< Daniel 8 >

1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, even to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.
In the third year of the reign of king Baltasar a vision appeared to me, [even] to me Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.
2 I saw the vision. Now it was so, that when I saw, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.
And I was in Susa the palace, which is in the land of Ælam, and I was on the [bank of] Ubal.
3 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram which had two horns stood before the river. The two horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, a ram standing in front of the Ubal; and he had high horns; and one was higher than the other, and the high one came up last.
4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward. No animals could stand before him. There was not any who could deliver out of his hand, but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.
And I saw the ram butting westward, and northward, and southward; and no beast could stand before him, and there was none that could deliver out of his hand; and he did according to his will, and became great.
5 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west over the surface of the whole earth, and did not touch the ground. The goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
And I was considering, and, behold, a he-goat came from the south-west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the earth: and the goat [had] a horn between his eyes.
6 He came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the river, and ran on him in the fury of his power.
And he came to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen standing in front of the Ubal, and he ran at him with the violence of his strength.
7 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and struck the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to stand before him; but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. There was no one who could deliver the ram out of his hand.
And I saw him coming up close to the ram, and he was furiously enraged against him, and he smote the ram, and broke both his horns: and there was no strength in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him on the ground, and trampled on him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.
8 The male goat magnified himself exceedingly. When he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable horns toward the four winds of the sky.
And the he-goat grew exceedingly great: and when he was strong, his great horn was broken; and four other [horns] rose up in its place toward the four winds of heaven.
9 Out of one of them came out a little horn which grew exceedingly great—toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land.
And out of one of them came forth one strong horn, and it grew very great toward the south, and toward the host:
10 It grew great, even to the army of the sky; and it cast down some of the army and of the stars to the ground and trampled on them.
and it magnified itself to the host of heaven; and there fell to the earth [some] of the host of heaven and of the stars, and they trampled on them.
11 Yes, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the army; and it took away from him the continual burnt offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
And [this shall be] until the chief captain shall have delivered the captivity: and by reason of him the sacrifice was disturbed, and he prospered; and the holy place shall be made desolate.
12 The army was given over to it together with the continual burnt offering through disobedience. It cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.
And a sin-offering was given for the sacrifice, and righteousness was cast down to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, “How long will the vision about the continual burnt offering, and the disobedience that makes desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the army to be trodden under foot be?”
And I heard one saint speaking, and a saint said to a certain one speaking, How long shall the vision continue, [even] the removal of the sacrifice, and the bringing in of the sin of desolation; and [how long] shall the sanctuary and host be trampled?
14 He said to me, “To two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary will be cleansed.”
And he said to him, Evening and morning [there shall be] two thousand and four hundred days; and [then] the sanctuary shall be cleansed.
15 When I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. Then behold, there stood before me someone with the appearance of a man.
And it came to pass, as I, [even] I Daniel, saw the vision, and sought to understand it, that, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
16 I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”
And I heard the voice of a man between [the banks of] the Ubal; and he called, and said, Gabriel, cause that man to understand the vision.
17 So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was frightened, and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, for the vision belongs to the time of the end.”
And he came and stood near where I stood: and when he came, I was struck with awe, and fell upon my face: but he said to me, Understand, son of man: for yet the vision is for an appointed time.
18 Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face toward the ground; but he touched me and set me upright.
And while he spoke with me, I fell upon my face to the earth: and he touched me, and set me on my feet.
19 He said, “Behold, I will make you know what will be in the latter time of the indignation, for it belongs to the appointed time of the end.
And he said, Behold, I make thee know the things that shall come to pass at the end of the wrath: for the vision [is] yet for an appointed time.
20 The ram which you saw, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.
The ram which thou sawest that had the horns is the king of the Medes and Persians.
21 The rough male goat is the king of Greece. The great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
The he-goat is the king of the Greeks: and the great horn which was between his eyes, he is the first king.
22 As for that which was broken, in the place where four stood up, four kingdoms will stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.
And [as for] the one that was broken, in whose place there stood up four horns, four kings shall arise out of his nation, but not in their [own] strength.
23 “In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have come to the full, a king of fierce face, and understanding riddles, will stand up.
And at the latter time of their kingdom, when their sins are coming to the full, there shall arise a king bold in countenance, and understanding riddles.
24 His power will be mighty, but not by his own power. He will destroy awesomely, and will prosper in what he does. He will destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.
And his power [shall be] great, and he shall destroy wonderfully, and prosper, and practise, and shall destroy mighty men, and the holy people.
25 Through his policy he will cause deceit to prosper in his hand. He will magnify himself in his heart, and he will destroy many in their security. He will also stand up against the prince of princes, but he will be broken without human hands.
And the yoke of his chain shall prosper: [there is] craft in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by craft shall destroy many, and he shall stand up for the destruction of many, and shall crush them as eggs in his hand.
26 “The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; but seal up the vision, for it belongs to many days to come.”
And the vision of the evening and morning that was mentioned is true: and do thou seal the vision; for [it is] for many days.
27 I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick for some days. Then I rose up and did the king’s business. I wondered at the vision, but no one understood it.
And I Daniel fell asleep, and was sick: then I arose, and did the king’s business; and I wondered at the vision, and there was none that understood [it].

< Daniel 8 >