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 {astrologers} said to the king [in] Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation."

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."

They answered once more and said, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants and we will make the explanation known."

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."

{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."

But there is a God in heaven [who] reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what [it is] that will be at the end of days. This [is] your dream and the visions of your head on your bed.

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}.

"This [was] the dream, and [now] we will tell its interpretation to the king.

And after you another kingdom inferior to yours will arise, and another third [kingdom] of bronze that will rule over the whole earth.

And fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, [and] {just as} iron crushes and smashes {everything}, and as iron shatters all of these [other metals], [so] it will crush and it will shatter [these nations].

{And just as} you saw the feet and the toes, {partly potter's clay} and {partly iron}, it will be a divided kingdom; and {some hardness} of the iron will be [in it], {just as} you have seen the iron mixed with the wet clay.

And [as] the toes of the feet [were] partly iron and partly clay, [so] part of the kingdom will be strong {and partly brittle}.

And [in] that you saw the iron was mixed with wet clay, [so] {they will mix in marriage} and they will not cling {to one another}, just as iron [does] not mix with clay.

And {in the day of those kings}, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will {never} be destroyed, and the kingdom will not be left for another nation, and it will bring an end to all these kingdoms, but it will stand {forever}.

{Inasmuch as} you saw that a stone from the mountain was chiseled out [but] not by hands, and [that] it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, [thereby] the great God made known to the king what will be {in the future}, and the dream is certain and its explanation trustworthy."

And {whoever} does not fall down and worship will be thrown {immediately} into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire."

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 if not, let it be known to you, O king, that {we will not serve your gods}, and the statue of gold that you have set up we will not worship."

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]."

The sentence [is] by [the] decree of [the] watchers, and the decision [by] [the] command of [the] holy [ones], {in order that} the living will know that the Most High [is] sovereign over [the] kingdom of humankind, and {to whomever} he wills he gives it, and he [even] sets [the] humblest of men over it."

you will be driven away {from human society} and {you will dwell} with the animals of the field, and you will be caused to graze grass like the oxen {yourself}, and you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven [periods of] time will pass over you until that you have acknowledged that the Most High [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and {to whom he wills} he gives it.

{And in that} they said to leave alone the stump of the tree's root, so your kingdom [will be] restored for you {when} you acknowledge that heaven [is] sovereign.

and you will be driven away from {human society} and your dwelling [will be] with the animals of the field and they will cause you to graze [the] grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind and that he gives it to whom he wills.'

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."

{because} [there] was found in him [an] excellent spirit and understanding and insight [for] interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving riddles; [that is], in Daniel {whom the king named} Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called and he will tell the explanation."

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 Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself or your rewards give to another; nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and I will make known to him the explanation.

And he was driven away {from human society} and his mind was made like the animals and his dwelling [was] with the wild asses; [and] {he was given} grass like oxen to eat, and with the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and {whoever} he wants he sets over it.

Then these men {said}, "We will not find any pretext against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God."

All of [the] administrators of the kingdom, and the prefects, the satraps, the counselors and the governors took counsel [and have] agreed to establish an edict of the king and to enforce a decree that {whoever} will seek a prayer from any god or human except from you [for] up to thirty days will be thrown into {the lion pit}.

{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}.

And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that all the peoples, the nations, and languages [would] serve him; his dominion [is] a dominion {without end} that will not cease, and his kingdom [is one] that will not be destroyed.

'These great beasts which are four [in number] [are] four kings [who] will arise from the earth.

But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will take possession of the kingdom forever, {forever and ever}.'

"And he said, 'The fourth beast [is] the fourth kingdom [that] will be on the earth that will be different from all the [other] kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and it will trample it and it will crush it.

And [as for] the ten horns [coming] from it, [from] this kingdom ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. And he will be different from the earlier [ones], and he will subdue three kings.

And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will wear out [the] holy ones of the Most High, and he will attempt to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time and two times and half a time.

Then the court will sit, and his dominion will be removed, to be eradicated and to be destroyed {totally}.

And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to [the] nation of [the] holy ones of the Most High; his kingdom {is an everlasting kingdom}, and all the dominions will serve and obey him.'

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

And he said, "Look, I am making known to you what will happen in the period of wrath, for [it refers] to [the] appointed time of [the] end.

And the [horn] [that] was broken, and [then] there arose four [horns] in place of it--[these are] four kingdoms [that] will arise from [his] nation, but not with his power.

And at the end of their kingdom, when the transgressions are completed, a king will arise, fierce in countenance and skilled in riddles.

And his power will grow, but not by his [own] power, and he will cause fearful destruction, and he will succeed and {he will act}, and he will destroy [the] mighty and [the] people of [the] holy ones.

And by his planning he will make a success of deceit by his hand, and in his {mind} he will {boast}, and in [their] ease he will destroy many, and [even] against [the] prince of princes he will rise up, and he will be broken, [but] not by human hands.

And you must know and you must understand [that] from [the] time of the going out of [the] word to restore and build Jerusalem until [an] anointed [one]-- leader--[will be] {seven weeks and sixty-two weeks}; it will be restored and will be built [with] streets and moat, but {in a time of oppression}.

"And after the sixty and two weeks an anointed one shall be cut off, and {he shall have nothing}, and [the] people of the coming leader will destroy the city and the sanctuary, and its end [will be] with the flood and [on] to [the] end [there shall be] war; [these] desolations are determined.

And he will make a strong covenant with the many [for] one week, but [in] half of the week he will let cease sacrifice and offering {and in its place} a desolating abomination [comes] even until {the determined complete destruction} is poured out on [the] desolator."

And I have come to instruct you about what will happen to your people {in the future}, for [there is] a further vision [here] {for the future}.

Then he asked, "Do you know why I have come to you? And now I return to fight against the prince of Persia and I [myself] [am] going, and look, [the] prince of Javan will come.

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."

And now I will reveal [the] truth to you. Look! Still three kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth will get abundance [and] great wealth, [even] more than all [of them], and {when he becomes strong} through his wealth, [then] he will stir up {everyone} against [the] kingdom of Javan.

And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule [with] great dominion, and he will do {as he pleases}.

But {as he rises in power}, his kingdom will be divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, and not according to his dominion [by] which he ruled, for his kingdom will be uprooted and [be given] {to others besides them}.

"Then the king of the south will grow strong and [also] {one of his officials}, and he will grow stronger {than him} and he will rule {a dominion greater than his dominion}.

And at [the] end of [some] years they will make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make a peace treaty, but {she will not retain her position of power}, and his offspring will not endure, and she will be given up, she and her attendants and her child supporting her, in those times.

And a branch from her roots will rise up [in] his place, and he will come against the army and he will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and he will take action against them and he will prevail.

And also their gods with their idols [and] with the {precious vessels}, silver and gold he will take to Egypt into captivity, and [for] years {he will leave the king of the north alone}.

And [then] he will come into the kingdom of the king of the south, but he will return to his land.

"But his sons will wage war and they will gather a multitude of great forces and {he will advance with great force}, and he will overflow [like a flood] and he will pass through and he will return, and they will wage war up to his fortress.

And the king of the south will become furious, and he will go and he will battle against him, against the king of the north; and he will muster a great multitude, and the multitude will be given into his hand.

When the multitude is carried off, his heart will be exalted and he will overthrow {tens of thousands}, but he will not prevail.

And the king of the north will again raise a multitude, greater than the former, and {at the end of some years} he will surely come with great army and with great supplies.

"And in these times many will rise [up] against the king of the south, and {the violent ones of your people} will lift themselves {to fulfill} [the] vision, but they will fall.

And the king of the north will come, and he will throw up siege ramps and capture a city of fortifications and the military forces of the south and {his choice troops} will not stand, for there is no strength [left] to resist.

And the [one] coming to him will act {according to} his pleasure, and there is no [one who] {will stand} {before him}, and he will stand in {the beautiful land} and complete destruction [will be] in his power.

And he will set his face to come with the authority of his whole kingdom and will form an agreement; and he will {act}, and the daughter of women he will give to him to destroy it, but [the ploy] will not succeed {and she will not support him}.

And he will turn his face to [the] coastlands, and he will capture many, but a commander will end his insults to him {so that instead his insults will turn back upon him}.

And he will turn back his face toward the strongholds of his land, but he will stumble and he will fall and will not be found.

"Then in his place will arise [one] sending an official [throughout] [the] glory of [his] kingdom, and {in a few days} he will be broken, but not in anger and not in battle.

And in his place a despicable person will arise on whom they have not conferred the majesty of [the] kingdom, and he will come in {without warning} and he will seize [the] kingdom by deceit.

And {before him} {mighty military forces} will be utterly swept away, and they will be broken, and also [the] leader of [the] covenant.

And after an alliance [is made] with him, he will act deceitfully, and he will rise and he will become powerful with few people [backing him].

In [a time of] ease and in [the] rich parts of [the] province, he will come and he will do what {his predecessors} did not do; he will distribute plunder and spoil and possessions to them, and he will devise his plans against fortifications, but [only] {for a time}.

And he will stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south and {with a much greater and stronger army}; but he will not succeed, for they will devise plans against him.

And those who eat of his royal rations will break him and his army will be overwhelmed, and many will fall, slain.

{And two of the kings} {will bend their hearts} to evil. And at the {same table} they will speak lies, but [what is discussed] will not succeed, for still an end [is coming] at the appointed time.

Then he will return to his land with many possessions, but his heart [will be set] against {the holy covenant}, and he will take action and he will return to his land.

"At the appointed time he will return and he will come into the south, but it will not be {as it was before}.

And [the] ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart, and he will turn back, and he will be enraged {against the holy covenant}, and he will take action, and he will turn back, and he will pay attention to [those who] forsake {the holy covenant}.

And military forces from him {will occupy} and will profane the {sanctuary stronghold}, and they will abolish the regular burnt offering, and they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.

"And those who violate [the] covenant he will seduce with flattery, but the persons who know their God will stand firm and will take action.

And those who have insight {will instruct} the many, but they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder {for some time}.

And {when they fall} they will receive little help, and many will join with them [in] hypocrisy.

And [even] some of those {who have insight} will fall [in order for] them to be refined by it, and to be purified and cleansed until the time of [the] end, for the appointed time [is] still to come.

"Then the king will do {as he pleases}, and he will exalt himself and will consider himself above any god, and he will speak horrendous things {against} [the] God of gods, yet he will succeed until [the period] of anger is finished, for [what] is determined will be done.

He will not pay respect to the gods of his ancestors, or to [the] darling of women, and not to any god will he pay respect, for he will consider himself great over all [gods].

But {instead} he will honor the god of fortresses, a god whom his ancestors did not know. He will honor [him] with gold, and with silver, and with precious stones and with costly gifts.

And he will deal with [the] {fortified strongholds} with [the help of] {a foreign god}; and he will increase wealth for whoever will acknowledge [him], and he will cause them to rule over the many, and he will distribute land for a price.

"And at [the] time of [the] end the king of the south will attack him, and the king of the north will storm against him with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships, and he will advance against the countries and {he will sweep through like a flood}.

And he will come {into the beautiful land} and many will fall victim, but these will escape from his power: Edom and Moab and the best part of the {Ammonites}.

And he will stretch out his hand against countries and the land of Egypt {will not escape}.

And he will rule over the treasures of gold and the silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and [the] Libyans and [the] Cushites [will follow] in his footsteps.

But reports will terrify him from [the] east and from [the] north, and he will go out with great fury to destroy and [to] exterminate many.

And [then] he will pitch the tents of his palace between [the] sea [and] {the beautiful holy mountain}, and he will come to his end, and there is no one helping him."

"Now at that time, Michael, the great prince, will arise, {the protector} over the sons of your people, and it will be a time of distress that has not been since [your people] {have been} a nation until that time. And at that time your people will escape, {everyone who is found} written in the scroll.

And many from [those] sleeping {in the dusty ground} will awake, some to {everlasting life} and some to disgrace and {everlasting contempt}.

But the [ones] having insight will shine like the brightness of the expanse, and [the ones] providing justice [for] the many [will be] like the stars {forever and ever}.