< Daniel 7 >

1 In the first yeere of Belshazzar King of Babel, Daniel sawe a dreame, and there were visions in his head, vpon his bed: then he wrote the dreame, and declared the summe of the matter.
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed; then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.
2 Daniel spake and saide, I sawe in my vision by night, and behold, the foure windes of the heauen stroue vpon the great sea:
Daniel spoke and said: I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven broke forth upon the great sea.
3 And foure great beastes came vp from the sea one diuers from another.
And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 The first was as a lyon, and had eagles wings: I beheld, til the wings thereof were pluckt of, and it was lifted vp from the earth, and set vpon his feete as a man, and a mans heart was giuen him.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings; I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon two feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And beholde, another beast which was the second, was like a beare and stood vpon the one side: and hee had three ribbes in his mouth betweene his teeth, and they saide thus vnto him, Arise and deuoure much flesh.
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was said thus unto it: 'Arise, devour much flesh.'
6 After this I behelde, and loe, there was an other like a leopard, which had vpon his backe foure wings of a foule: the beast had also foure heads, and dominion was giuen him.
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the sides of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the visions by night, and beholde, the fourth beast was fearefull and terrible and very strong. It had great yron teeth: it deuoured and brake in pieces and stamped the residue vnder his feete: and it was vnlike to the beasts that were before it: for it had ten hornes.
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
8 As I considered the hornes, beholde, there came vp among them another litle horne, before whome there were three of the first hornes pluckt away: and behold, in this horne were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 I behelde, till the thrones were set vp, and the Ancient of dayes did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the heare of his head like the pure wooll: his throne was like the fierie flame, and his wheeles as burning fire.
I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was as white snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire.
10 A fierie streame yssued, and came foorth from before him: thousand thousandes ministred vnto him, and tenne thousand thousands stoode before him: the iudgement was set, and the bookes opened.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 Then I behelde, because of the voyce of the presumptuous wordes, which the horne spake: I behelde, euen till the beast was slaine, and his body destroyed, and giuen to the burning fire.
I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke, I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire.
12 As concerning the other beastes, they had taken away their dominion: yet their liues were prolonged for a certaine time and season.
And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 As I behelde in visions by night, behold, one like the sonne of man came in the cloudes of heauen, and approched vnto the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him before him.
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of days, and he was brought near before Him.
14 And he gaue him dominion, and honour, and a kingdome, that all people, nations and languages should serue him: his dominion is an euerlasting dominion, which shall neuer bee taken away: and his kingdome shall neuer be destroyed.
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 that which shall not be destroyed.
15 I Daniel was troubled in my spirit, in the middes of my body, and the visions of mine head made me afraide.
As for me Daniel, my spirit was pained in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head affrighted me.
16 Therefore I came vnto one of them that stoode by, and asked him the trueth of all this: so he tolde me, and shewed me the interpretation of these things.
I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things:
17 These great beastes which are foure, are foure Kings, which shall arise out of the earth,
'These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, that shall arise out of the earth.
18 And they shall take the kingdome of the Saintes of the most High, and possesse the kingdome for euer, euen for euer and euer.
But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.'
19 After this, I woulde knowe the trueth of the fourth beast, which was so vnlike to all the others, very fearefull, whose teeth were of yron, and his nailes of brasse: which deuoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue vnder his feete.
Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceeding terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
20 Also to know of the tenne hornes that were in his head, and of the other which came vp, before whome three fell, and of the horne that had eyes, and of the mouth that spake presumptuous thinges, whose looke was more stoute then his fellowes.
and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell; even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke great things, whose appearance was greater than that of its fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horne made battel against the Saintes, yea, and preuailed against them,
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Vntill the Ancient of dayes came, and iudgement was giuen to the Saintes of the most High: and the time approched, that the Saintes possessed the kingdome.
until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High; and the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Then he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdome in the earth, which shall be vnlike to all the kingdomes, and shall deuoure the whole earth, and shall treade it downe and breake it in pieces.
Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten hornes out of this kingdome are tenne Kings that shall rise: and an other shall rise after them, and he shall be vnlike to the first, and he shall subdue three Kings,
And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise; and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.
25 And shall speake wordes against the most High, and shall consume the Saintes of the most High, and thinke that he may change times and lawes, and they shalbe giuen into his hand, vntill a time, and times and the deuiding of time.
And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the seasons and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
26 But the iudgement shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it vnto the ende.
But the judgment shall sit, and his dominions shall be taken away, to be consumed and to be destroy unto the end.
27 And the kingdome, and dominion, and the greatnesse of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shalbe giue to the holy people of the most High, whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all powers shall serue and obey him.
And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.'
28 Euen this is the ende of the matter, I Daniel had many cogitations which troubled mee, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in mine heart.
Here is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my thoughts much affrighted me, and my countenance was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.

< Daniel 7 >