26. The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) a question. He asked, “Are you able to tell me what I dreamed and what it means?”
27. Daniel answered, “No person can explain to the king the secret he has asked about. No wise man, magician or fortune-teller can do this.
28. But there is a God in heaven who explains secret things. God has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at a later time. This is your dream. This is the vision you saw while lying on your bed:
29. My king, as you were lying there, you thought about things to come. God, who can tell people about secret things, showed you what is going to happen.
30. God also told this secret to me. It is not because I have greater wisdom than other men. It is so that you, my king, may know what it means. In that way you will understand what went through your mind.
31. “My king, in your dream you saw a large statue in front of you. It was huge, shiny and frightening.
32. The head of the statue was made of pure gold. Its chest and arms were made of silver. Its middle and the upper part of its legs were made of bronze.
33. The lower part of the legs were made of iron. Its feet were made partly of iron and partly of baked clay.
34. While you were looking at the statue, you saw a rock cut free. But no human being touched the rock. It hit the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.
35. Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold broke to pieces at the same time. They became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summertime. The wind blew them away, and there was nothing left. Then the rock that hit the statue became a very large mountain. It filled the whole earth.
36. “That was your dream. Now we will tell the king what it means.
37. My king, you are the greatest king. God of heaven has given you a kingdom. He has given you power, strength and glory.
38. God has given you power over people, wild animals and birds. Wherever they live, God has made you ruler over them all. King Nebuchadnezzar, you are the head of gold on that statue.
39. “Another kingdom will come after you. But that kingdom will not be as great as yours. Next a third kingdom will rule over the earth. That is the bronze part.
40. Then there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron. Iron crushes and smashes things to pieces. In the same way the fourth kingdom will smash and crush all the other kingdoms.