Daniel 7

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and a vision in his head on his bed. And, writing down the dream, he understood it in a concise manner, and so, summarizing it tersely, 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 at night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens fought upon the great sea.
3 four great beasts emerged from the sea, each different from the others.	3 And four great beasts, different from one another, ascended from 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 watched as its wings were plucked off, and it was raised from the earth and stood on its feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.
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 to one side, and there were three rows in its mouth and in its teeth, and they spoke to it in this way: “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 watched, and behold, another like a leopard, and it had wings like a bird, four upon it, and four heads were on the beast, 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 watched in the vision of the night, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible yet wondrous, and exceedingly strong; it had great iron teeth, eating yet crushing, and trampling down the remainder with his feet, but it was unlike the other beasts, which I had seen before it, and it 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 rose out of the midst of them. And three of the first horns were rooted out by its presence. And behold, eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking unnatural 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 watched until thrones were set up, and the ancient of days sat down. His garment was radiant like snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool; his throne was flames of fire, its wheels had been set on 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 river of fire rushed forth from his presence. Thousands upon thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times hundreds of thousands attended before him. The trial began, 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 watched because of the voice of the great words which that horn was speaking, and I saw that the beast had been destroyed, and its body was ruined and had been handed over to be burnt with fire.
12 The other beasts were deprived of their empire, but received a lease of life for a season and a time.	12 Likewise, the power of the other beasts was taken away, and a limited time of life was appointed to them, until one time and another.
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 watched, therefore, in the vision of the night, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man arrived, and he approached all the way 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 honor, and the kingdom, and all peoples, tribes, and languages will serve him. His power is an eternal power, which will not be taken away, and his kingdom, one which will not be corrupted.
15 'I, Daniel, was deeply disturbed and the visions that passed through my head alarmed me.	15 My spirit was terrified. I, Daniel, was fearful at these things, and the visions of my head disturbed 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 approached one of the attendants and asked the truth from him about all these things. He told me the interpretation of the words, and he 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 will rise from 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 Yet it is the saints of the Most High God who will receive the kingdom, and they will hold the kingdom from this generation, and forever 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 wanted to learn diligently about the fourth beast, which was very different from all, and exceedingly terrible; his teeth and claws were of iron; he devoured and crushed, and the remainder he trampled 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 about the ten horns, which he had on his head, and about the other, which had sprung up, before which three horns fell, and about that horn which had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and which was more powerful than the rest.
21 This was the horn I had watched making war on the holy ones and proving the stronger,	21 I watched, and behold, that horn made war against the holy ones 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 until the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the holy ones of the Supreme One, and the time arrived, and the holy ones 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 will be the fourth kingdom on earth, which will be greater than all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will trample and crush it.
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 Moreover, the ten horns of the same kingdom will be ten kings, and another will rise up after them, and he will be mightier than the ones before him, and he will 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 will speak words against the Supreme One, and will exhaust the holy ones of the Most High, and he will think about what it would take to change the times and the laws, and they will be given 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 a trial will begin, so that his power may be taken away, and be crushed, and be undone all the way 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 Yet the kingdom, and the power, and the greatness of that kingdom, which is under all of heaven, shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all kings will serve and 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 And here is the end of the message. I, Daniel, was greatly disturbed by my thoughts, and my mood was changed in me, but I preserved the message in my heart.