But Daniel told the guard whom the chief officer had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

But if you do relate the dream to me as well as its meaning, you'll receive gifts, rewards, and great honor from me. Therefore reveal the dream to me, along with its meaning."

"None of the advisors, enchanters, diviners, or astrologers can explain the secret that the king has requested to be made known. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he is making known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days.

As for me, this secret was made known to me, not because my own wisdom is greater than anyone else alive, but in order that the meaning may be made known to the king, and that you might understand the thoughts of your heart.

"As you were watching, a rock was quarried but not with human hands and it struck the iron and clay feet of the statue, breaking them to pieces.

But if not, rest assured, your majesty, that we won't serve your gods, and we won't worship the golden statue that you have set up."

Then the diviners, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers came in, and I told them the dream. But they could not reveal its interpretation to me.

"Cut down the tree and cut off its branches. Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the animals get out from under it, and let the birds leave its branches. Nevertheless, leave the stump and its roots in the ground, but bind it with iron and bronze in the field grass. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky, and let him graze with the animals in the grass of the earth.

"This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning, since none of the advisors in my kingdom can tell me its interpretation. But you are able to do so because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

"Your majesty saw a holy observer descending from heaven and saying, "Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump in the ground, along with its roots, bound with iron and bronze in the field grass. Let him be soaked with the dew of the sky and live with the wild animals of the field until seven seasons pass over him.'

Then all the king's advisors came in, but they were unable to read the writing or tell the king what it meant.

Take note that the advisors and enchanters were brought before me to read the writing and explain its meaning, but they were unable to do so.

But when he became arrogant and his spirit hardened, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him.

"But you, Belshazzar, his grandson, haven't humbled yourself, even though you knew all of this.

"You've exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. "You've had the vessels from his Temple brought into your presence. "And you, your officials, and your wives and mistresses drank wine from them. "You praised gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can't see, hear, or demonstrate knowledge. "But you didn't honor God, who holds in his power your very life and all your ways.

Because of this, the administrators and regional authorities tried to bring allegations of dereliction of duty in government affairs against Daniel, but they were unable to find any charges of corruption. Daniel was trustworthy, and no evidence of negligence or corruption could be found against him.

But the men who had gone as a group to the king told him, "Remember, your majesty, that according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, any decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be repealed."

The first resembled a lion, but it had eagles' wings. I continued to watch until its wings were plucked off, it was lifted up off the ground, and it was forced to stand on two feet like a man. A human soul was imparted to it.

Now as to the other animals, their authority was removed, but they were granted a reprieve from execution for an appointed period of time."

But the saints of the Highest will receive the kingdom forever, inheriting it forever and ever.'

"At this point the vision ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts continued to alarm me, and I lost my natural color, but I kept quiet about the matter."

Then the goat grew extremely great, but when it was strong, its great horn was shattered. In its place, four distinctive horns grew out in all directions."

"As he approached where I was standing, I became terrified and fell on my face. But he told me, "Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.'

"While he had been speaking with me, I had fainted on my face, but he touched me and enabled me to stand upright on my feet.

The shattered horn and the four that took its place are four kingdoms that will come from his nation, but they will not have his strength.

Mighty will be his skills, but not from his own abilities. He'll be remarkably destructive, will succeed, and will do whatever he wants, destroying mighty men and the holy people.

The vision about the twilights and dawnings that has been related is trustworthy, but keep its vision secret, because it pertains to the distant future.'

Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and ill for days, but afterward I got up and went about the king's business. Nevertheless, I was astonished by the vision, and could not understand it."

"To you, Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open humiliation even to this day, to the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, both those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the lands to which you drove them because of their unfaithful acts that they committed against you.

But to the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we've rebelled against him

As it's written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has befallen us, but we still haven't sought the LORD our God by turning from our lawlessness to pay attention to your truth.

So the LORD watched for the right time to bring the calamity upon us, because the LORD our God is righteous regarding everything he does, but we have not obeyed his voice.

Turn your ear and listen, O God. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and at the city that is called by your name. We're not presenting our requests before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great compassion.

Then after the 62 weeks, the anointed one will be cut down (but not for himself). Then the people of the Coming Commander will destroy both the city and the Sanctuary. Its ending will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war, with desolations having been decreed.

But suddenly someone who resembled a human being touched my lips, so addressing the one who was standing in front of me, I opened my mouth and said, "Sir, I'm overwhelmed with anguish by this vision. I have no strength left.

After a number of years, they'll become allies and the daughter of the southern king will go to the northern king in order to craft alliances. But she won't remain in power, nor will he retain his power. Instead, she'll be surrendered, along with her entourage, the one who fathered her, and the one who supported her at that time.

""The southern king will fly into a rage and march out to fight the northern king. He'll gather a large army, but that army will be handed over to him.

When that army has been defeated, he'll become overconfident and slaughter many thousands, but he won't succeed.

""During those years, many will rebel against the southern king. The more violent ones among your people will rebel in order to fulfill this vision, but they will fail.

He'll decide to come with the full power of his kingdom, bringing with him an alliance that he'll implement. He'll give him a daughter in marriage to overthrow it, but it won't succeed or work out for him.

Then he'll turn his attention to the coastal lands and will capture many. But a commander will put an end to his insolence, repaying him for his scorn.

He'll turn his attention toward the fortresses in his own territory, but he'll stumble and fall, and won't endure.

His successor will send out a tax collector for royal splendor, but in a short period of time he'll be shattered, though neither in anger nor in battle.'"

""In his place there will arise a despicable person, upon whom no royal authority has been conferred, but he'll invade in a time of tranquility, taking over the kingdom through deception.

He'll encourage himself against the southern king by raising a large army. As a result, the southern king will mobilize for war with a large and powerful army, but he won't succeed because they will devise elaborate schemes against him.

Now as for the two kings, their intentions will be evil, and they'll promote deception at their dinner table, but none of this will succeed, because the end won't have come yet.

""At the scheduled time he'll return, moving southward, but the end result won't be as before,

Through flattery he'll corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but people who know their God will be strong and take action.

When they fall, they'll be given some relief, but many will join them by pretending to be sympathetic to their cause.

"I heard, but I didn't understand. So I asked, "Sir, what happens next?'