[Daniel 4:1] I (אֲנָה)... serene (שְׁלֵה): [The Aramaic word sh'leh (serene/at ease)] is like [the Hebrew]: "I was serene" (שָׁלֵו הָיִיתִי - shalev hayiti) [Job 16:12].

[Daniel 4:2] Dream (חֵ֥לֶם), and it frightened me (וִֽידַחֲלִנַּ֑נִי): [Meaning] it scared me (הִפְחִידַנִי - hiphchidani).

And my thoughts (וְהַרְהֹרִין֙): The contemplation/musing of the heart. And it [this specific Aramaic word harhorin] has no [exact] parallel [in Scripture].

And the visions of my head (וְחֶזְוֵ֥י רֵאשִׁ֖י): [This phrase is used] because the eyes are in the head; or, because the vision is [formed] in the brain.

[Daniel 4:3] And from me [an order was issued] (וּמִנִּי֙): He [Nebuchadnezzar, writing in the first person] recounts the entire event that transpired. And it was written this way for the honor of Daniel, in that the king wrote this [account] in this manner [as a royal proclamation] to all the provinces of his kingdom. And [this constituted] a great glory/splendor (תִּפְאֶרֶת - tif'eret) for Israel.

[Daniel 4:4] Then came in (בֵּאדַ֣יִן עׇלִּ֗ין): [Meaning,] they were coming in before him. I said (אָמַ֤ר אֲנָה֙): [Nebuchadnezzar uses the phrase] “I said” (אָמַ֤ר אֲנָה֙ - amar ana) and not [the standard conjugated past tense form] “I said” (אָמְרִית - amrit). For this [construction, using the Aramaic participle amar with the explicit pronoun ana] is also correct/valid in the language. And similar [examples in Hebrew showing valid structures where the pronoun is used explicitly alongside the verb or descriptor for emphasis or clarity] are: “I am the man who has seen affliction” (אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י - Ani ha-gever ra’ah oni) [from Lamentations 3:1, where the explicit pronoun “I” (Ani) begins the clause, linking the subject directly to the following descriptive phrase]; and [phrases such as] “and I remained/was left” (וְנֵֽאשְׁאַ֖ר אָ֑נִי - v'ne'eshar ani) [quoting Ezekiel 9:8, where the explicit pronoun “I” (ani) follows the standard inflected verb ne'eshar (“I remained”), reinforcing the subject], “for I am faint” (כִּֽי־אֻמְלַ֣ל אָ֑נִי - ki umlal ani) [quoting Psalms 6:3, where the descriptive adjective/participle “faint” (umlal) is followed by the explicit pronoun “I” (ani), directly linking the state to the subject]. Because it [the form amar ana, using the participle with the pronoun] serves to introduce [the speech/narrative] (כִּי הוּא פֶּתַח - ki hu petach).

[Daniel 4:5] And finally (וְעַ֣ד אׇחֳרֵ֡ין): [The Aramaic word acharein means] last/finally (אַחֲרוֹן - acharon [in Hebrew]). And in whom [was] the spirit of the holy gods (וְדִ֛י רֽוּחַ־אֱלָהִ֥ין קַדִּישִׁ֖ין בֵּ֑הּ): [Ibn Ezra draws a conclusion from Nebuchadnezzar's statement:] If the spirit of holy gods is in him, he [Daniel] is holy.

[Daniel 4:6] Belteshazzar, [...whom no mystery] baffles (לָא־אָנֵ֣ס): [The Aramaic phrase la anes lakh means] it will not overcome you (לֹא יְנַצֵּחֲךָ - lo y'natzechecha). And similar to it [using the related root א.נ.ס to mean force/compulsion] is [the phrase from Esther 1:8]: “no compulsion/forcing” (אֵ֣ין אֹנֵ֑ס - ein ones). [The root implies being] like: conquering (מְנַצֵּחַ - m'natzeach), compelling/forcing (מַכְרִיחַ - machriach).

[Daniel 4:7] And the visions (וְחֶזְוֵ֥י)... a tree (אִילָ֛ן): [The Aramaic word ilan means] a tree (עֵץ - etz) from within the earth.

[Daniel 4:8] Grew (רְבָ֥ה): [Meaning, it] grew great (גָּדַל - gadal).

Reached (יִמְטֵ֣א): [Meaning, it] reached (יַגִּיעַ - yagia).

And its visibility (וַחֲזוֹתֵ֖הּ): [Meaning] its branches/foliage (שֶׂעֲפָיו - se'apayiv). [Ibn Ezra interprets the tree's visibility as stemming from its extensive branches/foliage]. And similar to it [using the root ח.ז.ה related to vision/appearance] is: “a conspicuous horn” (קֶרֶן חָזוּת - keren chazut) [found in Daniel 8:5], because it [the horn] has the likeness of branches/foliage (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ כִּדְמוּת שְׂעִיפִים - sheyesh lo kidmut s'ifim). [Ibn Ezra interprets keren chazut not just as 'visible' but as prominent or conspicuous like spreading branches, linking the concept of visibility/appearance in both verses to the idea of branching structure].

[Daniel 4:9] Its foliage (עׇפְיֵ֤הּ): Yefet [ben Ali] says [this means] its branches (עֲנָפָיו - anafayv). And similar to it [using a related word for foliage/branches] is: “from among the foliage (עֳפָאיִם) they give voice” [Psalms 104:12]. He [Yefet] also interpreted “and its visibility” (vachazoteh, from the previous verse [Daniel 4:8]) as its thickness/density (עֳבִיּוֹ - ovyo), and similarly [interpreted] “a conspicuous horn” (keren chazut, from Daniel 8:5) [in terms of its thickness or prominence rather than branching structure as Ibn Ezra preferred]. And some [other commentators] say that “its foliage” (ofyeh) means its leaves (עָלָיו - alav).

And its fruit (וְאִנְבֵּ֣הּ): [Means] and its fruit (וּפִרְיוֹ - u’piryo).

Found shade (תַּטְלֵ֣ל): [Meaning] like shade/shadow (כִּדְמוּת צֵל - kidmut tzel). [From the root צ.ל.ל - shade].

And on its branches (וּבְעַנְפ֙וֹהִי֙): [Means] its branches (עֲנָפָיו - anafayv).

Birds (צִפְּרֵ֣י): [Means] fowl/birds (עוֹף - oph).

Fed (יִתְּזִ֥ין): [This word] is derived from [the word/root for] food (מִגִּזְרַת מָזוֹן - mi-gizrat mazon).

[Daniel 4:10] Watcher (עִיר): [Means] an angel (מַלְאָךְ - mal'ach). And Rabbi Moshe [ibn Gikatilla?] said: that it is not a body, and it is always awake (עֵר - er) and does not sleep [connecting the Aramaic word ir (watcher) etymologically to the Hebrew er (awake)].

Coming down (נָחִֽת): [Means] descended (יָרַד - yarad). And similar to it [using the related Hebrew root נ.ח.ת which implies downward action] is [the phrase from Psalms 65:11]: “leveling its ridges” (נַחֵ֣ת גְּדוּדֶ֑הָ - nachet gedudeha). [Although meaning 'leveling' here, it demonstrates the root's connection to downward movement, akin to the descent implied by nachit].

[Daniel 4:11] Called loudly (קָרֵ֨א בְחַ֜יִל): [Means called] with strength/power (בְּכֹחַ - be-khoach).

And lop off (וְקַצִּ֣צוּ): [Means] cut/hew it down (כְּרוֹתוּ - k'rotu).

Strip off (אַתַּ֥רוּ): [Means] cause to fall/cast down (הַפִּילוּ - happilu).

Scatter (וּבַדַּ֣רוּ): [Means] scatter/disperse (הָפִיצוּ - hafitzu) or destroy (הַשְׁחִיתוּ - hashchitu).

Flee (תְּנֻ֤ד): [From the root meaning to wander/move restlessly, as in the phrase used regarding Cain in Genesis 4:12, Genesis 4:14]: “moving and wandering” (נָע וָנָד - na va-nad).

[Daniel 4:12 (4:9 Heb)] But (בְּרַם): [Means] however/but (אַךְ - akh). Leave the stump of its roots in the ground (עִקַּ֤ר שׇׁרְש֙וֹהִי֙ בְּאַרְעָ֣א שְׁבֻ֔קוּ): [Meaning] Leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it stand among the grasses and among the vegetation (בֵּין הָעֲשָׂבִים וּבֵין הַדְּשָׁאִים - bein ha-asavim u-vein ha-desha'im). [This state of being left in the field, bound,] is like [the description of a captive king being] “bound... in fetters of bronze” (אָסוּר בַּנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם - asur ba-n'chushtayim) [cf. II Kings 25:7, Jeremiah 39:7, Jeremiah 52:11 regarding Zedekiah; II Chronicles 36:6 regarding Jehoiakim].

And let him be drenched with the dew (וּבְטַ֤ל ... יִצְטַבַּ֔ע): [The word yitztaba means] he will be saturated/drenched (יִרְוֶה - yirveh).

[Daniel 4:13 (4:10 Heb)] His mind (לִבְבֵהּ֙): [Means] his heart/mind (לִבּוֹ - libbo) will be changed from [that of] a human (מִלֵּב אֱנוֹשׁ יְשַׁנּוּ - mi-lev enosh yeshannu).

Pass over (יַחְלְפ֥וּן): [Meaning] they will pass (יַעַבְרוּ - ya'avru). Like [the usage in Song of Songs 2:11]: “the rain is over and gone” (הַגֶּשֶׁם חָלַף הָלַךְ לוֹ - ha-geshem chalaf halach lo).

[Daniel 4:14] By the decree (בִּגְזֵרַ֤ת): Thus they [the Watchers] decreed, for they are the ministers of God (מְשָׁרְתֵי הַשֵּׁם - m'shar'tei Hashem), [acting] as He commanded them. And “this is the command of the holy ones” (וּמֵאמַ֥ר קַדִּישִׁ֖ין שְׁאֵֽלְתָ֑א). And the question is, why this [decree]? [The verse answers:] “So that the living may know” (עַד־דִּבְרַ֡ת דִּ֣י יִנְדְּע֣וּן חַ֠יַּיָּ֠א) that the Most High (הָעֶלְיוֹן - Ha-Elyon), who is God (הַשֵּׁם - Hashem), “is sovereign over the lowly kingdom of men” (שַׁלִּ֨יט ... בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֗א הַשְּׁפֵלָה - shallit... b'malchut anasha ha-sh'felah), “and He gives it to whom He wishes, and sets up over it the lowest of men” (וּלְמַן־דִּ֤י יִצְבֵּא֙ יִתְּנִנַּ֔הּ וּשְׁפַ֥ל אֲנָשִׁ֖ים יְקִ֥ים עֲלַֽהּ).

[Daniel 4:15] This (דְּנָה֙): [Meaning, Nebuchadnezzar is saying:] Thus I spoke to Daniel (כָּךְ אָמַרְתִּי לְדָנִיֵּאל - kach amarti l'Daniel).

[Daniel 4:16] Then... was perplexed (אֱדַ֨יִן... אֶשְׁתּוֹמַם֙): [Meaning] He was stunned/perplexed (הִשְׁתּוֹמֵם - hishtomem) for one moment/hour (שָׁעָה אַחַת - sha'ah achat).

My lord (מָרִ֕אי): [Means] my lord (אֲדוֹנִי - adoni).

For your foe (לְעָרָֽךְ): [The word arakh means "your foe," like the Hebrew word עָר (ar - foe/enemy)]. And this [phrase, "would that the dream were for your enemy... and its meaning for your foe"] is the proper etiquette (דֶּרֶךְ מוּסָר - derech musar) [when speaking] with the king. And some say that his [Daniel's] heart [in saying this] was [directed] towards God [i.e., wishing the evil away entirely], but there is no need [for such an interpretation], for it is correct according to its plain meaning.

[Daniel 4:17] The tree (אִֽילָנָא֙): Rabbi Yeshua [ben Yehuda] said: that “and its visibility” (vachazoteh, from Daniel 4:8) is from the root/language (מִלָּשׁוֹן - mi-lashon) of “vision/see” (chazah - חָזָה), meaning it is visible/seen (שֶׁהוּא נִרְאֶה - shehu nir'eh). And similarly [he explains] “a conspicuous horn” (keren chazut) [from Daniel 8:5] derives its meaning [from being easily seen]. [However, Ibn Ezra challenges this interpretation:] And if so, how will he [Rabbi Yeshua] explain [the phrase in Daniel 8:8]: “and four chazut came up in its place” (וַתַּעֲלֶ֛ינָה חָז֥וּת אַרְבַּ֖ע תַּחְתֶּֽיהָ - vata'alena chazut arba tachteha)? [Ibn Ezra implies that if chazut merely means 'visible,' then 'four visibles' coming up in place of the horn doesn't make clear sense, suggesting chazut must carry a more substantial meaning related to the horn/branch structure itself, supporting Ibn Ezra's own earlier interpretation in his commentary on Daniel 4:8].

[Daniel 4:18] And its foliage (וְעׇפְיֵ֤הּ): [Regarding the beginning of the verse, "And its foliage..."] And the verse following it [i.e., this entire verse, which repeats the description from Daniel 4:9] does not need explanation (אֵין צָרִיךְ פֵּרוּשׁ - ein tzarich perush).

[Daniel 4:21 (4:18 Heb)] This (דְּנָ֥ה): [Meaning:] This (hu) is the interpretation (ha-pitaron) as it will now be told to you (ka'asher ne'emar lach). And the explanation/meaning of [the concept of offering counsel, anticipating Daniel's statement “let my counsel...” (milki) in Daniel 4:24] is similar to [the usage describing internal deliberation in Nehemiah 5:7]: “and my heart took counsel within me” (וַיִּמָּלֵךְ לִבִּי עָלַי - vayimmalech libbi alai).

[Daniel 4:24] Redeem (פְרֻק): [Means] redeem (גְּאַל - g'al). Like [the phrase from Psalms 136:24 (and commonly found in the Passover Haggadah)]: “And He redeemed us from our enemies” (וַיִּפְרְקֵנוּ מִצָּרֵינוּ - vayifrǝqenu mitzareinu).

By generosity to the poor (בְּמִחַן עֲנָיִן): [Meaning] by showing favor/grace to the poor (לָחוֹן עֲנִיִּים - lachon aniyim) [connecting the Aramaic michan to the Hebrew root ח.נ.נ - favor/grace]. Then your serenity may be extended (הֵן תֶּהֱוֵה אַרְכָה לִשְׁלֵוְתָךְ): [Meaning] Perhaps there will be a lengthening (אֲרִיכוּת - arichut) for your serenity. Or [it could be understood] like [the concept of] healing/restoration (אֲרוּכָה - arukah) for your error (לִשְׁגָגָתְךָ - lishgagatecha). [Ibn Ezra draws a parallel between arkah (lengthening/extension) and arukah (healing, cf. Jeremiah 8:22, Nehemiah 4:1), suggesting the extension of peace is akin to a healing or remedy for the error that caused the decree].

[Daniel 4:25] All (כֹּלָּא): [Meaning] Everything (ha-kol) came and befell [him]. Thus it is written in the book [of Daniel]. And do not be astonished that it did not write "[All this befell] me" (עָלַי - alai), but rather "upon Nebuchadnezzar." [This shift from first to third person is acceptable], like [in I Samuel 12:11]: “And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel,” and he [Samuel] is the one speaking/narrating (וְהוּא הַמְסַפֵּר - v'hu ha-m'sapper). [Samuel refers to himself in the third person within his own speech]. And similarly [consider the phrase] “he was walking” (מְהַלֵּךְ הֲוָה - m'halekh hava) [found later in Daniel 4:26 describing Nebuchadnezzar's actions; although the narrative has shifted to third person, this participial form is used]. Also [consider] “the king answered” (עָנֵה מַלְכָּא - aneh malka) [from Daniel 4:16], which is as if he had said “I answered” (עָנִיתִי - aniti). [Even within Nebuchadnezzar's first-person account, third-person narrative descriptions like "the king answered" appear]. And similarly [the phrase] “in the mouth of the king” (בְּפוּם מַלְכָּא - b'fum malka) [in Daniel 4:28]. [These examples show that transitions between first and third-person perspectives, or using third-person descriptions within a first-person frame, are normal narrative techniques].

[Daniel 4:28] Passed (עֲדָת): [Meaning] It has turned aside (סָרָה - sarah) and passed away (וְעָבְרָה - v'avrah) from you. I have no knowledge/understanding to know what these “seven seasons” (shiv'ah idanin) are – whether days, or weeks, or months, or years? But for them to be days or weeks is not plausible, because it is written [that this state lasted long enough that] “until his hair grew like eagles’ [feathers]” [Daniel 4:30]. And the Gaon [Saadia Gaon] said that they are months. However, according to my opinion, they are years, like [the usage in] “a time, times, and half a time” (idan v'idanin u-flag idan) [found in Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7]. And let it not enter your mind that Nebuchadnezzar [physically] became a male or female animal, for it is only written that he would “dwell with the beasts” and “eat grass like them.” The meaning of [being given] “the mind of a beast” [Daniel 4:13] is that his intellect/reason (da'ato) – which is the intellect of the [human] soul (da'at ha-neshamah) – would depart. And behold, when the wisdom of the soul departs, his mind reverts and remains like the mind of a beast. The proof for all this is what he [Nebuchadnezzar] says at the end: “I lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me” (mandəʿî yəṯûḇ ʿălay) [Daniel 4:31]. And I saw [i.e., knew] one of our colleagues, trustworthy in spirit, who told me that he was on an island, which is Sardinia. And behold, an uncircumcised man [i.e., a non-Jew] went out and fled from his parents because his reason had departed and he went mad. He was with the deer for many years, and he walked on his feet and his hands like them. Now, the king of the island went to hunt game and captured many deer, and the mad, uncircumcised man, thought to be a deer, was [also] captured. His parents came and recognized him. They spoke to him, but he did not answer. They placed bread before him to eat and wine to drink, but he refused. They gave him grasses with the deer, and he ate. And in the middle of the night, he escaped back to the deer of the field. [This anecdote illustrates that a human can lose reason and adopt animalistic behaviors without undergoing physical transformation].

[Daniel 4:34] And those who behave arrogantly (וְדִי֙ מַהְלְכִ֣ין בְּגֵוָ֔ה): [The word b'gevah means] pride/arrogance (גַּאֲוָה - ga'avah). Like [the usage in Job 22:29]: “When they have humbled [you], you will say, ‘[It is] pride!’” (כִּֽי־הִ֭שְׁפִּילוּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר גֵּוָ֑ה - ki hishpilu vatomer gevah).