18.  Thou hast seen the greatness of his evil deeds:  come now to God’s loving-kindness.  He was turned into a wild beast R.C. Afterwards he was turned into a wild beast:  “he who was like a wild beast and most cruel in disposition; but he was turned into a wild beast, not that he might perish, but that by repentance he might be saved.”, he abode in the wilderness, he was scourged, that he might be saved.  He had claws as a lion R.C. “of birds.”  See Dan. iv. 33.; for he was a ravager of the Sanctuary.  He had a lion’s mane:  for he was a ravening and a roaring lion.  He ate grass like an ox:  for a brute beast he was, not knowing Him who had given him the kingdom.  His body was wet from the dew; because after seeing the fire quenched by the dew he believed not R.C. “after the midst of the furnace had become to Ananias and his companions as the tinkling breath of rain, he saw and believed not.”.  And what happened R.C. “But afterwards he came to his senses and repented, as he says himself.”?  After this, saith he, I, Nabuchodonosor, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and I blessed the Most High, and to Him that liveth for ever I gave praise and glory Dan. iv. 34..  When, therefore, he recognised the Most High R.C. “And after he had been scourged many years, he gave praise to Him that liveth for ever, and acknowledged Him that had given him the kingdom, and recognised the King of kings.  And though he had often sinned in deeds, on making confession only in words, he received the benefit of God’s unspeakable loving kindness.  He who was of all men most wicked, by the Divine judgment and loving-kindness of God who chastised him, crowned himself again with the royal diadem, and recovered his imperial throne.”, and sent up these words of thankfulness to God, and repented himself for what he had done, and recognised his own weakness, then God gave back to him the honour of the kingdom.