Daniel 8

1 In the thirde yeere of the reigne of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared vnto mee, euen vnto me Daniel, after that which appeared vnto mee at the first.

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

2 And I saw in a vision, and when I sawe it, I was in the palace of Shushan, which is in the prouince of Elam, and in a vision me thought I was by the riuer of Vlai.

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.

3 Then I looked vp and sawe, and beholde, there stoode before the riuer a ramme, which had two hornes: and these two hornes were hie: but one was hier then another, and the hyest came vp last.

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.

4 I sawe the ramme pusshing against ye West, and against the North, and against the South: so that no beastes might stande before him, nor could deliuer out of his hand, but he did what he listed, and became great.

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.

5 And as I considered, beholde, a goate came from the West ouer the whole earth, and touched not the grounde: and this goate had an horne that appeared betweene his eyes.

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.

6 And he came vnto the ramme that had the two hornes, whome I had seene standing by the riuer, and ranne vnto him in his fierce rage.

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

7 And I saw him come vnto the ramme, and being moued against him, he smote the ramme, and brake his two hornes: and there was no power in the ramme to stand against him, but he cast him downe to the grounde, and stamped vpon him, and there was none that coulde deliuer the ramme out of his power.

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.

8 Therefore the goate waxed exceeding great, and when he was at the strongest, his great horne was broken: and for it came vp foure that appeared toward the foure windes of ye heauen.

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.

9 And out of one of them came foorth a litle horne, which waxed very great toward the South, and toward the East, and towarde the pleasant land.

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.

10 Yea, it grewe vp vnto the hoste of heauen, and it cast downe some of the hoste, and of the starres to the ground, and trode vpon them,

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.

11 And extolled himselfe against the prince of the hoste from whome the dayly sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his Sanctuarie was cast downe.

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.

12 And a time shall be giuen him ouer the dayly sacrifice for the iniquitie: and it shall cast downe the trueth to the ground, and thus shall it doe, and prosper.

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.

13 Then I heard one of the Saints speaking, and one of the Saints spake vnto a certaine one, saying, Howe long shall endure the vision of the dayly sacrifice, and the iniquitie of the desolation to treade both the Sanctuarie and the armie vnder foote?

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?”

14 And he answered me, Vnto the euening and the morning, two thousand and three hundreth: then shall the Sanctuarie be clensed.

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

15 Nowe when I Daniel had seene the vision, and sought for the meaning, beholde, there stoode before me like the similitude of a man.

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.

16 And I heard a mans voyce betweene the bankes of Vlai, which called, and sayde, Gabriel, make this man to vnderstand the vision.

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

17 So he came where I stood: and when hee came, I was afraide, and fell vpon my face: but he sayd vnto me, Vnderstand, O sonne of man: for in the last time shalbe the vision.

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.”

18 Nowe as he was speaking vnto me, I being a sleepe fell on my face to the ground: but he touched me, and set me vp in my place.

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.

19 And he sayde, Beholde, I will shewe thee what shalbe in the last wrath: for in the end of the time appointed it shall come.

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.

20 The ramme which thou sawest hauing two hornes, are the Kings of the Medes and Persians.

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

21 And the goate is the King of Grecia, and the great horne that is betweene his eyes, is the first King.

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

22 And that that is broken, and foure stoode vp for it, are foure kingdomes, which shall stand vp of that nation, but not in his strength.

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.

23 And in the end of their kingdome, when the rebellious shalbe consumed, a King of fierce countenance, and vnderstanding darke sentences, shall stand vp.

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

24 And his power shalbe mightie, but not in his strength: and hee shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mightie, and the holy people.

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.

25 And through his policie also, hee shall cause craft to prosper in his hand, and he shall extoll himselfe in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: hee shall also stande vp against the prince of princes, but he shalbe broken downe without hand.

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.

26 And the vision of the euening and the morning, which is declared, is true: therefore seale thou vp the vision, for it shall be after many dayes.

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.”

27 And I Daniel was striken and sicke certaine dayes: but when I rose vp, I did the Kings busines, and I was astonished at the vision, but none vnderstood it.

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.