4
ネブカデネザルが見た木の夢
1ネブカデネザル王は、次のような声明文を、世界の諸国、諸国語の民に送りました。
諸国の民に告ぐ。
2いと高き神が、私に行われた不思議なことについて、
あなたがたすべてに知らせたい。
3それは信じ難いほどの奇跡であった。
今こそ、この神の王国が永遠のものであることを、
私ははっきり知った。
その神の支配は永遠に変わらない。
4私、ネブカデネザルは、平安と繁栄の中で生きていた。 5ところがある夜、非常に恐ろしい夢を見た。 6そこで、バビロン中の知者を集めて、夢の解き明かしをさせることにした。 7呪法師、占星学者、占い師、魔術師が、みな集まった。その席で私の夢のことを話したが、だれも解き明かせなかった。 8最後にダニエルが来た。私は自分の神の名にちなんで、彼にベルテシャツァルと名をつけたが、この者には聖なる神の霊が宿っていた。そこでダニエルに夢のことを話した。 9「呪法師の長ベルテシャツァルよ。おまえのうちに聖なる神の霊が宿っており、どんな秘密も見事に解き明かせることを知っている。私の夢の意味を教えてほしい。 10-11私は野原に立っている大木を見た。その木は天へ向かってどんどん伸び、ついに世界中の人々から見えるほどになった。 12葉は青々と茂り、枝にはすべての人が食べても足りるほど、実がたわわになっていた。野の動物はその木陰にいこい、鳥はその枝を住みかとし、全世界がその木によって養われた。
13以上のようなことを夢で見ていると、神の使いの一人が天から降りて来るのが見えた。 14その使いはこう叫んだ。『その木を切り倒し、枝を切り払え。葉を振り落とし、実をまき散らせ。動物を木陰から、鳥を枝から追い払え。 15だが、切り株と根は地に残し、鉄と青銅の鎖をかけて、野の若草の中に置け。天の露にぬれさせ、野の動物といっしょに草を食べさせるのだ。 16七年間、人の心ではなく動物の心を持たせよ。 17これは見張り人たちの宣告であり、聖なる者たちの命令である。このように宣言するのは、いと高き方が世界の国々を支配し、御心のままに、人間の中で最もへりくだった者にさえその国々をお与えになるということを、全世界が知るためである。』 18ベルテシャツァルよ。以上が私の見た夢だ。さあ、その意味を教えてくれ。ほかに助けてくれる者はいない。この王国で最も知恵のある者でもだめだった。だが、おまえならできる。聖なる神の霊が宿っているのだから。」
ダニエルによる夢の解釈
19その時ダニエルは、しばらくの間、その夢の意味にがくぜんとして、おびえてひと言も口をきけなかった。ついに、私が口を開いた。「ベルテシャツァル、恐れることはない。夢の意味を話してくれ。」ダニエルは答えた。「この夢の示していることが、王にではなく、王の敵に当てはまるのならよろしいのですが……。 20-22夢でごらんになりました木、青々とした葉を茂らせ、みなが食べても足りるほど実をたわわにつけ、その陰には野獣が住まい、枝には鳥がいっぱいに宿り、世界中の人々に見えるように天にまで達した高い木は、王ご自身でございます。あなたは強く、大きくなり、その偉大さは天にまで達し、ご支配は地の果てにまで及びます。 23しかし王は、神の使いが天から降りて来て、こう言うのをお聞きになりました。『この木を切り倒して滅ぼせ。ただし、切り株と根は若草に囲まれたまま地に残し、鉄と青銅の鎖をかけておけ。天の露にぬれさせ、七年間、野の動物たちといっしょに草を食べさせよ。』 24王様。これはいと高き神がお定めになったことですから、必ず起こります。 25国民があなたを宮殿から追い出します。あなたは動物のように野に住んで、牛のように草を食べ、背中は天の露でぬれるでしょう。いと高き神が人間の国々を支配し、お選びになった者に支配権を与えるということを、王が悟るまでの七年間、このような生活が続きます。 26ただし、切り株と根とは地に残されました。その意味は、天の神が支配しておられることを王が悟った時、国は戻って来るということです。 27ネブカデネザル王よ、お願いです。どうぞ、罪を犯されませんように。正しいことを行い、貧しい者をあわれんでください。そうすれば、あるいは神の赦しがあるかもしれません。」
夢の成就
28ところが、これらのことがみな私の身に起こった。 29この夢を見てから十二か月後、私はバビロンの王宮の屋上を歩きながら、 30こう言った。「私は自分の力で、この美しい都を、王宮のある町、帝国の首都に建て上げたのだ。」 31このことばを語り終えないうちに、天から声があった。「ネブカデネザル王よ。あなたに宣告する。あなたはもう、この国の王ではない。 32宮殿から追い出され、七年間、野の動物たちと共に住み、牛のように草を食べるのだ。それでやっと、神が人間に国々を分け与え、お選びになった者に国を与えることを悟るだろう。」 33そのことは、すぐ実現した。私は宮殿から追われ、牛のように草を食べ、体は露でぬれ、髪の毛はわしの羽のように長くなり、爪は鳥の爪のようになった。
34七年目の終わりに、私は天を見上げた。すると正気に戻ったので、いと高き神を賛美し、礼拝した。そして、永遠に生きておられる方、その御国の支配が代々限りなく続くお方をほめたたえた。
35神に比べれば、地上の人間はみな無に等しい。
神は、天の御使いたちの中にあっても、
地上に住む人々の中にあっても、
最善とお考えのことを行われる。
それに対して、
「どうして、こんなことをするのですか」と言って、
神に挑戦したり、神を止めたりはできない。
36正気に戻った時、私の名誉も光栄も、王国も戻って来た。参議官も役人も戻って来てくれたので、私は以前にもまさる栄誉に包まれ、王位を確立することができた。 37ここに今、私、ネブカデネザルは、その行うことがすべて正しく善である方、すべての者をさばく方、天の王を賛美し、ほめたたえる。このお方は、思い上がって歩む者を取り、ちりの中に押し込むことができる。
Nebuchadnezzar Dreams About a Tree
1I, King Nebuchadnezzar, am writing this letter.
I am sending it to people who live all over the world. I’m sending it to people of every nation no matter what language they speak.
May you have great success!
2I am pleased to tell you what has happened. The Most High God has done miraculous signs and wonders for me.
3His signs are great.
His wonders are mighty.
His kingdom will last forever.
His rule will never end.
4I was at home in my palace. I was content and very successful. 5But I had a dream that made me afraid. I was lying in bed. Then dreams and visions passed through my mind. They terrified me. 6So I commanded that all the wise men in Babylon be brought to me. I wanted them to tell me what my dream meant. 7Those who try to figure things out by using magic came. So did those who study the heavens. I told all of them what I had dreamed. But they couldn’t tell me what it meant. 8Finally, Daniel came to me. He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god. The spirit of the holy gods is in him. I told him my dream.
9I said, “Belteshazzar, you are chief of the magicians. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you. No mystery is too hard for you to figure out. Here is my dream. Tell me what it means. 10Here are the visions I saw while I was lying in bed. I looked up and saw a tree standing in the middle of the land. It was very tall. 11It had grown to be large and strong. Its top touched the sky. It could be seen anywhere on earth. 12Its leaves were beautiful. It had a lot of fruit on it. It provided enough food for people and animals. Under the tree, the wild animals found safety. The birds lived in its branches. Every creature was fed from that tree.
13“While I was still lying in bed, I looked up. In my visions, I saw a holy one. He was a messenger. He was coming down from heaven. 14He called out in a loud voice. He said, ‘Cut down the tree. Break off its branches. Strip off its leaves. Scatter its fruit. Let the animals under it run away. Let the birds in its branches fly off. 15But leave the stump with its roots in the ground. Let it stay in the field. Put a band of iron and bronze around it.
“ ‘Let King Nebuchadnezzar become wet with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16Let him no longer have the mind of a man. Instead, let him be given the mind of an animal. Let him stay that way until seven periods of time pass by.
17“ ‘The decision is announced by holy messengers. So all who are alive will know that the Most High God is King. He rules over all kingdoms on earth. He gives them to anyone he wants. Sometimes he puts the least important people in charge of them.’
18“This is the dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, Belteshazzar. None of the wise men in my kingdom can explain it to me. But you can. After all, the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Explains Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
19Daniel, who was also called Belteshazzar, was very bewildered for a while. His thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its meaning make you afraid.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My master, I wish the dream were about your enemies! I wish its meaning had to do with them! 20You saw a tree. It grew to be large and strong. Its top touched the sky. It could be seen from anywhere on earth. 21Its leaves were beautiful. It had a lot of fruit on it. It provided enough food for people and animals. Under the tree, the wild animals found safety. The birds lived in its branches. 22Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong. Your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky. Your rule has spread to all parts of the earth.
23“Your Majesty, you saw a holy one. He was a messenger. He came down from heaven. He said, ‘Cut down the tree. Destroy it. But leave the stump with its roots in the ground. Let it stay in the field. Put an iron and bronze band around it. Let King Nebuchadnezzar become wet with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the wild animals. Let him stay that way until seven periods of time pass by.’
24“Your Majesty, here is what your dream means. The Most High God has given an order against you. 25You will be driven away from people. You will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass just as an ox does. You will become wet with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass by for you. Then you will recognize that the Most High God rules over all kingdoms on earth. He gives them to anyone he wants. 26But he gave a command to leave the stump of the tree along with its roots. That means your kingdom will be given back to you. It will happen when you recognize that the God of heaven rules. 27So, Your Majesty, I hope you will accept my advice. Stop being sinful. Do what is right. Give up your evil practices. Show kindness to those who are being treated badly. Then perhaps things will continue to go well with you.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Comes True
28All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29It took place twelve months later. He was walking on the roof of his palace in Babylon. 30He said, “Isn’t this the great Babylon I have built as a place for my royal palace? I used my mighty power to build it. It shows how glorious my majesty is.”
31He was still speaking when he heard a voice from heaven. It said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, here is what has been ordered concerning you. Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32You will be driven away from people. You will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass just as an ox does. Seven periods of time will pass by for you. Then you will recognize that the Most High God rules over all kingdoms on earth. He gives them to anyone he wants.”
33What had been said about King Nebuchadnezzar came true at once. He was driven away from people. He ate grass just as an ox does. His body became wet with the dew of heaven. He stayed that way until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle. His nails became like the claws of a bird.
34At the end of that time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven. My mind became clear again. Then I praised the Most High God. I gave honor and glory to the God who lives forever.
His rule will last forever.
His kingdom will never end.
35He considers all the nations on earth
to be nothing.
He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven.
He does what he wants
with the nations of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand.
No one can say to him,
“What have you done?”
36My honor and glory were returned to me when my mind became clear again. The glory of my kingdom was given back to me. My advisers and nobles came to me. And I was put back on my throne. I became even greater than I had been before. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, give praise and honor and glory to the King of heaven. Everything he does is right. All his ways are fair. He is able to bring down those who live proudly.
