< Daniel 8 >
1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, to me Daniel, after that which had appeared unto me at the first.
In the third year of the reign of king Baltasar a vision appeared to me, [even] to me Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.
2 And I saw in the vision—and it came to pass, in my seeing, that I was at Shushan the capital, which is in the province of 'Elam; —and I saw in the vision, as though I was by the river Ulai.
And I was in Susa the palace, which is in the land of Aelam, and I was on the [bank of] Ubal.
3 And I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and, behold, there was a ram standing before the river, and he had two horns; and the horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, a ram standing in front of the Ubal; and he had high horns; and one was higher than the other, and the high one came up last.
4 I saw the ram butting westward, and northward, and southward; so that all the beasts could not stand before him, and no one was there to deliver out of his hand: and he did according to his will, and became great.
And I saw the ram butting westward, and northward, and southward; and no beast could stand before him, and there was none that could deliver out of his hand; and he did according to his will, and became great.
5 And as I was looking attentively, behold, there came a shaggy, he-goat from the west over the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a sightly large horn between his eyes.
And I was considering, and, behold, a he-goat came from the southwest on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the earth: and the goat [had] a horn between his eyes.
6 And he came as far as the ram that had two horns, that I had seen standing before the river, and ran at him with his furious power.
And he came to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen standing in front of the Ubal, and he ran at him with the violence of his strength.
7 And I saw him coming close unto the ram, and he became bitterly enraged against him, and he struck the ram, and broke his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand forward before him: and he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him; and there was no one to deliver the ram out of his hand.
And I saw him coming up close to the ram, and he was furiously enraged against him, and he struck the ram, and broke both his horns: and there was no strength in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him on the ground, and trampled on him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.
8 And the shaggy he-goat became very great: but when he was grown strong, the great horn was broken; and there came up four slightly large ones in its place toward the four winds of heaven.
And the he-goat grew exceedingly great: and when he was strong, his great horn was broken; and four other [horns] rose up in its place towards the four winds of heaven.
9 And out of them came forth a little horn, which became exceedingly great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land.
And out of one of them came forth one strong horn, and it grew very great towards the south, and towards the host:
10 And it became great, even up to the host of the heavens; and it cast down to the ground some of the host and of the stars, and trod them under foot.
and it magnified itself to the host of heaven; and there fell to the earth [some] of the host of heaven and of the stars, and they trampled on them.
11 Yea, it magnified itself even up to the prince of the host, and by it the continual sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
And [this shall be] until the chief captain shall have delivered the captivity: and by reason of him the sacrifice was disturbed, and he prospered; and the holy place shall be made desolate.
12 And the host is given up together with the continual sacrifice, by reason of transgression: and it casteth down the truth to the ground, and it doth [this], and is prosperous.
And a sin-offering was given for the sacrifice, and righteousness was cast down to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
13 Then did I hear a certain holy one speaking, and a holy one said unto the unknown one who was speaking, For how long is the vision concerning the continual sacrifice, and the wasting transgression, to give up both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
And I heard one saint speaking, and a saint said to a certain one speaking, How long shall the vision continue, [even] the removal of the sacrifice, and the bringing in of the sin of desolation; and [how long] shall the sanctuary and host be trampled?
14 And he said unto me, Until two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings, when the sanctuary shall be justified.
And he said to him, Evening and morning [there shall be] two thousand and four hundred days; and [then] the sanctuary shall be cleansed.
15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, saw the vision, and sought for understanding, that, behold, there was standing opposite to me something like the appearance of a man.
And it came to pass, as I, [even] I Daniel, saw the vision, and sought to understand it, that, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
16 And I heard the voice of a man between [the banks of] the Ulai, and it called, and said, Gabriel, cause this one to understand this appearance.
And I heard the voice of a man between [the banks of] the Ubal; and he called, and said, Gabriel, cause that man to understand the vision.
17 So he came close to where I stood: and when he came, I was terrified, and I fell upon my face; but he said unto me, Mark it well, O son of man; because for the time of the end is the vision.
And he came and stood near where I stood: and when he came, I was struck with awe, and fell upon my face: but he said to me, Understand, son of man: for yet the vision is for an appointed time.
18 Now as he was speaking with me, I fell down in amazement on my face to the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright where I had been standing.
And while he spoke with me, I fell upon my face to the earth: and he touched me, and set me on my feet.
19 And he said, Behold, I will make known unto thee what is to be at the last end of the indignation; for it is for the appointed time of the end.
And he said, Behold, I make you know the things that shall come to pass at the end of the wrath: for the vision [is] yet for an appointed time.
20 The ram that thou hast seen, him with the two horns, [signifieth] the kings of Media and Persia.
The ram which you saw that had the horns is the king of the Medes and Persians.
21 And the shaggy he-goat is the king of Javan; and the great horn which is between his eyes is the first king.
The he-goat is the King of the Greeks: and the great horn which was between his eyes, he is the first king.
22 But that it was broken, and that four sprung up in its stead, [signifieth that] four kingdoms will spring up out of the nation, but not with his power.
And [as for] the one that was broken, in whose place there stood up four horns, four kings shall arise out of his nation, but not in their [own] strength.
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have filled their measure of guilt, there will arise a king of an impudent face, and understanding deep schemes.
And at the latter time of their kingdom, when their sins are coming to the full, there shall arise a king bold in countenance, and understanding riddles.
24 And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power; and he will destroy wonderfully, and will prosper while he doth [this]; and he will destroy very many and the people of the saints.
And his power [shall be] great, and he shall destroy wonderfully, and prosper, and practise, and shall destroy mighty men, and the holy people.
25 And through his intelligence, and because he prospereth, is craftiness in his hand; and in his heart will he magnify himself, and in peace will he destroy many: he will also stand up against the Prince of princes; but without a human hand will he be broken.
And the yoke of his chain shall prosper: [there is] craft in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by craft shall destroy many, and he shall stand up for the destruction of many, and shall crush them as eggs in his hand.
26 And the appearance of the evening and the morning which was spoken of is true: but do thou keep the vision closed up;
And the vision of the evening and morning that was mentioned is true: and do you seal the vision; for [it is] for many days.
27 And I Daniel grieved, and was sick several days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was depressed because of the appearance; but no one observed it.
And I Daniel fell asleep, and was sick: then I arose, and did the king's business; and I wondered at the vision, and there was none that understood [it].