Daniel 7
1 In the first year of Baltasar, king of the Chaldeans Daniel had a dream, and visions of his head upon his bed: and he wrote his dream.
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.
2 I Daniel saw, and, behold, the four winds of heaven blew violently upon the great sea.
Daniel spoke and said, “I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke out on the great sea.
3 And there came up four great beasts out of the sea, differing from one another.
Four great animals came up from the sea, different from one another.
4 The first [was] as a lioness, and her wings as an eagle's; I saw until her wings were plucked, ands she was lifted off from the earth, and she stood on human feet, and a man's heart was given to her.
“The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet as a man. A man’s heart was given to it.
5 And, behold, a second beast like a bear, and it supported itself on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth, between its teeth: and thus they said to it, Arise, devour much flesh.
“Behold, there was another animal, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said this to it: ‘Arise! Devour much flesh!’
6 After this one I looked, and behold another wild beast as a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird upon it: and the wild beast had four heads, and power was given to it.
“After this I saw, and behold, another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this one I looked, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong, and its teeth were of iron; devouring and crushing to atoms, and it trampled the remainder with its feet: and it was altogether different from the beasts that were before it; and it [had] ten hours.
“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the animals that were before it. It had ten horns.
8 I noticed his horns, and behold, another little horn came up in the midst of them, and before it three of the former horns were rooted out: and, behold, [there were] eyes as the eyes of a man in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things.
“I considered the horns, and behold, there came up amongst them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.
9 I saw until the thrones were set, and the Ancient of days sat; and his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head, as pure wool: his throne was a flame of fire, [and] his wheels burning fire.
“I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was Ancient of Days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.
10 A stream of fire rushed forth before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousands of myriads, attended upon him: the judgement sat, and the books were opened.
A fiery stream issued and came out from before him. Thousands of thousands ministered to him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgement was set. The books were opened.
11 I saw then because of the voice of the great words which that horn spoke, until the wild beast was slain and destroyed, and his body given to be burnt with fire.
“I watched at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke. I watched even until the animal was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burnt with fire.
12 And the dominion of the rest of the wild beasts was taken away; but a prolonging of life was given them for certain times.
As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 I saw in the night vision, and, behold, [one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man, and he came on to the Ancient of days, and was brought near to him.
“I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And to him was given the dominion, and the honour, and the kingdom; and all nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.
Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed.
15 [As for] me Daniel, my spirit in my body trembled, and the visions of my head troubled me.
“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 And I drew near to one of them that stood by, and I sought to learn of him the truth of all these things: and he told me the truth, and made known to me the interpretation of the things.
I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. “So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These four beasts are four kingdoms [that] shall rise up on the earth:
‘These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who will arise out of the earth.
18 which shall be taken away; and the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess it for ever and ever.
But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
19 Then I enquired carefully concerning the fourth beast; for it differed from every [other] beast, exceeding dreadful: its teeth were of iron, and its claws of brass, devouring, and utterly breaking to pieces, and it trampled the remainder with its feet:
“Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of bronze; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
20 and concerning it ten horns that were in its head, and the other that came up, and rooted up [some] of the former, which had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and his look was bolder than the rest.
and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, whose look was more stout than its fellows.
21 I saw, and that horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
I saw, and the same horn made war with the holy ones, and prevailed against them,
22 until the Ancient of days came, and he gave judgement to the saints of the Most High; and the time came on, and the saints possessed the kingdom.
until the Ancient of Days came, and judgement was given to the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came that the holy ones possessed the kingdom.
23 And he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on the earth, which shall excel all [other] kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and trample and destroy it.
“So he said, ‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down and break it in pieces.
24 And his ten horns are ten kings [that] shall arise: and after them shall arise another, who shall exceed all the former ones in wickedness and he shall subdue three kings.
As for the ten horns, ten kings will arise out of this kingdom. Another will arise after them; and he will be different from the former, and he will put down three kings.
25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change times and law: and [power] shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.
He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the holy ones of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
26 And the judgement has sat, and they shall remove [his] dominion to abolish it, and to destroy it utterly.
“‘But the judgement will be set, and they will take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.
27 And the kingdom and the power and the greatness of the kings that are under the whole heaven were given to the saints of the Most High; and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all powers shall serve and obey him.
The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, will be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey him.’
28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance was changed: but I kept the matter in my heart.
“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
