1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream. Visions came into his head as he lay on his bed. Then he wrote the dream down, and told the main points of it.
2Daniel said: "I saw in my vision at night, and look, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea."
3"And four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others."
4"The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched until its wings were pulled off. It was lifted up from the ground and set on its feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it."
5"And look, there was another beast, a second one, like a bear. It raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. They said to it, 'Get up, eat much flesh.'"
6"After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like a bird's. The beast also had four heads, and power to rule was given to it."
7"After this I saw in the visions of the night, and look, there was a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and very strong. It had great iron teeth. It ate and broke in pieces, and stamped down what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns."
8"I looked closely at the horns, and look, another horn came up among them, a little one. Three of the first horns were pulled up by the roots before it. And look, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things."
9"I watched until the thrones were thrown down, and the Ancient of days took his seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was like a flame of fire, and its wheels like burning fire."
10"A stream of fire poured out and came from in front of him. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened."
11"Then I looked, because of the sound of the great words which the horn spoke. I watched until the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame."
12"As for the rest of the beasts, their power to rule was taken away, but their lives were made longer for a season and a time."
13"I saw in the visions of the night, and look, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven. He came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him."
14"And power to rule was given to him, and glory, and a kingdom, so that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His rule is an everlasting rule, which will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed."
15"I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit inside my body, and the visions in my head troubled me."
16"I came near to one of those standing there, and asked him the truth about all this. So he told me, and made known to me the meaning of these things."
17'These great beasts, which are four, are four kings who will rise up out of the earth.
18'But the saints of the most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.'
19"Then I wanted to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others. It was very dreadful. Its teeth were of iron and its claws of brass. It ate and broke in pieces, and stamped down what was left with its feet."
20"And I wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and about the other horn which came up, before which three fell. This was the horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, and that looked greater than its fellows."
21"I watched, and that same horn made war with the saints, and won against them,"
22"until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High. And the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom."
23"This is what he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, and tread it down, and break it in pieces."
24'And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings who will rise up. Another will rise up after them. He will be different from the first ones, and he will put down three kings.
25'He will speak great words against the most High, and wear out the saints of the most High, and plan to change times and laws. And they will be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.
26'But the court will sit in judgment, and they will take away his power to rule, to wear it away and destroy it to the end.
27'And the kingdom and the rule, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, will be given to the people of the saints of the most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey him.'
28"Here the matter ends." As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face changed colour; but I kept the matter in my heart.