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¹ IN the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and the visions of his head as he lay upon his bed; then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matter.² Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea.³ And four great beasts came up out of the sea, differing one from another.⁴ The first was like a lion and had eagles wings; I beheld till its wings were plucked off, and it rose up from the ground and stood upon its feet like a man, and a mans heart was given to it.⁵ And the second beast was like a bear, and it stood up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and they said thus to it: Arise, devour much flesh.⁶ After these things I beheld, and lo, another beast, like a leopard, which had upon its sides four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads, and dominion was given to it.⁷ After these things I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and mighty and exceedingly strong, and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.⁸ And I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another little horn before which three of the first horns were plucked up from before it; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

⁹ Then I beheld, and 1o, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of days did sit; his garment was white as snow and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like a fiery flame, and its wheels were like burning fire.¹⁰ A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; a thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judge was seated and the books were opened.¹¹ I beheld, and 1o, the beast was slain and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.¹² As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.¹³ I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came upon the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him before him.¹⁴ And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed.

¹⁵ As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.¹⁶ I came near to one of those who ministered and asked of him the truth concerning all these things. And he told me the truth and made me know the interpretation of these things.¹⁷ Then he said to me, These four great beasts which you saw are four kings which shall arise out of the earth.¹⁸ But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess it for ever and ever.¹⁹ Then I wanted to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, whose teeth were of iron and whose nails of brass, which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped the residue with its feet;²⁰ And concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up between them, and before which three fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose appearance was greater than its fellows.²¹ I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them,²² Until the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the saints of the Most High; and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.²³ Thus he said to me: The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be greater than all the kingdoms and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down and break it in pieces.²⁴ And as for the ten horns out of this kingdom, they are ten kings that shall arise and another king shall arise after them; and he shall be greater than the first, and he shall defeat three kings.²⁵ And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall plot against the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.²⁶ But when the judge is seated in judgment, they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end of his kingdom.²⁷ And the dominions and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.²⁸ Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly and my countenance changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.