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¹ In the thridde yeer of the rewme of Sirus, kyng of Perseis, a word was schewid to Danyel, Balthasar bi name; and a trewe word, and greet strengthe, and he vndurstood the word; for whi vndurstondyng is nedeful in visioun.² In tho daies Y, Danyel, mourenyde bi the daies of thre woukis;³ Y eet not desirable breed, and fleisch, and wyn entride not into my mouth, but nethir Y was anoynted with oynement, til the daies of thre woukis weren fillid.⁴ Forsothe in the foure and twentithe dai of the firste monethe, Y was bisidis the greet flood, which is Tigris.⁵ And Y reiside myn iyen, and Y siy, and lo! o man was clothid with lynun clothis, and hise reynes weren gird with schynynge gold;⁶ and his bodi was as crisolitus, and his face was as the licnesse of leit, and hise iyen weren as a brennynge laumpe, and hise armes and tho thingis that weren bynethe til to the feet weren as the licnesse of bras beynge whijt, and the vois of hise wordis was as the vois of multitude.⁷ Forsothe Y, Danyel, aloone siy the visioun; certis the men that weren with me, sien not, but ful greet ferdfulnesse felle yn on hem, and thei fledden in to an hid place.⁸ But Y was left aloone, and Y siy this greet visioun, and strengthe dwellide not in me; but also my licnesse was chaungid in me, and Y was stark, and Y hadde not in me ony thing of strengthis.⁹ And Y herde the vois of hise wordis, and Y herde, and lay astonyed on my face, and my face cleuyde to the erthe.

¹⁰ And lo! an hond touchide me, and reiside me on my knees, and on the toes of my feet.¹¹ And he seide to me, Thou, Danyel, a man of desiris, vndurstonde the wordis whiche Y speke to thee, and stonde in thi degree; for now Y am sent to thee. And whanne he hadde seid this word to me, Y stood quakynge.¹² And he seide to me, Danyel, nyle thou drede, for fro the firste dai in which thou settidist thin herte to vndurstonde, that thou schuldist turmente thee in the siyt of thi God, thi wordis weren herd, and Y cam for thi wordis.¹³ Forsothe the prince of the rewme of Perseis ayenstood me oon and twenti daies, and lo! Myyhel, oon of the firste princes, cam in to myn help, and Y dwellide stille there bisidis the kyng of Perseis.¹⁴ Forsothe Y am comun to teche thee, what thingis schulen come to thi puple in the laste daies; for yit the visioun is delaied in to daies.¹⁵ And whanne he spak to me bi siche wordis, Y castide doun my cheer to erthe, and was stille.¹⁶ And lo! as the licnesse of sone of man touchide my lippis; and Y openyde my mouth, and spak, and seide to hym that stood bifore me, My Lord, in thi siyt my ioynctis ben vnknit, and no thing of strengthis dwellide in me.¹⁷ And hou schal the seruaunt of my Lord mow speke with my Lord? no thing of strengthis dwellide in me, but also my breeth is closyde bitwixe.¹⁸ Therfor eft as the siyt of a man touchide me, and coumfortide me,¹⁹ and seide, Man of desiris, nyle thou drede; pees be to thee, be thou coumfortid, and be thou strong. And whanne he spak with me, Y wexide strong and seide, My Lord, speke thou, for thou hast coumfortid me.²⁰ And he seide, Whether thou woost not, whi Y cam to thee? And now Y schal turne ayen, to fiyte ayens the prince of Perseis. For whanne Y yede out, the prince of Grekis apperide comynge.²¹ Netheles Y schal telle to thee that, that is expressid in the scripture of treuthe; and noon is myn helpere in alle these thingis, no but Myyhel, youre prynce.