13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was ^aa watcher, ^ba holy one, coming down from heaven.  ‡

14 He cried¹ aloud and said thus:
^a‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
^bLet the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches. ‡

17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order ^athat the living may know
^bThat the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
^cGives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the ^dlowest of men.’  ‡

18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, ^asince all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, ^bfor the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”  ‡