(ll. 495-522) Now a dream came unto Nebuchadnezzar in his sleep
and troubled him. It seemed to him that there stood a tree upon
the earth, wondrous fair, deeply rooted and gleaming with fruit.
Nor was it like to other trees, but it towered unto the stars of
heaven, so that it overshadowed the regions of the world and all
the earth with its boughs and branches, even unto the shores of
the sea. And as he gazed it seemed to him that the tree made
shelter for the wild beasts, and that it held food for them all,
and likewise that the birds of the air found sustenance in the
fruit of the tree. And it seemed to him that an angel descended
from the heavens, and spake with a loud voice, commanding the
tree to be cut down, and the wild beasts and the birds to flee
away, when its fall should come. And he bade that its fruit be
cut off and its branches and boughs, but that the roots of the
tree should abide fast in the earth as a token, until green
shoots should spring again when God granted. And he bade bind
the mighty tree with brazen fetters and fetters of iron, and thus
bound cast it into torment, that his heart might know that a
mightier than he had power of correction, against whom he might
not prevail.
(ll. 523-537) Then the earthly king awoke from his slumber, and
his dream was ended. But fear of it was upon him, and terror of
the vision which God had sent him. And the haughty king bade
summon his people together, and the leaders of the people, and
asked them all the import of his dream, in no wise thinking that
they knew; but he made trial of them how they would answer. Then
Daniel, the prophet of God, was called unto judgment, and the
Holy Ghost was sent to him from heaven to strengthen his heart.
In him the lord of men perceived an understanding spirit and
depth of counsel, strength of wisdom, words of judgment. And
once again he showed forth many a wonder, the mighty works of
God, before the eyes of men.
(ll. 538-550) Then the proud, heathen leader of the host began to
tell his fearful dream, and all the horror of the vision that had
vexed him, and bade him tell the import of this secret thing,
bidding him speak in holy words and search his heart to tell with
truth the meaning of the tree which he saw gleaming, and declare
to him the decrees of fate. Then he fell silent. Yet Daniel
clearly saw in the assembly that his prince, the lord of men, was
guilty before God. The prophet paused; then God's herald,
skilled in the law, made answer to the king:
(ll. 551-579) "This, O prince of men, is no little wonder, which
thou hast seen in thy dream, a tree as high as heaven, and the
holy words, wrathful and full of terror, which the angel spake--that
the tree should be stripped of its branches and fall, where
formerly it stood fast, lying joyless with the beasts, abiding in
a desert place, its roots to remain fast in the earth in
stillness for a season where it stood, as the Voice declared, and
then after seven years to receive increase again! So shall thy
fortune be brought low! As the tree grew high unto heaven so art
thou lord and ruler over all the dwellers of earth, and there is
none on earth to withstand thee save God alone. He shall cut
thee off from thy kingdom and drive thee into exile without
friends, and thy heart shall be changed so that there shall be no
thought in thy heart of worldly joys, nor any reason in thy mind
save the ways of the wild beasts, but thou shalt live a long time
in the forest ranging with the deer. Thou shalt have no food
save the grass of the field, nor any fixed abiding-place, but the
showers of rain shall drench thee and harass thee even as the
wild beasts, until after seven winters thou shalt believe there
is One God for all mankind, a Lord and Ruler dwelling in the
heavens.
(ll. 580-592) "Yet is it pleasing unto me that the roots remained
fixed in the earth, as the Voice declared, and after seven
seasons received increase. So shall thy kingdom stand unharmed
of men until thou come again. Take now, my lord, firm counsel in
thy heart; give alms; defend the needy, and make atonement before
God, ere yet the hour cometh when He shall drive thee from thine
earthly kingdom. Oft for many peoples God abateth pain and woe,
if they but earnestly repent them of their sins, ere His avenging
wrath, with fatal doom, hath laid them low."
(ll. 593-597) But Daniel was not able to speak these many words
of truth, with craft of wisdom, to his lord, so that the mighty
ruler of the world would heed; but pride ruled his heart. And
bitter was his atonement!
(ll. 598-607) And as the king of the Chaldeans ruled his realm,
and beheld the city of Babylon in its prosperity towering up to
heaven, the city which the prince had built with many a wonder
for his people, and the fields of the Shinarites wide-stretching
round about, then the king began to utter boastful words. He
became perverse and arrogant of heart, beyond all men, because of
the special gifts which God had given him, a mighty kingdom and
the world to rule in the life of men:
(ll. 608-611) "Thou art the mighty city, famed afar, which I have
builded to my honour, a spacious kingdom. I will have rest in
thee, a dwelling and a home."
(ll. 612-621) Then the lord of men was smitten for his boasting,
and driven into exile, arrogant of heart beyond all men. Even as
in the days of strife, when God's swift wrath and anger smote him
from the heavens, Nebuchadnezzar trod the bitterest path unto
God's vengeance that ever living men have trod. Seven winters
together the king of that fair city suffered torment, a
desert-life with beasts.
(ll. 622-639) Then the wretched man, companion of the beasts,
looked up through the flying clouds; and he knew in his heart
that there was a Lord and King of heaven, and one Eternal Spirit
ruling over the sons of men. And he was recovered from the
madness which long had been upon him, vexing the heart and soul
of the king. His heart was turned again unto men and his mind
unto thoughts of God, after he came to know Him. And the
wretched man rose up and came again among men, a naked wanderer
acknowledging his sin, a strange exile without clothing, and of
humbler heart than the lord of men had been in his boasting.
Behind its lord the world had stood, behind the prince his home
and native land, unchanged for seven winters together, so that
his kingdom had not lessened under heaven until its ruler came
again.
(ll. 640-656) Then was the lord of Babylon once more seated upon
his throne; he had a better heart, a clearer faith in the Lord of
life, knowing that God dealeth unto every man weal or woe as He
desireth. The lord of nations was not slow to heed the counsels
of his wise men, but far and wide rehearsed the might of God,
where he had power of proclamation. He told his people of his
wanderings, his far journeys with the beasts, until the spirit of
the Lord God came upon him and thoughts of wisdom, when he looked
up to heaven. Fate was fulfilled, the wonder come to pass, the
dream come true, the punishment endured, the doom awarded, even
as Daniel said aforetime that the king would suffer downfall for
his pride, and earnestly proclaimed it before men, by the might
of God.
(ll. 657-674) Then for a long time Daniel gave judgment and
counsel in Babylon unto the city-dwellers. And after
Nebuchadnezzar, comrade and companion of the wild beasts,
returned from his wandering exile, the prince of the Chaldeans,
the wise and mighty leader of the folk, ruled his spacious
kingdom, guarding his treasure and the lofty city, until death
came upon him. And there was no man to withstand him upon earth
till God through death took his high kingdom from him. Thereafter
his descendants prospered greatly in that mighty stronghold, in
the city of earls, enjoying wealth and twisted gold, a mighty
treasure, when their lord lay dead.