1In the first year of Bĕlshatstsar sovereign of Baḇel, Dani’ĕl had a dream and visions of his head on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, giving a summary of the matters.

2Dani’ĕl spoke and said, “I was looking in my vision by night and saw the four winds of the heavens stirring up the Great Sea.

3“And four great beasts came up from the sea, different from one another.

4“The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I was looking until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and it was given a man’s heart.

5“And see, another beast, a second, like a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said this to it, ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

6“After this I looked and saw another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and rule was given to it.

7“After this I looked in the night visions and saw a fourth beast, fearsome and burly, exceedingly strong. And it had great iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the rest with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

8“I was thinking about the horns, then saw another horn, a little one, coming up among them, and three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots before it. And see, eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking great words.

9“I was looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like clean wool, His throne was flames of fire, its wheels burning fire.

10“A stream of fire was flowing and coming forth from His presence, and a thousand thousands served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him, the Judge was seated, and the books were opened.

11“I was looking. Then, because of the sound of the great words which the horn was speaking, I was looking until the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning fire,

12and the rest of the beasts had their rule taken away. But a lengthening of life was given to them, for a season and a time.

13“I was looking in the night visions and saw One like the Son of Enosha, coming with the clouds of the heavens! And He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.

14“And to Him was given rulership and preciousness and a reign, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His rule is an everlasting rule which shall not pass away, and His reign that which shall not be destroyed.

15“As for me, Dani’ĕl, my spirit was pierced within my body, and the visions of my head alarmed me.

16“I drew near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the certainty of all this. And he spoke to me and made known to me the interpretation of the matters:

17‘These great beasts, which are four, are four sovereigns which rise up from the earth.

18‘Then the set-apart ones of the Most High shall receive the reign, and possess the reign forever, even forever and ever.’

19“Then I desired for certainty concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, very fearsome, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the rest with its feet,

20and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and of the other horn that came up, before which three fell – this horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke great words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

21“I was looking, and this horn was fighting against the set-apart ones, and was prevailing against them,

22until the Ancient of Days came, and right-ruling was given to the set-apart ones of the Most High, and the time came and the set-apart ones took possession of the reign.

23“This is what he said, ‘The fourth beast is the fourth reign on earth, which is different from all other reigns, and it devours all the earth, tramples it down and crushes it.

24‘And the ten horns are ten sovereigns from this reign. They shall rise, and another shall rise after them, and it is different from the first ones, and it humbles three sovereigns,

25and it speaks words against the Most High, and it wears out the set-apart ones of the Most High, and it intends to change appointed timesa and lawb, and they are given into its hand for a time and times and half a time.

26‘But the Judgement shall sit, and they shall take away its rule, to cut off and to destroy, until the end.

27‘And the reign, and the rulership, and the greatness of the reigns under all the heavens, shall be given to the people, the set-apart ones of the Most High. His reign is an everlasting reign, and all rulerships shall serve and obey Him.’

28“This is the end of the matter. As for me, Dani’ĕl, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my colour changed. And I kept the matter in my heart.”