Daniel 7
1 In the first year of Belshazzar the king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and the visions of his head while on his couch: afterward he wrote down the dream, relating the principal things.
In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and a vision in his head on his bed. And, writing down the dream, he understood it in a concise manner, and so, summarizing it tersely, he said:
2 Daniel commenced and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of heaven blew fiercely on the great sea.
I saw in my vision at night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens fought upon the great sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, differing one from another.
And four great beasts, different from one another, ascended from the sea.
4 the first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I looked till its wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth, and was placed upon its feet as a man, and a human heart was given to it.
The first was like a lioness and had the wings of an eagle. I watched as its wings were plucked off, and it was raised from the earth and stood on its feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.
5 And behold there was another, a second beast, like a bear, and on one side was it placed, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth: and thus they said unto it, Arise, eat much flesh.
And behold, another beast, like a bear, stood to one side, and there were three rows in its mouth and in its teeth, and they spoke to it in this way: “Arise, devour much flesh.”
6 After this I looked, and lo there was another, like a leopard; and it had four wings of a bird on its back: the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given unto it.
After this, I watched, and behold, another like a leopard, and it had wings like a bird, four upon it, and four heads were on the beast, and power was given to it.
7 After this I looked in the night visions, and behold there was a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and ground up, and what was left it stamped with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
After this, I watched in the vision of the night, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible yet wondrous, and exceedingly strong; it had great iron teeth, eating yet crushing, and trampling down the remainder with his feet, but it was unlike the other beasts, which I had seen before it, and it had ten horns.
8 I looked carefully at the horns, and, behold, another little horn came up between them, and three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots before the same; and, behold, there were eyes like the eyes of man in this horn, with a mouth speaking presumptuous things.
I considered the horns, and behold, another little horn rose out of the midst of them. And three of the first horns were rooted out by its presence. And behold, eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking unnatural things.
9 I was looking until chairs were set down, and an Ancient of days seated himself, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of whose head was like clean wool; his chair was like flames of fire, and his wheels like fire that burnt;
I watched until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of days sat down. His garment was radiant like snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool; his throne was flames of fire, its wheels had been set on fire.
10 A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; thousand times thousands ministered unto him, and myriad times myriads stood before him: they sat down to hold judgment, and the books were opened.
A river of fire rushed forth from his presence. Thousands upon thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times hundreds of thousands attended before him. The trial began, and the books were opened.
11 I looked then, because of the sound of the presumptuous words which the horn had spoken, —I looked till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and given over to the burning fire.
I watched because of the voice of the great words which that horn was speaking, and I saw that the beast had been destroyed, and its body was ruined and had been handed over to be burnt with fire.
12 But concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet a longer duration of life was given unto them until the time and period.
Likewise, the power of the other beasts was taken away, and a limited time of life was appointed to them, until one time and another.
13 I looked in the nightly visions, and, behold, with the clouds of heaven came one like a son of man, and he attained as far as the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
I watched, therefore, in the vision of the night, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man arrived, and he approached all the way to the Ancient of days, and they presented him before him.
14 And there were given him dominion, and dignity, and government, and all people, nations, and languages had to serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom is one which shall never be destroyed.
And he gave him power, and honor, and the kingdom, and all peoples, tribes, and languages will serve him. His power is an eternal power, which will not be taken away, and his kingdom, one which will not be corrupted.
15 My spirit was deeply shaken within me, Daniel, in the midst of its tenement, and the visions of my head troubled me.
My spirit was terrified. I, Daniel, was fearful at these things, and the visions of my head disturbed me.
16 I came near unto one of those that stood by, and asked him something certain concerning all this: and he spoke to me, and made known unto me the interpretation of the things.
I approached one of the attendants and asked the truth from him about all these things. He told me the interpretation of the words, and he instructed me:
17 These great beasts, of which there are four, are four kings, who are to arise on the earth.
“These four great beasts are four kingdoms, which will rise from the earth.
18 But the saints of the Most High will obtain the kingdom, and possess the kingdom to eternity, even to all eternity for ever.
Yet it is the saints of the Most High God who will receive the kingdom, and they will hold the kingdom from this generation, and forever and ever.”
19 Then I desired what is certain concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all these others, exceedingly dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and whose nails of copper; which devoured, ground up, and stamped with its feet what was left;
After this, I wanted to learn diligently about the fourth beast, which was very different from all, and exceedingly terrible; his teeth and claws were of iron; he devoured and crushed, and the remainder he trampled with his feet;
20 And concerning the ten horns that were in its head, and concerning the other which came up, and before which three fell down, even concerning that horn which had eyes, and a mouth which spoke presumptuous things, and whose appearance was greater than that of its companions.
and about the ten horns, which he had on his head, and about the other, which had sprung up, before which three horns fell, and about that horn which had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and which was more powerful than the rest.
21 I had seen how the same horn had made war with the saints, and had prevailed against them:
I watched, and behold, that horn made war against the holy ones and prevailed over them,
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and procured justice unto the saints of the Most High; and the time came and the saints took possession of the kingdom.
until the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the holy ones of the Supreme One, and the time arrived, and the holy ones obtained the kingdom.
23 Thus said he, The fourth beast [signifieth that] a fourth kingdom will be upon earth, which is to be different from all kingdoms, and will devour all the earth, and will tread it down, and grind it up.
And thus he said, “The fourth beast will be the fourth kingdom on earth, which will be greater than all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will trample and crush it.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom [signify] that ten kings will arise; and another will rise after them, and he will be different from the first, and three kings will he bring low.
Moreover, the ten horns of the same kingdom will be ten kings, and another will rise up after them, and he will be mightier than the ones before him, and he will bring down three kings.
25 And he will speak words against the Most High, and the saints of the Most High will he oppress, and think to change the festivals and the law: and they will be given up into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
And he will speak words against the Supreme One, and will exhaust the holy ones of the Most High, and he will think about what it would take to change the times and the laws, and they will be given into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time.
26 But they will sit down to hold judgment, and they will take away his dominion, to destroy and to annihilate it unto the end.
And a trial will begin, so that his power may be taken away, and be crushed, and be undone all the way to the end.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion, and the power over the kingdoms under the whole heaven, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all governments are to worship and obey him.
Yet the kingdom, and the power, and the greatness of that kingdom, which is under all of heaven, shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all kings will serve and obey him.”
28 Thus far is the end of the speech. As for me Daniel, my reflections troubled me greatly, and my color was changed on me; but I kept the speech in my heart.
And here is the end of the message. I, Daniel, was greatly disturbed by my thoughts, and my mood was changed in me, but I preserved the message in my heart.
