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Lunedi, 29 aprile 2024 - Santa Caterina da Siena ( Letture di oggi)

Daniel 7


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NEW JERUSALEMDOUAI-RHEIMS
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions that passed through hishead as he lay in bed. He wrote the dream down, and this is how the narrative began:1 In the first year of Baltasar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream: and the vision of his head was upon his bed: and writing the dream, he comprehended it in few words: and relating the sum of it in short, he said:
2 Daniel said, 'I have been seeing visions in the night. I saw that the four winds of heaven were stirring upthe Great Sea;2 I saw in my vision by night, and behold the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
3 four great beasts emerged from the sea, each different from the others.3 And four great beasts, different one from another, came up out of the sea.
4 The first was like a lion with eagle's wings and, as I looked, its wings were torn off, and it was lifted offthe ground and set standing on its feet like a human; and it was given a human heart.4 The first was like a lioness, and had the wings of an eagle: I beheld till her wings were plucked off, and she was lifted up from the earth, and stood upon her feet as a man, and the heart of a man was given to her.
5 And there before me was a second beast, like a bear, rearing up on one side, with three ribs in itsmouth, between its teeth. "Up!" came the command. "Eat quantities of flesh!"5 And behold another beast like a bear stood up on one side: and there were three rows in the mouth thereof, and in the teeth thereof, and thus they said to it: Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I looked; and there before me was another beast, like a leopard, and with four bird's wings onits flanks; it had four heads and was granted authority.6 After this I beheld, and lo, another like a leopard, and it had upon it four wings as of a fowl, and the beast had four heads, and power was given to it.
7 Next, in the visions of the night, I saw another vision: there before me was a fourth beast, fearful,terrifying, very strong; it had great iron teeth, and it ate its victims, crushed them, and trampled their remainsunderfoot. It was different from the previous beasts and had ten horns.7 After this I beheld in the vision of the night, and lo, a fourth beast, terrible and wonderful, and exceeding strong, it had great iron teeth, eating and breaking in pieces, and treading down the rest with its feet: and it was unlike to the other beasts which I had seen before it, and had ten horns.
8 'While I was looking at these horns, I saw another horn sprouting among them, a little one; three of theoriginal horns were pul ed out by the roots to make way for it; and in this horn I saw eyes like human eyes, and amouth ful of boasting.8 I considered the horns, and behold another little horn sprung out of the midst of them: and three of the first horns were plucked up at the presence thereof: and behold eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 While I was watching, thrones were set in place and one most venerable took his seat. His robe waswhite as snow, the hair of his head as pure as wool. His throne was a blaze of flames, its wheels were a burningfire.9 I beheld till thrones were placed, and the Ancient of days sat: his garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool: his throne like flames of fire: the wheels of it like a burning fire.
10 A stream of fire poured out, issuing from his presence. A thousand thousand waited on him, tenthousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was in session and the books lay open.10 A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened.
11 'I went on watching: then, because of the noise made by the boastings of the horn, as I watched, thebeast was put to death, and its body destroyed and committed to the flames.11 I beheld because of the voice of the great words which that horn spoke: and I saw that the beast was slain, and the body thereof was destroyed, and given to the fire to be burnt:
12 The other beasts were deprived of their empire, but received a lease of life for a season and a time.12 And that the power of the other beasts was taken away: and that times of life were appointed them for a time, and time.
13 I was gazing into the visions of the night, when I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, as it were ason of man. He came to the One most venerable and was led into his presence.13 I beheld therefore in the vision of the night, and lo, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and he came even to the Ancient of days: and they presented him before him.
14 On him was conferred rule, honour and kingship, and all peoples, nations and languages became hisservants. His rule is an everlasting rule which wil never pass away, and his kingship wil never come to an end.14 And he gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes and tongues shall serve him: his power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away: and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed.
15 'I, Daniel, was deeply disturbed and the visions that passed through my head alarmed me.15 My spirit trembled, I Daniel was affrighted at these things, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 So I approached one of those who were standing by and asked him about al this. And in reply herevealed to me what these things meant.16 I went near to one of them that stood by, and asked the truth of him concerning all these things, and he told me the interpretation of the words, and instructed me:
17 "These four great beasts are four kings who will rise up from the earth.17 These four great beasts are four kingdoms, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 Those who receive royal power are the holy ones of the Most High, and kingship will be theirs for ever,for ever and ever."18 But the saints of the most high God shall take the kingdom: and they shall possess the kingdom for ever and ever.
19 Then I asked about the fourth beast, different from al the rest, very terrifying, with iron teeth andbronze claws; it ate its victims, crushed them, and trampled their remains underfoot;19 After this I would diligently learn concerning the fourth beast. which was very different from all, and exceeding terrible: his teeth and claws were of iron: he devoured and broke in pieces, and the rest he stamped upon with his feet:
20 and about the ten horns on its head -- and why the other horn sprouted and the three original hornsfel , and why this horn had eyes and a mouth ful of boasting, and why it looked more impressive than its fel ows.20 And concerning the ten horns that he had on his head: and concerning the other that came up, before which three horns fell: and of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and was greater than the rest.
21 This was the horn I had watched making war on the holy ones and proving the stronger,21 I beheld, and lo, that horn made war against the saints, and prevailed over them,
22 until the coming of the One most venerable who gave judgement in favour of the holy ones of the MostHigh, when the time came for the holy ones to assume kingship.22 Till the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the saints of the most High, and the time came, and the saints obtained the kingdom.
23 This is what he said: "The fourth beast is to be a fourth kingdom on earth, different from al otherkingdoms. It will devour the whole world, trample it underfoot and crush it.23 And thus he said: The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be greater than all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 As for the ten horns: from this kingdom will rise ten kings, and another after them; this one will bedifferent from the previous ones and wil bring down three kings;24 And the ten horns of the same kingdom, shall be ten kings: and another shall rise up after them, and he shall be mightier than the former, and he shall bring down three kings.
25 he wil insult the Most High, and torment the holy ones of the Most High. He will plan to alter theseasons and the Law, and the Saints wil be handed over to him for a time, two times, and half a time.25 And he shall speak words against the High One, and shall crush the saints of the most High: and he shall think himself able to change times and laws, and they shall be delivered into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time.
26 But the court will sit, and he wil be stripped of his royal authority which wil be final y destroyed andreduced to nothing.26 And judgment shall sit, that his power may be taken away, and be broken in pieces, and perish even to the end.
27 And kingship and rule and the splendours of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the peopleof the holy ones of the Most High, whose royal power is an eternal power, whom every empire wil serve andobey."27 And that the kingdom, and power, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, may be given to the people of the saints of the most High: whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all kings shall serve him, and shall obey him.
28 'Here the narrative ends. 'I, Daniel, was greatly disturbed in mind, and I grew pale; but I kept thesethings to myself.'28 Hitherto is the end of the word. I Daniel was much troubled with my thoughts, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the word in my heart.