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¹ In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a thing is revealed to Daniel, whose name is called Belteshazzar, and the thing [is] true, and the warfare [is] great: and he has understood the thing, and has understanding about the appearance.² "In those days, I, Daniel, have been mourning three weeks of days;³ I have not eaten desirable bread, and no flesh and wine came into my mouth, and I have not anointed myself at all, until the completion of three weeks of days.⁴ And in the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I have been by the side of the great river, that [is] Hiddekel:⁵ and I lift up my eyes, and look, and behold, a certain one clothed in linen, and his loins girt with pure gold of Uphaz,⁶ and his body as a beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet as the aspect of bright bronze, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude.⁷ And I, Daniel, have seen the vision by myself, and the men who have been with me have not seen the vision, but a great trembling has fallen on them, and they flee to be hidden;⁸ and I have been left by myself, and I see this great vision, and there has been no power left in me, and my splendor has been turned in me to corruption, indeed, I have not retained power.⁹ And I hear the voice of his words, and when I hear the voice of his words, then I have been in a trance on my face, and my face [is] to the earth;

¹⁰ and behold, a hand has come against me, and shakes me on my knees and the palms of my hands.¹¹ And he says to me: Daniel, man greatly desired, attend to the words that I am speaking to you, and stand on your station, for now I have been sent to you. And when he speaks with me this word, I have stood trembling.¹² And he says to me: Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you gave your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.¹³ And the head of the kingdom of Persia is standing in opposition in front of me [for] twenty-one days, and behold, Michael, first of the chief heads, has come to help me, and I have remained there near the kings of Persia;¹⁴ and I have come to cause you to understand that which happens to your people in the latter end of the days, for yet the vision [is] after days.¹⁵ And when he speaks with me about these things, I have set my face toward the earth, and have been silent;¹⁶ and behold, as the manner of the sons of men, he is striking against my lips, and I open my mouth, and I speak, and say to him who is standing in opposition in front of me: My lord, by the vision my pangs have been turned against me, and I have retained no power.¹⁷ And how is the servant of this my lord able to speak with this my lord? As for me, from now on there remains in me no power, indeed, breath has not been left in me.¹⁸ And he adds, and strikes against me, as the appearance of a man, and strengthens me,¹⁹ and he says: Do not fear, O man greatly desired, peace to you, be strong, indeed, be strong; and when he speaks with me, I have strengthened myself, and I say, Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.²⁰ And he says, Have you known why I have come to you? And now I return to fight with the head of Persia; indeed, I am going forth, and behold, the head of Javan has come;²¹ but I declare to you that which is noted down in the Writing of Truth, and there is not one strengthening himself with me, concerning these, except Michael your head."