Wycliffe's Bible 1In the third year of the realm of Cyrus, king of Persians, a word was showed to Daniel, Belteshazzar by name; and a true word, and (of) great strength, and he understood the word; for why understanding is needful in vision. (In the third year of the reign of Cyrus, the king of Persia, a word was showed to Daniel, who was also called Belteshazzar; and it was a true word, and of great strength, and he understood the word; because understanding is needed to interpret a vision.) 2In those days I, Daniel, mourned by the days of three weeks; (In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks;) 3I ate not desirable bread (I did not eat tasty bread), and flesh, and wine entered not into my mouth, but neither I was anointed with ointment, till the days of three weeks were [ful]filled. 4Forsooth in the four and twentieth day of the first month, I was beside the great flood, which is Tigris. (And on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River.) 5And I raised mine eyes, and I saw, and lo! one man was clothed with linen clothes, and his reins were girded with shining gold; (And I raised up my eyes, and I saw, and lo! a man who was clothed in linen clothes, and he had on his waist a belt made of the gold of Uphaz, or of Ophir;) 6and his body was as chrysolyte, and his face was as the likeness of lightning, and his eyes were as a burning lamp, and his arms and those things that were beneath till to the feet were as the likeness of brass being white, and the voice of his words was as the voice of (a) multitude. (and his body was like chrysolyte, and his face was like the appearance of lightning, and his eyes were like a burning lamp, and his arms and those things that were beneath unto the feet were like the appearance of shining, or polished, bronze, and his voice was like the voice of a multitude.) 7Forsooth I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; certainly the men that were with me saw not, but full great fearedfulness fell in on them, and they fled into an hid place. (And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; certainly the men who were with me did not see it, but a very great fearfulness fell in upon them, and they fled to a place where they could hid.) 8But I was left alone, and I saw this great vision, and strength dwelled not in me; but also my likeness was changed in me, and I was stark (and I was made stiff, or rigid, like in a trance), and I had not in me anything of strengths. 9And I heard the voice of his words, and I heard, and lay astonied on my face, and my face cleaved to the earth. (And I heard the sound of his words, and as I listened, I fell down on my face astonished, with my face to the ground.) 10And lo! an hand touched me, and raised me on my knees, and on the toes of my feet [and upon the fingers of mine hands]. 11And he said to me, Thou, Daniel, a man of desires, understand the words which I speak to thee, and stand in thy degree; for now I am sent to thee. And when he had said this word to me, I stood quaking. (And he said to me, O Daniel, a man much beloved, understand the words which I speak to thee, and stand upright; for I am now sent to thee. And when he had said these words to me, I stood up, trembling and shaking.) 12And he said to me, Daniel, do not thou dread, for from the first day in which thou settedest thine heart to understand, that thou shouldest torment thee in the sight of thy God, thy words were heard, and I came for thy words. (And he said to me, Daniel, do not thou fear, for from the first day when thou settest thy heart to understand, and that thou didest torment, or humble, thyself before thy God, thy prayers were heard, and I came because of thy prayers/and I came in answer to thy prayers.) 13Forsooth the prince of the realm of Persians against-stood me one and twenty days, and lo! Michael, one of the first princes, came into mine help, and I dwelled still there beside the king of Persians. (And the angel prince of the kingdom of Persia stood against me for twenty-one days, and lo! Michael, one of the chief angels/one of the chief princes, came to my help, because I still lived there with the prince of Persia.) 14Forsooth I am come to teach thee, what things shall come to thy people in the last days; for yet the vision is delayed into days (for this vision is for those days). 15And when he spake to me by such words, I casted down my cheer to the earth, and was still. (And when he spoke to me with such words, I cast down my face to the ground, and was silent.) 16And lo! as the likeness of son of a man touched my lips; and I opened my mouth, and spake, and said to him that stood before me, My Lord, in thy sight my joints be unknit, and nothing of strengths dwelled in me. (And lo! one like the son of a man touched my lips; and I opened my mouth, and spoke, and said to him who stood before me, My lord, this vision hath caused my joints to be unknit, and no strength remaineth in me.) 17And how shall the servant of my Lord be able to speak with my Lord? nothing of strengths dwelled in me, but also my breath is closed betwixt, [or stopped]. (And how shall my lord’s servant be able to speak with my lord? for no strength remaineth in me, and also my breath is taken away.) 18Therefore again (the one) as the sight of a man touched me, and comforted me, (And so again the one with the appearance of a man touched me, and strengthened me,) 19and said, Man of desires, do not thou dread; peace be to thee, be thou comforted, and be thou strong. And when he spake with me, I waxed strong, and said, My Lord, speak thou, for thou hast comforted me. (and said, O man much beloved, do not thou fear; peace be to thee, be thou strengthened, and be thou strong. And when he spoke with me, I grew strong, and said, My lord, speak thou, for thou hast strengthened me.) 20And he said, Whether thou knowest not, why I came to thee? And now I shall turn again, to fight against the prince of Persians. For when I went out, the prince of Greeks appeared coming. (And he said, Knowest thou not, why I came to thee? And now I must return, to fight against the angel of Persia. And after I have gone out, the angel of Greece shall soon appear/And now I must return, to fight against the prince of Persia. And after I have gone out, the prince of Greece shall soon appear.) 21Nevertheless I shall tell to thee that, that is expressed in the scripture of truth; and none is mine helper in all these things, no but Michael, your prince. (Nevertheless I shall tell thee what is written in The Book of Truth; and no one is my helper in all of these things, except Michael, your angel/ your prince.) WYCLIFFE’S BIBLE Comprising of Wycliffe’s Old Testament and Wycliffe’s New Testament (Revised Edition) Translated by JOHN WYCLIFFE and JOHN PURVEY A modern-spelling edition of their 14TH century Middle English translation, the first complete English vernacular version, with an Introduction by TERENCE P. NOBLE Used by Permission Bible Hub |