Daniel 7

In the year of one to Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head upon his bed. Then he wrote the dream; he told the head of the matters.

Daniel answered and was saying, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the Great Sea.

And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, this being different from this. \*

The first {was} like a lion, but the wings of an eagle {were} to it. I was looking until that its wings were pulled off, and it was raised from the ground, and on two feet it was stood like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.

And behold, another beast, a second, resembling a bear. And on one side, it was raised up. And three ribs {were} in its mouth between its teeth, and thus they were saying to it, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ \*

After this I was looking, and behold, another, like a leopard, and to it {were} the four wings of a bird upon its back. And four heads {were} to the beast, and dominion was given to it.

After this I was looking in visions of the night, and behold, a fourth beast, making afraid and terrible and exceedingly strong. And great teeth of iron {were} to it. It devoured and crushed, and it was trampling the rest with its feet. And it was being different from all of the beasts that {were} before it, and ten horns (were) to it. \*

I was considering the horns, and behold, another horn, little, was coming up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted from before it. And behold, eyes like the eyes of a man {were} in this horn, and a mouth speaking great {things}. \*

I was looking until that thrones were set, and the Ancient of Days sat down. His clothing {was} white as snow, and the hair of his head {was} like pure wool. His throne {was} flames of fire; its wheels {were} burning fire. 10 A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before him; a thousand of thousands served him, and a myriad of myriads stood before him. The court sat, and books were opened. \*

I was looking then from the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. I was looking until that the beast was killed and its body was destroyed and it was given to the burning fire.

And the rest of the beasts, they took away their dominion, but a prolonging in life was given to them for a season and a time. \*

I was looking in visions of the night, and behold, with the clouds of the heavens one like a son of man was coming, and he reached to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion {is} a dominion of eternity that will not pass away, and his kingdom {is one} that will not be destroyed. \*

My spirit was distressed, I, Daniel, in the midst of the body, and the visions of my head were alarming me.

I approached to one of the ones standing, and I sought from him the truth about all of this. And he told me, and he made me know the interpretation of the matters. \*

‘These great beasts, which are four, {are} four kings arising from the earth.

But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will possess the kingdom to eternity and to eternity of eternities.’ \*

Then I wished to be certain about the fourth beast, which was being different from all of them, making afraid exceedingly, its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, devouring, crushing, and trampling the rest with its feet,

and about the ten horns that {were} on its head and the other that came up and three fell from before it, even that horn that eyes {were} to it and a mouth speaking great {things} and its appearance {was} greater than its fellows. \*

I was looking, and this horn was making war with the saints, and it was prevailing against them,

until that the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High. And the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom. \*

Thus he was saying, ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all of the kingdoms. And it will devour all of the earth, and it will trample it and crush it.

And the ten horns, from this kingdom, ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. And he will be different from the first {ones}, and he will humble three kings. \*

And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will wear out the saints of the Most High. And he will intend to change the times and the law. And they will be given into his hand for a time and times and half of a time.

But the court will sit, and they will take away his dominion, to consume and destroy {it} to the end, \*

and the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under all of the heavens will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom {will be} a kingdom of eternity, and all dominions will serve and make themselves hear him.’

To here {is} the end of the matter. I, Daniel, my thoughts were alarming me greatly, and my splendors changed upon me. But I kept the matter in my heart.” \*