Daniel 4

 

The errors in the Aramaic continue.  There are 24 in this chapter, of similar types to those in the earlier chapters.  So again, no further remarks concerning them.

אֲנָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שְׁלֵה הֲוֵית בְּבֵיתִי וְרַעְנַן בְּהֵיכְלִי׃   4:1

Dani. 4:1   I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

חֵלֶם חֲזֵית וִידַחֲלִנַּנִי וְהַרְהֹרִין עַל־מִשְׁכְּבִי וְחֶזְוֵי רֵאשִׁי יְבַהֲלֻנַּנִי׃   4:2

Dani. 4:2   I had seen a dream that could cause my fear, and the imaginings upon my bed and visions of my head would alarm me.

וּמִנִּי שִׂים טְעֵם לְהַנְעָלָה קָדָמַי לְכֹל חַכִּימֵי בָבֶל דִּי־פְשַׁר חֶלְמָא יְהֹודְעֻנַּנִי׃   4:3

Dani. 4:3   So a decree was made by me to bring in before me all the wise men of Babylon that the interpretation of the dream might be made known to me.

בֵּאדַיִן (עָלֲלִין) [עָלִּין] חַרְטֻמַיָּא אָשְׁפַיָּא (כַּשְׂדָּיֵא) [כַּשְׂדָּאֵי] וְגָזְרַיָּא וְחֶלְמָא אָמַר אֲנָה קֳדָמֵיהֹון   4:4

וּפִשְׁרֵהּ לָא־מְהֹודְעִין לִי׃

Dani. 4:4   Thereupon the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and seers came in, and I was telling the dream before them, but they were not explaining its interpretation to me.

וְעַד אָחֳרֵין עַל קָדָמַי דָּנִיֵּאל דִּי־שְׁמֵהּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר כְּשֻׁם אֱלָהִי וְדִי רוּחַ־אֱלָהִין קַדִּישִׁין בֵּהּ וְחֶלְמָא   4:5

קָדָמֹוהִי אַמְרֵת׃

Dani. 4:5   Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, came in before me at a later time, and I told the dream before him.

בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר רַב חַרְטֻמַיָּא דִּי אֲנָה יִדְעֵת דִּי רוּחַ אֱלָהִין קַדִּישִׁין בָּךְ וְכָל־רָז לָא־אָנֵס לָךְ חֶזְוֵי חֶלְמִי   4:6

 דִי־חֲזֵית וּפִשְׁרֵהּ אֱמַר׃

Dani. 4:6   “Belteshazzar, chief of magicians!  Because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, so no secret is restricted for you, tell the visions of my dream that I have seen and its interpretation.”

וְחֶזְוֵי רֵאשִׁי עַל־מִשְׁכְּבִי חָזֵה הֲוֵית וַאֲלוּ אִילָן בְּגֹוא אַרְעָא וְרוּמֵהּ שַׂגִּיא׃   4:7

Dani. 4:7   “Now I was beholding the visions of my head upon my bed,

                               and lo, a tree was in the midst of the earth,

                    and its height was great.”

רְבָה אִילָנָא וּתְקִף וְרוּמֵהּ יִמְטֵא לִשְׁמַיָּא וַחֲזֹותֵהּ לְסֹוף כָּל־אַרְעָא׃   4:8

Dani. 4:8   “The tree grew so tall and strong

                               that its height could reach to the heavens

                    and its visibility to the end of all the earth.”

עָפְיֵהּ שַׁפִּיר וְאִנְבֵּהּ שַׂגִּיא וּמָזֹון לְכֹלָּא־בֵהּ תְּחֹתֹוהִי תַּטְלֵל חֵיוַת בָּרָא וּבְעַנְפֹוהִי (יְדֻרוּן) [יְדוּרָן   4:9

צִפֲּרֵי שְׁמַיָּא וּמִנֵּהּ יִתְּזִין כָּל־בִּשְׂרָא׃

Dani. 4:9   “Its foliage was luxuriant,

                               and its fruit was so abundant

                    that there was food for all because of it.

                               The beast of the field could seek shade under it,

                    and the birds of the sky could dwell in its branches,

                               and all flesh could feed themselves from it.”

חָזֵה הֲוֵית בְּחֶזְוֵי רֵאשִׁי עַל־מִשְׁכְּבִי וַאֲלוּ עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ מִן־שְׁמַיָּא נָחִת׃   4:10

Dani. 4:10   “I was watching in the visions of my head upon my bed and behold, a watcher and a holy one was descending from heaven,

A watcher and a holy one are synonyms for an angel.  Whether there were one or two angels in this dream is a matter for conjecture.  In this verse it seems it was only one angel, but later (v. 4:22) the implication is that there were two.

קָרֵא בְחַיִל וְכֵן אָמַר גֹּדּוּ אִילָנָא וְקַצִּצוּ עַנְפֹוהִי אַתַּרוּ עָפְיֵהּ וּבַדַּרוּ אִנְבֵּהּ תְּנֻד חֵיוְתָא מִן־תַּחְתֹּוהִי   4:11

 וְצִפְּרַיָּא מִן־עַנְפֹוהִי׃

Dani. 4:11   shouting with power, and he was saying so:

                                ‘Cut down the tree and cut off its branches,

                      strip its foliage and scatter its fruit.

                               Let the beast flee from under it,

                      as well as the birds from its branches.’

בְּרַם עִקַּר שָׁרְשֹׁוהִי בְּאַרְעָא שְׁבֻקוּ וּבֶאֱסוּר דִּי־פַרְזֶל וּנְחָשׁ בְּדִתְאָא דִּי בָרָא וּבְטַל שְׁמַיָּא יִצְטַבַּע    4:12

  וְעִם־חֵיוְתָא חֲלָקֵהּ בַּעֲשַׂב אַרְעָא׃

Dani. 4:12   ‘Leave only the stock of its roots in the earth,

                               and in a band that is of iron and brass,

                       in the grass that is of the field,

                               so it can be wet by the dew of heaven

                       that its portion will be with the beasts in the herbage of the earth.’

לִבְבֵהּ מִן־ (אֱנֹושָׁא) [אֲנָשָׁא] יְשַׁנֹּון וּלְבַב חֵיוָה יִתְיְהִב לֵהּ וְשִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן עֲלֹוהִי׃   4:13

Dani. 4:13   ‘His heart shall be changed from human

                               and the heart of a beast shall be given to him

                      as seven years will pass upon him.’

בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא עַד־דִּבְרַת דִּי יִנְדְּעוּן חַיַּיָּא דִּי־שַׁלִּיט (עִלָּיָא    4:14

 עִלָּאָה] בְּמַלְכוּת (אֱנֹושָׁא) [אֲנָשָׁא] וּלְמַן־דִּי יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּהּ וּשְׁפַל אֲנָשִׁים יְקִים (עֲלַיַּהּ) [עֲלַהּ]׃

Dani. 4:14   ‘The work is by decree of the watchers,

                               and the affair the command of the holy ones,

                       for the reason that the living should be aware

                               that the Most High has dominion in the realm of humanity,

                       and He can give it to whomever He may desire,

                               and set up the lowest of humans over it.’”

דְּנָה חֶלְמָא חֲזֵית אֲנָה מַלְכָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר (וְאַנְתָּה) [וְאַנְתְּ] בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר פִּשְׁרֵא אֱמַר כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי   4:15

כָּל־חַכִּימֵי מַלְכוּתִי לָא־יָכְלִין פִּשְׁרָא לְהֹודָעֻתַנִי (וְאַנְתָּה) [וְאַנְתְּ] כָּהֵל דִּי רוּחַ־אֱלָהִין קַדִּישִׁין בָּךְ׃

Dani. 4:15   “This dream saw I, king Nebuchadnezzar, and you, Belteshazzar, relate the interpretation, inasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

אֱדַיִן דָּנִיֵּאל דִּי־שְׁמֵהּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר אֶשְׁתֹּומַם כְּשָׁעָה חֲדָה וְרַעְיֹנֹהִי יְבַהֲלֻנֵּהּ עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר   4:16

  בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵאאַל־יְבַהֲלָךְ עָנֵה בֵלְטְשַׁאצַּר וְאָמַר (מָרְאִי) [מָרִי] חֶלְמָא (לְשָׂנְאַיִךְ) [לְשָׂנְאָךְ

וּפִשְׁרֵהּ (לְעָרַיִךְ) [לְעָרָךְ]׃

Dani. 4:16   Thereupon Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for one moment, as his thoughts must have frightened him.  The king responded and said, “Belteshazzar, the dream, or the interpretation, must not frighten you.”  Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, the dream should be about those hating you and its interpretation about your adversaries.”

אִילָנָא דִּי חֲזַיְתָ דִּי רְבָה וּתְקִף וְרוּמֵהּ יִמְטֵא לִשְׁמַיָּא וַחֲזֹותֵהּ לְכָל־אַרְעָא׃   4:17

Dani. 4:17   “The tree that you saw, that grew so tall and strong that its height could have reached to the heavens and its visibility to all the earth,

וְעָפְיֵהּ שַׁפִּיר וְאִנְבֵּהּ שַׂגִּיא וּמָזֹון לְכֹלָּא־בֵהּ תְּחֹתֹוהִי תְּדוּר חֵיוַת בָּרָא וּבְעַנְפֹוהִי יִשְׁכְּנָן צִפֲּרֵי   4:18

שְׁמַיָּא׃

Dani. 4:18   and its foliage was luxuriant and its fruit was so abundant that food was for all because of it, under it could dwell the beast of the field, and in its branches could dwell the birds of the sky,

אַנְתָּה) [אַנְתְּ]־הוּא מַלְכָּא דִּי רְבַית וּתְקֵפְתְּ וּרְבוּתָךְ רְבָת וּמְטָת לִשְׁמַיָּא וְשָׁלְטָנָךְ לְסֹוף אַרְעָא׃   4:19

Dani. 4:19   it is you, the king, who has grown great and become strong, and your greatness is so great that it reaches to the heavens and your dominion to the ends of the earth.”

וְדִי חֲזָה מַלְכָּא עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ נָחִת מִן־שְׁמַיָּא וְאָמַר גֹּדּוּ אִילָנָא וְחַבְּלוּהִי בְּרַם עִקַּר שָׁרְשֹׁוהִי   4:20

 בְּאַרְעָא שְׁבֻקוּ וּבֶאֱסוּר דִּי־פַרְזֶל וּנְחָשׁ בְּדִתְאָא דִּי בָרָא וּבְטַל שְׁמַיָּא יִצְטַבַּע וְעִם־חֵיוַת בָּרָא חֲלָקֵהּ עַד

דִּי־שִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן עֲלֹוהִי׃

Dani. 4:20   “And the king saw the watchful and holy one descending from heaven and shouting, “Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stock of its roots in the earth and in a band that is of iron and brass in the grass that is of the field so it can be wet by the dew of heaven that its portion will be with the beasts of the field until seven years will have passed upon him,

דְּנָה פִשְׁרָא מַלְכָּא וּגְזֵרַת (עִלָּיָא) [עִלָּאָה] הִיא דִּי מְטָת עַל־ (מַרְאִי) [מָרִי] מַלְכָּא׃   4:21

Dani. 4:21   this is the interpretation, O king; it is the decree of the Most High that is coming upon my lord, the king.”

לָךְ טָרְדִין מִן־אֲנָשָׁא וְעִם־חֵיוַת בָּרָא לֶהֱוֵה מְדֹרָךְ וְעִשְׂבָּא כְתֹורִין לָךְ יְטַעֲמוּן וּמִטַּל שְׁמַיָּא לָךְ    4:22

 מְצַבְּעִין וְשִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן (עֲלַיִךְ) [עֲלָךְ] עַד דִּי־תִנְדַּע דִּי־שַׁלִּיט (עִלָּיָא) [עִלָּאָה] בְּמַלְכוּת אֲנָשָׁא

 וּלְמַן־דִּי יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּהּ׃

Dani. 4:22   “So they will be driving you from humanity, and your dwelling place is to be with the beast of the field, and the herbage shall be food for you as oxen, and wettings for you will be from the dew of heaven, and seven years will have passed upon you, when you will know that the Most High has dominion in the realm of humanity, and He can give it to whomever He may desire.”

The pronoun they in the opening phrase of this verse would seem to imply that there were at least two angels.

וְדִי אֲמַרוּ לְמִשְׁבַּק עִקַּר שָׁרְשֹׁוהִי דִּי אִילָנָא מַלְכוּתָךְ לָךְ קַיָּמָה מִן־דִּי תִנְדַּע דִּי שַׁלִּטִן שְׁמַיָּא׃   4:23

Dani. 4:23   “But because they were commanded to be leaving the stock of its roots that was of the tree, your kingdom shall be secure for you.  As a result of that, you will know that the heavens are ruling.”

לָהֵן מַלְכָּא מִלְכִּי יִשְׁפַּר (עֲלַיִךְ) [עֲלָךְ] (וַחֲטָיָךְ) [וַחֲטָאָךְ] בְּצִדְקָה פְרֻק וַעֲוָיָתָךְ בְּמִחַן עֲנָיִן הֵן   4:24

  תֶּהֱוֵא אַרְכָה לִשְׁלֵוְתָךְ׃

Dani. 4:24   “So, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins with charitable giving and your iniquities by showing the poor favor, if a prolonging to your prosperity can be.”

כֹּלָּא מְּטָא עַל־נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא׃   4:25

Dani. 4:25   The whole thing came upon Nebuchadnezzar, the king.

לִקְצָת יַרְחִין תְּרֵי־עֲשַׂר עַל־הֵיכַל מַלְכוּתָא דִּי בָבֶל מְהַלֵּךְ הֲוָה׃   4:26

Dani. 4:26   Toward the end of twelve months, he was walking upon the royal palace of Babylon.

עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר הֲלָא דָא־הִיא בָּבֶל רַבְּתָא דִּי־אֲנָה בֱנַיְתַהּ לְבֵית מַלְכוּ בִּתְקַף חִסְנִי וְלִיקָר הַדְרִי׃   4:27

Dani. 4:27   The king replied as he said, “Is not this the great Babylon that I have built for a house of royalty with the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”

עֹוד מִלְּתָא בְּפֻם מַלְכָּא קָל מִן־שְׁמַיָּא נְפַל לָךְ אָמְרִין נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא מַלְכוּתָה עֲדָת מִנָּךְ׃   4:28

Dani. 4:28   The utterance was still in the mouth of the king; a voice from heaven fell:  “To you they are saying, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, king!  The kingdom passes away from you.’”

וּמִן־אֲנָשָׁא לָךְ טָרְדִין וְעִם־חֵיוַת בָּרָא מְדֹרָךְ עִשְׂבָּא כְתֹורִין לָךְ יְטַעֲמוּן וְשִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן   4:29

  עֲלַיִךְ) [עֲלָךְ] עַד דִּי־תִנְדַּע דִּי־שַׁלִּיט (עִלָּיָא) [עִלָּאָה] בְּמַלְכוּת אֲנָשָׁא וּלְמַן־דִּי יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּהּ׃

Dani. 4:29   “And from humanity they shall be driving you that your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field; they shall make you eat grass like oxen, and seven years pass by you, until you will know that the Most High has dominion in the realm of humanity, and He can give it to whomever He may desire.”

בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָא מִלְּתָא סָפַת עַל־נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וּמִן־אֲנָשָׁא טְרִיד וְעִשְׂבָּא כְתֹורִין יֵאכֻל וּמִטַּל שְׁמַיָּא גִּשְׁמֵהּ   4:30

יִצְטַבַּע עַד דִּי שַׂעְרֵהּ כְּנִשְׁרִין רְבָה וְטִפְרֹוהִי כְצִפְּרִין׃

Dani. 4:30   In that moment the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven from humanity so that he had to eat grass like oxen and his body had to be wet from the dew of heaven, until his hair was grown like an eagle's feathers and his nails like a bird's claws.

וְלִקְצָת יֹומַיָּה אֲנָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר עַיְנַי לִשְׁמַיָּא נִטְלֵת וּמַנְדְּעִי עֲלַי יְתוּב (וּלְעִלָּיָא) [וּלְעִלָּאָה] בָּרְכֵת   4:31

וּלְחַי עָלְמָא שַׁבְּחֵת וְהַדְּרֵתּ דִּי שָׁלְטָנֵהּ שָׁלְטָן עָלַם וּמַלְכוּתֵהּ עִם־דָּר וְדָר׃

Dani. 4:31   And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to the heavens as my understanding must have returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and I praised and glorified He Who lives forever,

                               for His dominion is an everlasting dominion

                       and His kingdom is from one generation to another.

וְכָל־ (דָּאֲרֵי) [דָּיְרֵי] אַרְעָא כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין וּכְמִצְבְּיֵהּ עָבֵד בְּחֵיל שְׁמַיָּא (וְדָאֲרֵי) [וְדָיְרֵי] אַרְעָא וְלָא   4:32

  אִיתַי דִּי־יְמַחֵא בִידֵהּ וְיֵאמַר לֵהּ מָה עֲבַדְתְּ׃

Dani. 4:32   And all the inhabitants of the earth are as if of no account,

                               and according to His desire He does

                       among the host of heaven and the dwellers of the earth,

                               and there is none who can hinder with his hand

                       or say to Him, “What do You do?”

בֵּהּ־זִמְנָא מַנְדְּעִי יְתוּב עֲלַי וְלִיקַר מַלְכוּתִי הַדְרִי וְזִוִי יְתוּב עֲלַי וְלִי הַדָּבְרַי וְרַבְרְבָנַי יְבַעֹון   4:33

 וְעַל־מַלְכוּתִי הָתְקְנַת וּרְבוּ יַתִּירָה הוּסְפַת לִי׃

Dani. 4:33   At the time my understanding could return to me, that for the glory of my kingdom my majesty and splendor would return to me, and my ministers and lords would seek me; then I was reestablished to my kingdom and surpassing greatness was added to me.

כְּעַן אֲנָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מְשַׁבַּח וּמְרֹומֵם וּמְהַדַּר לְמֶלֶךְ שְׁמַיָּא דִּי כָל־מַעֲבָדֹוהִי קְשֹׁט וְאֹרְחָתֵהּ דִּין וְדִי   4:34

מַהְלְכִין בְּגֵוָה יָכִל לְהַשְׁפָּלָה׃

Dani. 4:34   Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, am praising and extolling and glorifying the King of heaven, all works of Whose are truth and His ways are justice, and Who is able to humble those walking in pride.

 

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