Daniel warns the king

16Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for about an hour, and his thoughts terrified him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation terrify you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies.”

17The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and was visible to all the earth—

18Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field lived, and in its branches the birds of the heavens dwelled.

19You are the king, who has grown great and strong; your greatness has become great and reached to heaven, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

20And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field until seven times pass over him’—

21This is the interpretation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:

22And you will be driven away from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will be made to eat grass like oxen, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he wills.

23And because they said to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will remain yours from the time that you know that Heaven rules.

24Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, that there may perhaps be a prolonging of your prosperity.