”

The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”

Daniel answered before the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded can’t be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers;

but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:

“As for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen.

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

“You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying.

As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,

its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.

You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

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

You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory.

Wherever the children of men dwell, he has given the animals of the field and the birds of the sky into your hand, and has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.

“After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you; and a third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.

The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.

Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.

As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong, and partly brittle.

Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won’t cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.

“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.

Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors to him.

The king answered to Daniel, and said, “Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.”

Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel was in the king’s gate.