² So the king summoned the magicians,^(A) enchanters, sorcerers^(B) and astrologers^[a](C) to tell him what he had dreamed.^(D) When they came in and stood before the king,

¹⁰ The astrologers^(A) answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.^{(B) 11} What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods,^(C) and they do not live among humans.”

⁷ The king summoned the enchanters,^(A) astrologers^[a](B) and diviners.^(C) Then he said to these wise^(D) men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck,^(E) and he will be made the third^(F) highest ruler in the kingdom.”^(G)

⁸ Then all the king’s wise men^(H) came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.^(I)