Daniel 8

1 In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign I, Daniel, saw another vision after the one I had seen previously.

In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision, appeared unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the beginning.

2 In my vision I looked around and saw I was in the castle at Susa in the province of Elam. In the vision I was beside the River Ulai.

So then I saw, in the vision, and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was in Shusan the fortress, which is in Persia the province, —yea I saw it in a vision, when, I, was by the river Ulai.

3 I looked around and saw a ram standing beside the river. It had two long horns, one longer than the other, even though the longer one had grown last.

So then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and lo! a ram, standing before the river, and, it, had two horns, —and, the two horns, were high, but, the one, was higher than the other, and, the higher, had come up, last.

4 I watched the ram charging west, north, and south. No animal could stand up to it—nor was there any chance of rescue from its power. It did whatever it wanted and grew powerful.

I saw the ram, pushing strongly westward and northward and southward, so that no wild beast could stand before him, and none could deliver out of his hand, —but he did according to his own pleasure, and shewed himself great.

5 As I was thinking about what I'd seen, a male goat came in from the west, racing in across the surface of the earth so fast it didn't touch the ground. It had a large, prominent horn between its eyes.

Now, I, was observing, when lo! a he-goat, coming in out of the west, over the face of all the earth, but it meddled not with the earth, —and, the goat, had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.

6 It approached the ram with the two horns which I had seen standing beside the river, rushing in to attack in a furious rage.

So then he came up to the ram having the two horns, which I had seen, standing before the river, —and ran unto him, in the fury of his strength.

7 I watched as the goat charged furiously at the ram, hitting it and breaking off its two horns. The ram did not have the strength to resist the goat's attack. The goat threw the ram to the ground, trampling on it, and there was no possibility of rescuing it from the goat's power.

Yea I saw him coming close upon the ram, and he was enraged at him, and smote the ram, and brake in pieces both his horns, and there was no strength in the ram to stand before him, —but he cast him down to the ground, and trampled him underfoot, and there was none could deliver the ram out of his power.

8 The goat grew very powerful, but at the height of its power its large horn was broken off. In its place four large horns came up, pointing to the four winds of heaven.

But, the he-goat, shewed himself very great, —and, when he had become mighty, the great horn, was broken in pieces, and there came up afterwards four, in its stead, towards the four winds of the heavens;

9 A little horn came up from one of them, and grew extremely powerful to the south and to the east and to the Beautiful Land.

and, out of the first of them, came forth a little horn, —which became exceedingly great, against the south and against the east, and against the beautiful [land];

10 It grew in power until it reached the heavenly army, throwing some of them and some of the stars down to the earth and trampled on them.

yea it became great as far as the host of the heavens, —and caused to fall, to the earth, some of the host and some of the stars, and trampled them underfoot;

11 It even tried to make itself as great as the Prince of the heavenly army—it removed the continual service, and the place of his sanctuary was destroyed.

even as far as the ruler of the host, shewed he his greatness, —and, because of him, was taken away the continual [ascending-sacrifice], and the place of the sanctuary, was cast down;

12 An army of people and the continual service were handed over to it because of rebellion, and it overthrew truth, and it was successful in everything it did.

and, a host, was set over the continual [ascending-sacrifice], by transgression, —and faithfulness, was cast down, to the ground, and so he acted with effect, and succeeded.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one asked the one who was speaking, “How long is this vision for—the removal of the continual service, the rebellion that causes devastation, the handing over of the sanctuary and the army of people to be trampled down?”

Then heard I a certain holy one, speaking, —and another holy one said to that certain holy one who was speaking—How long is the vision of the continual [ascending-sacrifice] as taken away, and the transgression which astoundeth, for both sanctuary and host to be given over to be trampled underfoot?

14 He replied, “For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, then the sanctuary will be cleansed.”

And he said unto him, Until two thousand and three hundred evening-mornings, —then shall the sanctuary, be vindicated.

15 As I, Daniel, tried to work out what this vision meant suddenly I saw someone who looked like a man standing in front of me.

And it came to pass, when, I Daniel, had seen the vision, —and had sought discernment, that lo! there was standing before me, as the appearance of a man.

16 I also heard a human voice calling from the River Ulai, “Gabriel, explain to this man the meaning of the vision.”

Then heard I a human voice, between [the banks of] the Ulai, —which cried out, and said, Gabriel! cause this man to understand the revelation.

17 As he approached me, I was terrified and fell face down before him. “Son of man,” he told me, “You need to understand that this vision refers to the time of the end.”

So he came near where I stood, and, when he came, I was terrified, and fell upon my face, —but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man, that, to the time of the end, belongeth the vision.

18 As he spoke to me I lost consciousness as I laid face down on the ground. But he took hold of me and helped me to my feet.

And, when he spake with me, I fell stunned upon my face, to the earth, —but he touched me, and caused me to stand up where I was.

19 He told me, “Pay attention! I'm going to explain to you what's going to happen during the time of anger, which refers to the appointed time of the end.

Then said he, Behold me! causing thee to know, that which shall come to pass in the afterpart of the indignation, —for, at an appointed time, shall be an end.

20 The ram with two horns that you saw symbolizes the kings of Media and Persia.

The ram which thou sawest, having the two horns, representeth the kings of Media and Persia;

21 The male goat is the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is its first king.

and, the he-goat, is the king of Greece, —and, the great horn which was between his eyes, the same, is the first king.

22 The four horns that came up in place of the large horn that was broken represent the four kingdoms that arose from that nation, but not as powerful as the first.

Now, as for its being broken in pieces, whereupon there stood up four in its stead, four kingdoms, out of his nation, shall stand up, but not with his strength;

23 When those kingdoms come to an end, when their sins have reached their fullest extent, a ferocious and treacherous kingdom will rise to power.

but, in the aftertime of their kingdom, when transgressions, have filled up their measure, —there will stand up a king of mighty presence, and skilful in dissimulation;

24 It will become very powerful but not by its own power. It will be terribly destructive, and will succeed in everything it does. It will destroy great leaders and God's dedicated people.

and his strength, will be mighty, but not through his own strength, and, wonderfully, will he destroy, and succeed and act with effect, —and will destroy mighty ones, and the people of holy ones;

25 Through its deviousness, its lies will be convincing and successful. It shows its arrogance both in thought and action, destroying those who thought they were perfectly safe. It even fights in opposition against the Prince of princes, but it will be defeated, though not by any human power.

and, by his cunning, will he both cause deceit to succeed in his hand, and, in his own heart, will he shew himself to be great, and, by their careless security, will he destroy many, —and, against the ruler of rulers, will he stand up, but, without hand, shall be broken in pieces.

26 The vision about the evenings and mornings that has been explained to you is true, but for now seal up this vision because it refers to the distant future.”

Now, the revelation of the evening and the morning which hath been told, faithful, indeed it is, —but, thou, close up the vision, because it is for many days.

27 After this, I, Daniel, became exhausted, and I was sick for days. Then I got up and went back to working for the king, but I was devastated at what I'd seen in vision and I couldn't understand it.

Now, as for me Daniel, then was I sick for days, but I arose and did the business of the king, —and, though I was confounded concerning the revelation, yet could no one discern it.