1In the firstyearof Belshazzarkingof BabylonDanielsawa dreamand visionsin his mind[as he lay] on his bed;thenhe wrotethe dreamdown[and] relatedthe [following] summaryof it.2Danielsaid,"I was lookingin my visionby night,and behold,the fourwindsof heavenwere stirringup the greatsea.3"And fourgreatbeastswere comingup from the sea,differentfrom oneanother.4"The first[was] like a lionand had [the] wingsof an eagle.I keptlookinguntilits wingswere plucked,and it was liftedup from the groundand madeto standon two feetlike a man;a humanmindalso was givento it.5"And behold,anotherbeast,a secondone, resemblinga bear.And it was raisedup on oneside,and threeribs[were] in its mouthbetweenits teeth;and thusthey saidto it, 'Arise,devourmuchmeat!'6"AfterthisI keptlooking,and behold,anotherone, like a leopard,whichhad on its backfourwingsof a bird;the beastalso had fourheads,and dominionwas givento it.7"AfterthisI keptlookingin the nightvisions,and behold,a fourthbeast,dreadfuland terrifyingand extremelystrong;and it had largeironteeth.It devouredand crushedand trampleddownthe remainderwith its feet;and it was differentfrom allthe beaststhat were beforeit, and it had tenhorns.8"While I was contemplatingthe horns,behold,anotherhorn,a littleone,cameup amongthem, and threeof the firsthornswere pulledout by the rootsbeforeit; and behold,thishornpossessed eyeslike the eyesof a manand a mouthutteringgreat[boasts].
9"I keptlookingUntilthroneswere setup, And the Ancientof Daystook[His] seat;His vesture[was] like whitesnowAnd the hairof His headlike purewool.His throne[was] ablazewith flames,Its wheels[were] a burningfire.
10"A riverof firewas flowingAnd comingout from beforeHim; Thousandsupon thousandswere attendingHim, And myriadsupon myriadswere standingbeforeHim; The courtsat,And the bookswere opened.
11"ThenI keptlookingbecauseof the soundof the boastfulwordswhichthe hornwas speaking;I keptlookinguntilthe beastwas slain,and its bodywas destroyedand givento the burningfire.12"As for the restof the beasts,their dominionwas takenaway,but an extensionof lifewas grantedto them for an appointedperiodof time.
13"I keptlookingin the nightvisions,And behold,with the cloudsof heavenOne like a Sonof Manwas coming,And He cameup to the Ancientof DaysAnd was presentedbeforeHim.
14"And to Him was givendominion,Gloryand a kingdom,That allthe peoples,nationsand [men of every] languageMight serveHim. His dominionis an everlastingdominionWhichwill not passaway;And His kingdomis one Whichwill not be destroyed.
15"As for me, Daniel,my spiritwas distressedwithinme, and the visionsin my mindkept alarmingme.16"I approachedoneof those who were standingby and began askinghim the exactmeaningof allthis.So he toldme and madeknownto me the interpretationof these things:17Thesegreatbeasts,whichare four[in number], are fourkings[who] will arisefrom the earth.18But the saintsof the HighestOnewill receivethe kingdomand possessthe kingdomforever,for allagesto come.'
19"ThenI desiredto knowthe exactmeaningof the fourthbeast,whichwas differentfrom allthe others, exceedinglydreadful,with its teethof ironand its clawsof bronze,[and which] devoured,crushedand trampleddownthe remainderwith its feet,20and [the meaning] of the tenhornsthat [were] on its headand the other[horn] whichcameup, and beforewhich three[of them] fell,namely, that hornwhich had eyesand a mouthutteringgreat[boasts] and which was largerin appearancethanits associates.21"I keptlooking,and that hornwas wagingwarwith the saintsand overpoweringthem22untilthe Ancientof Dayscameand judgmentwas passedin favor of the saintsof the HighestOne,and the timearrivedwhen the saintstookpossessionof the kingdom.
23"Thushe said:'The fourthbeastwill be a fourthkingdomon the earth,whichwill be differentfrom allthe [other] kingdomsand will devourthe wholeearthand treadit downand crushit.24As for the tenhorns,out of this kingdomtenkingswill arise;and anotherwill ariseafterthem, and he will be differentfrom the previousonesand will subduethreekings.25He will speakout againstthe MostHighand weardownthe saintsof the HighestOne,and he will intendto makealterationsin timesand in law;and they will be giveninto his handfor a time,times,and halfa time.26But the courtwill sit[for judgment], and his dominionwill be takenaway,annihilatedand destroyedforever.27Then the sovereignty,the dominionand the greatnessof [all] the kingdomsunderthe wholeheavenwill be givento the peopleof the saintsof the HighestOne;His kingdom[will be] an everlastingkingdom,and allthe dominionswill serveand obeyHim.'
28"At thispointthe revelationended.As for me, Daniel,my thoughtswere greatlyalarmingme and my facegrewpale,but I keptthe matterto myself."
