< Daniel 7 >

1 In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.
In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel, beheld, a dream, and visions of his head upon his bed, —then, the dream, he wrote, the sum of the matters, he told.
2 Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.
Daniel spake and said, I was looking, in my vision [which came] with the night, —when, lo! the four winds of the heavens, bursting forth upon the great sea;
3 Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
and four large wild beasts, coming up out of the sea, —diverse, one from another: —
4 The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man.
The foremost, like a lion, having, the wings of an eagle, —I looked until the wings thereof, were torn out, and it was lifted up from the earth, and, upon its feet, like a man, was it caused to stand, and, the heart of a man, was given to it.
5 Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’
And, lo! another wild beast, a second, resembling a bear, and, on one side, was it raised up, with three ribs in its mouth, between its teeth, —and, thus, were they saying to it, Rise! devour much flesh.
6 Next, as I watched, another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
After that, I was looking, and lo! another like a leopard, and it, had four wings of a bird upon its back, —and four heads, had the wild beast, and dominion, was given to it,
7 After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.
After that, I was looking in the visions of the night, when lo! a fourth wild beast, terrible and well-hipped and exceeding strong, and it had, large teeth of iron, it devoured and brake in pieces, and, the residue—with its feet, it trampled down, —and, it, was diverse from all the wild beasts that were before it, and it had, ten horns.
8 While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
I was considering the horns, when lo! another horn, a little one, came up among them, and, three of the former horns, were uprooted from before it, —and lo! eyes, like the eyes of a man, in this horn, and, a mouth, speaking great things.
9 As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
I continued looking, until that, thrones, were placed, and, the Ancient of days, took his seat, —whose, garment, like snow, was white, and, the hair of his head, like pure wool, his throne, was flames of fire, his wheels, a burning fire.
10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
A stream of fire, was flowing on and issuing forth from before him, a thousand thousand, waited upon him and, ten thousand times ten thousand, before him, stood up, —Judgment, took its seat, and, books, were opened.
11 Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
I continued looking, then because of the sound of the great words which the horn was speaking, I continued looking, until that the wild beast, was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning of the fire.
12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a time.
As concerning the rest of the beasts, their dominion, was taken away, —but, a lengthening of life, was given to them, until time and season.
13 In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
I continued looking in the visions of the night, when lo! with the clouds of the heavens, one like a son of man, was coming, —and, unto the Ancient of days, he approached, and, before him, they brought him near;
14 And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
and, unto him, were given dominion and dignity and kingship, that all peoples, races and tongues, unto him, should do service, —his dominion, was an age-abiding dominion, which should not pass away, and, his kingdom, that which should not be destroyed.
15 I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.
The spirit of, me, Daniel, was grieved in the midst of the sheath, —and, the visions of my head, terrified me.
16 I approached one of those who were standing there, and I asked him the true meaning of all this. So he told me the interpretation of these things:
I drew near unto one of them who stood by, and made exact enquiry of him, concerning all this, —so he told me, and, the interpretation of the things, made he known unto me.
17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.
These great wild beasts, which are four, —are four kings who shall arise out of the earth;
18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
but the holy ones of the Highest, shall receive the kingdom, —and shall possess the kingdom for the age, yea for the age of ages.
19 Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left.
Then desired I to be sure, concerning the fourth wild beast, which was diverse from all of them, —exceeding terrible, whose, teeth, were iron, and, his claws, of bronze, he devoured, brake in pieces, and, the residue—with his feet, he trampled down;
20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
also concerning the ten horns, which were in his head, and the other, which came up, and there fell—from among them that were before it—three, —and this horn which had, eyes, and, a mouth, speaking great things, and, his look, was more proud than his fellows:
21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,
I continued looking, when, this horn, made war with the holy ones, —and prevailed against them:
22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for them to possess the kingdom.
until that the Ancient of Days, came, and, justice, was granted to the holy ones of the Highest, —and, the time, arrived, that the holy ones should possess, the kingdom.
23 This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it.
Thus, he said, The fourth wild beast, is a fourth kingdom which shall be in the earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, —and shall devour all the earth, and shall trample it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king, different from the earlier ones, will rise and subdue three kings.
And, the ten horns of that kingdom, are ten kings who will arise, —and, another, will arise after them, and, he, will be diverse from the former ones, and, three kings, will he cast down;
25 He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
and, words against the Most High, will he speak, and, the holy ones of the Highest, will he afflict, —and will hope to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand, for a season and seasons and the dividing of a season,
26 But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
but, Judgment, will take its seat, —and, his dominion, will they take away, to destroy and make disappear unto an end.
27 Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
And, the kingdom, and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under all the heavens, shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Highest, —his kingdom, is an age-abiding kingdom, and, all the dominions, unto him, will render service, and show themselves obedient.
28 Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”
Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, greatly did my thoughts terrify me, and, my bright looks, were changed upon me, but, the matter—in mine own heart, I kept.

< Daniel 7 >