and the commander of the court officials said to Daniel, "I [am] afraid [of] my lord, the king, who has determined your food and your drink, for {why should} he see your face having a worse appearance than the young men who {are your age}? Then you will endanger my head with the king."

And the king said to them, "{I have had a dream} and my spirit is anxious to know the dream."

The king answered and said to the {astrologers}, "The command from me is firm: if you [do] not make known to me the dream and its explanation, [then] you will be broken into pieces and your houses will be laid in ruins.

But if you tell me the dream and its explanation, you will receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore, tell me the dream and its explanation."

The king answered and said, "{Certainly} I know that {you are trying to gain time} {because} you have seen {that this matter is firmly decreed by me},

for if you [do] not make the dream known to me, {your verdict is fixed}, and you have conspired to say lying and deceitful word to me until the {circumstances} will change. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can tell me its explanation."

To you, O God of my ancestors, I give thanks and I give praises, for the wisdom and the power you gave to me, and now you have made known to me what we have asked from you, for you have made known to us the matter of the king."

{Therefore} Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and thus he said to him: "You must not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me in before the king and I will give the explanation to the king."

{The king then asked} and said to Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its explanation?"

And as for me, [it is] not because of wisdom that is in me more than {any other living person} [that] this mystery is revealed to me, but {in order that} the explanation may be made known to the king and you will {understand} the thoughts of your {mind}.

{They responded and said} to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, may [you] live {forever}!

Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "[Is it] true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, [that] you are not serving my god, and [you are] not worshiping the statue of gold that I have set up?

Now if you are ready so that {when} you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp and [the] drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, [that will be good]. But if you do not worship it, {immediately} you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and {who is the god} who will rescue you from my hands?"

And from me {is set forth} a decree that any people, nation, or language that [may] utter criticism against their God--[the God of] Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego--will be broken into pieces and their house will be made like ruins. {For} there is not another God who is able to rescue like this [God]."

Nebuchadnezzar the king to all of the nations, the peoples and languages that live in the whole earth: "May your prosperity increase!

It is pleasing to me to recount the signs and wonders that the Most High God worked for me.

"I, Nebuchadnezzar, was content in my house and prospering in my palace.

And I saw a dream and a revelation on my bed and it frightened me, and the visions of my head terrified me.

And a decree was {sent out}, [ordering that] all [the] wise men of Babylon [were] to be brought in before me [so] that they may make known to me [the] explanation of the dream.

Then the magicians, the conjurers, the {astrologers} and the diviners came in and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its explanation.

Then {at last} Daniel came before me {whose name was} Belteshazzar, {according to} the name of my god, [and] {in whom was the spirit of the holy gods}, {and I related the dream to him}.

" ' Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I myself know that [the] spirit of [the] holy gods [is] in you, and {no mystery is too difficult} for you. [Now] tell [me] [the] visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation.

Now [these were] the visions of my head [as I was lying] on my bed: I was {gazing} and, look, a tree [was] in the midst of the earth, and its height [was] exalted.

" 'I was looking in the vision of my head [as I lay] on my bed, and look, a watcher, and holy [one], came down from heaven.

" 'This [is] the dream [that] I, Nebuchadnezzar the king, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its explanation, {for} all of [the] wise men of my kingdom were not able to make the explanation known to me, but you are able because [the] spirit of holy gods [is] in you.'

"Then Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, was distressed {for some time}, and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, 'Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.' Belteshazzar answered and said, 'My lord, [may] the dream and its explanation [be] for [those who] hate you and for your enemies.

This [is] the explanation, O king, and it [is] a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:

Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable [to you] and your sin remove with righteousness and your iniquity with having mercy on [the] oppressed, {in case there might be a prolongation of your prosperity}.'"

And the king answered and said, "Is this not the great Babylon which I have built as a royal palace by the strength of my own power, and for the glory of my own majesty?"

"But at the end of {that period}, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and [then] my reason returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and {the one who lives forever} I praised and I honored. "For his sovereignty [is] [an] everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom [continues] from generation to generation.

"{At that time} my reason returned to me, and [also] the glory of my kingdom and my majesty and splendor returned to me, and my advisers and my lords searched [me] out, and I was established over my kingdom and abundant greatness was added to me.

{When he tasted the wine}, Belshazzar commanded [that they] bring [the] vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his {predecessor} had taken from the temple that [was] in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines may drink from them.

The king cried {aloud} to bring [in] the conjurers, the {astrologers} and the diviners; the king {spoke} and said to [the] wise men of Babylon, "Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed [in] purple and [will have] necklace of gold [hung] around his neck and he will rule [as] third [in authority] in the kingdom."

Then Daniel was brought in before the king, [and] the king {spoke} and said to Daniel, "You [are] Daniel {who are one of the exiles} of Judah whom my {predecessor}, the king, brought from Judah.

And now the wise men [and] the conjurers were brought in before me [so] that they could read this writing [in order to] make its explanation known to me, but they were not able to disclose the explanation of the matter.

But I have heard concerning you that you are able {to produce interpretations} and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation to me, you will be clothed [in] purple and necklace of gold [will be placed] around your neck and you will rule [as] third [in command] in the kingdom."

Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought in and they threw [him] into {the lion pit}. {The king said} to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve {faithfully}, may he rescue you!"

My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not hurt me, {because} before him {I was found} blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done [any] wrong."

Then Darius the king wrote to all the people, the nations, and the languages living in the whole earth, "May your prosperity become great!

{I make a decree} that in all the dominion of my kingdom [people] will be trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for he [is] the living God and endures {forever} and his kingdom [is] one that will not be destroyed and his {dominion has no end}.

Daniel {explained} and said, "I was looking in my vision in the night, and look, the four winds of heaven were stirring [up] the great sea.

"{As for me, Daniel}, my spirit was troubled {within me}, and the visions of my head terrified me.

[So] I approached one of the attendants and I asked him [about] the truth concerning all this; and he told me [that] he would make known to me the explanation of the matter.

{This is the end of the account}. {As for me, Daniel}--my thoughts terrified me greatly and my face changed over me, but I kept the matter in my heart."

In the third year [of] the kingdom of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared {to me, Daniel}, after the one that appeared to me {previously}.

And I lifted up my eyes and I saw, and look! A ram standing {before} the stream, and {it had} two horns, and the horns [were] long, but the one [was] longer than the second, and the longer [one] came up {after the other one}.

And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, then [the] sanctuary will be restored."

{And then} when I, Daniel, saw the vision, and I was seeking understanding, there was [one] standing before me with [the] appearance of a man.

And he came beside {where I was standing}, and {when he came} I became terrified and I fell prostrate on my face. And he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision [is] for [the] time of [the] end."

And {when he spoke} with me I fell into a trance with my face to the ground, and he touched me and made me stand on by feet.

Then I turned my face to the Lord God to seek [him] [by] prayer and pleas for mercy, in fasting and [in] sackcloth and ashes.

And I prayed to Yahweh my God, and I made confession and I said, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and loyal love with [those who] love him and with [those who] keep his commandments,

Incline your ear, my God, and listen; open your eyes and look at our desolation and the city that is called [by] your name, for we [are] not presenting our pleas for mercy {before you} because of our righteousness, but [rather] because of your great compassion.

Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, pay heed and act! You must not delay {for your sake}, my God; because {your city and your people are called by your name}."

Now I [was] still speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea {before} Yahweh my God, on behalf {of the holy mountain of my God}.

And I [was] still speaking in prayer, and the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision {previously}, {in my weariness touched me} at [the] time of [the] evening offering.

And he instructed [me] and he spoke with me and he said, "Daniel I have now come out to teach you understanding.

I had not eaten [any] choice food, and meat and wine did not enter my mouth, and {I did not use any ointment} {until the end of three whole weeks}.

And I lifted up my eyes and I saw, and there was a man, [and] he was dressed [in] linen, and his waist was girded with [the] gold of Uphaz.

And I saw, I, Daniel {alone}, the vision; and the people who were with me {did not see} the vision; nevertheless, a great trembling fell upon them and they fled [in order] to hide themselves.

And I myself, Daniel, alone saw this great vision, and [as a result] {no strength was left in me} and {my complexion grew deathly pale}, and I did not retain any strength.

And I heard the sound of his words, and {when I heard} the sound of his words I myself [began] falling into a trance on my face, {with my face to the ground}.

And look, a hand touched me and it roused me to my knees and the palms of my hands.

And he said to me, "Daniel, man beloved, pay attention to the words that I [am] speaking to you and {stand upright where you are}, for I have now been sent to you." And {while he was speaking} with me this word, I stood up trembling.

And he said to me, "You must not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself {before} your God, your words were heard, and I [myself] have come because of your words.

But [the] prince of [the] kingdom of Persia stood {before me} [for] twenty-one days. And look, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to assist me, and I left [him] there beside [the] king of [the] Persians.

And while he was speaking with me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and I was speechless.

Then look, there was {one in the form of a human}; he touched my lips and I opened my mouth and I spoke and I said to the [one] standing {before me}, "My lord, because of the vision my anxieties fell upon me and I [have] not retained [my] strength.

So {how am I, a servant of my lord} to speak with {you, my lord}, and I {just now} {have no strength in me}?"

And {he again touched} me, {the one in the form of a human}, and he strengthened me.

And he said, "You must not fear, beloved man. {Peace be to you}; be strong and be courageous!" And {when he spoke} with me, I was strengthened and I said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."

However, I will tell you {what is inscribed} in [the] book of truth, and there is not one [who] contends with me against these [beings] {except} Michael, your prince."

Now I myself heard, but I [did] not understand, and I said, "My lord, what [will be the] outcome [of] these [things]?"