Daniel 7
1 In the first year of Baltasar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream: and the vision of his head was upon his bed: and writing the dream, he comprehended it in few words: and relating the sum of it in short, he said:
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylonia, Daniel had a dream and visions in his mind while lying on his bed. Then he wrote down what he had seen in the dream. He wrote down the most important events:
2 I saw in my vision by night, and behold the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
Daniel explained, “In my vision at night I saw that the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
3 And four great beasts, different one from another, came up out of the sea.
Four large animals, each one different from the other, came up out of the sea.
4 The first was like a lioness, and had the wings of an eagle: I beheld till her wings were plucked off, and she was lifted up from the earth, and stood upon her feet as a man, and the heart of a man was given to her.
The first was like a lion but had eagle's wings. As I was looking, its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground and made to stand on two feet, like a man. The mind of a man was given to it.
5 And behold another beast like a bear stood up on one side: and there were three rows in the mouth thereof, and in the teeth thereof, and thus they said to it: Arise, devour much flesh.
Then there was a second animal, like a bear, and it was bending over; it had three ribs between its teeth in its mouth. It was told, 'Get up and devour many people.'
6 After this I beheld, and lo, another like a leopard, and it had upon it four wings as of a fowl, and the beast had four heads, and power was given to it.
After this I looked again. There was another animal, one that looked like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like bird wings, and it had four heads. It was given authority to rule.
7 After this I beheld in the vision of the night, and lo, a fourth beast, terrible and wonderful, and exceeding strong, it had great iron teeth, eating and breaking in pieces, and treading down the rest with its feet: and it was unlike to the other beasts which I had seen before it, and had ten horns.
After this I saw in the visions of the night a fourth animal, terrifying, frightening, and very strong. It had large iron teeth; it devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled underfoot what was left. It was different from the other animals, and it had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and behold another little horn sprung out of the midst of them: and three of the first horns were plucked up at the presence thereof: and behold eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things.
While I was considering the horns, I looked and saw another horn grow up among them, a little horn. Three of the first horns were wrenched out by the roots. I saw in this horn eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that was boasting about great things.
9 I beheld till thrones were placed, and the Ancient of days sat: his garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool: his throne like flames of fire: the wheels of it like a burning fire.
As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow, and the hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was flames of fire, and its wheels were burning fire.
10 A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened.
A river of fire flowed out from before him; millions served him, and one hundred million were standing before him. The court was in session, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld because of the voice of the great words which that horn spoke: and I saw that the beast was slain, and the body thereof was destroyed, and given to the fire to be burnt:
I continued to look because of the boastful words spoken by the horn. I watched while the animal was killed, and its body was destroyed, and it was given over to be burned up.
12 And that the power of the other beasts was taken away: and that times of life were appointed them for a time, and time.
As for the rest of the four animals, their authority to rule was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a period of time.
13 I beheld therefore in the vision of the night, and lo, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and he came even to the Ancient of days: and they presented him before him.
In my visions that night, I saw one coming with the clouds of heaven like a son of man; he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
14 And he gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes and tongues shall serve him: his power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away: and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed.
Authority to rule and glory and royal power were given to him so that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His authority to rule is an everlasting authority that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
15 My spirit trembled, I Daniel was affrighted at these things, and the visions of my head troubled me.
As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved inside of me, and the visions I saw in my mind troubled me.
16 I went near to one of them that stood by, and asked the truth of him concerning all these things, and he told me the interpretation of the words, and instructed me:
I approached one of them standing there and asked him to show me the meaning of these things.
17 These four great beasts are four kingdoms, which shall arise out of the earth.
'These large animals, four in number, are four kings that will arise from the earth.
18 But the saints of the most high God shall take the kingdom: and they shall possess the kingdom for ever and ever.
But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will possess it forever and ever.'
19 After this I would diligently learn concerning the fourth beast. which was very different from all, and exceeding terrible: his teeth and claws were of iron: he devoured and broke in pieces, and the rest he stamped upon with his feet:
Then I wanted to know more about the fourth animal—it was so different from the others and very horrifying with its iron teeth and bronze claws; it devoured, broke into pieces, and trampled on what was left with its feet.
20 And concerning the ten horns that he had on his head: and concerning the other that came up, before which three horns fell: and of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and was greater than the rest.
I wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and about the other horn that grew up, and before which the three horns fell down. I wanted to know about the horn that had eyes and about the mouth that boasted about great things and that seemed greater than its companions.
21 I beheld, and lo, that horn made war against the saints, and prevailed over them,
As I looked, this horn waged war against the holy people and was defeating them
22 Till the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the saints of the most High, and the time came, and the saints obtained the kingdom.
until the Ancient of Days came, and justice was given to the holy people of the Most High. Then the time came when the holy people received the kingdom.
23 And thus he said: The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be greater than all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
This is what that person said, 'As for the fourth animal, it will be a fourth kingdom on earth that will be different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, and it will trample it down and break it into pieces.
24 And the ten horns of the same kingdom, shall be ten kings: and another shall rise up after them, and he shall be mightier than the former, and he shall bring down three kings.
As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. He will be different from the previous ones, and he will conquer the three kings.
25 And he shall speak words against the High One, and shall crush the saints of the most High: and he shall think himself able to change times and laws, and they shall be delivered into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time.
He will speak words against the Most High and will oppress the holy people of the Most High God. He will try to change the festivals and the law. These things will be given into his hand for one year, two years, and half a year.
26 And judgment shall sit, that his power may be taken away, and be broken in pieces, and perish even to the end.
But the court will be in session, and they will take his royal power away to be consumed and destroyed at the end.
27 And that the kingdom, and power, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, may be given to the people of the saints of the most High: whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all kings shall serve him, and shall obey him.
The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, will be given to the people who belong to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all other kingdoms will serve and obey him.'
28 Hitherto is the end of the word. I Daniel was much troubled with my thoughts, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the word in my heart.
Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me and my face changed in appearance. But I kept these things to myself.”
