1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head upon his bed; then he wrote the dream, he told the sum of the matters.
2Daniel answered and said, "I was seeing in my vision by night, and behold, the four spirits (ruach) of the heavens were stirring up the great sea.
3And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, diverse this from that.
4The first was like a lion, and it 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 upon two feet like a man (adam), and a heart of a man (adam) was given to it.
5And behold, another beast, a second, like a bear, and it raised up one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, 'Arise, devour much flesh (basar).'
6After this I was looking, and behold, another, like a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird upon its back; and the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
7After this I was seeing in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, fearful and terrible and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and the rest it trampled with its feet. And it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
8I was considering the horns, and behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were plucked up from before it. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man (adam), and a mouth speaking great things.
9I was looking until thrones were set, and the Ancient of Days sat down. His garment was white like snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was flames of fire, its wheels burning fire.
10A river of fire was streaming and coming forth from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment (din) sat, and the books were opened.
11I was looking then because of the voice of the great words that the horn was speaking; I was looking until the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning of fire.
12And the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but a prolonging of life (chai) was given to them for a season and a time.
13I was seeing in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of the heavens one like a son of man (adam) was coming; and he came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.
14And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and tongues should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
15My spirit (ruach) was grieved, I Daniel, in the midst of the sheath, and the visions of my head terrified me.
16I drew near to one of those standing by, and I asked of him the certainty concerning all this. And he told me, and made known to me the interpretation of the matters:
17'These great beasts, which are four, are four kings who shall arise from the earth.
18But the saints of the Most High (Elyon) shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.'
19Then I desired to make certain concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceedingly fearful, its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the rest with its feet;
20and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other that came up and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and whose appearance was greater than its fellows.
21I was looking, and that horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them,
22until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment (din) was given to the saints of the Most High (Elyon); and the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom.
23Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms; and it shall devour all the earth, and tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24And the ten horns: out of that kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall humble three kings.
25And he shall speak words against the Most High (Elyon), and he shall wear out the saints of the Most High (Elyon); and he shall think to change times and decree (dat). And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
26But the judgment (din) shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.
27And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under all the heavens shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High (Elyon). His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.'
28Up to here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly terrified me, and my brightness changed upon me; but I kept the matter in my heart.