1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions {chezvei: mental revelations} of his head as he lay on his bed; then he wrote down the dream {chelma: night message} and told the summary of the matters.
2 Daniel answered and said, “I was watching in my vision during the night {leilya: dark hours}, and behold, four winds {ruchei: directional forces} of heaven were stirring up the great sea.”
3 And four great beasts{cheivan: wild creatures} came up from the sea, each one differing from the other{da: demonstrative pronoun}.
4 The first was like a lion, and it had the wings {gappin: Aerial Appendages} of an eagle; I was watching until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on feet like a man, and a man's heart {levav: Inner Self} was given to it.
5 And behold, another beast {cheivah: wild creature}, a second one, was like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs {il’in: bone sections} were in its mouth between its teeth. And thus they said to it, “Arise, devour much flesh.”
6 After this I saw, and behold another, like a leopard {kinemar: symbol of swiftness}, and to it were four wings of a bird upon its back, and the beast had four heads, and dominion {shalṭan: ruling authority} was given to it.
7 After this I looked in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast {cheiva: symbolic creature}—dreadful, terrifying, and exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth {shinnayin: implements of violence}; it devoured and crushed, and trampled the remainder with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
8 I was observing the horns, and behold, another horn, a small one, came up among them, and three of the former horns were uprooted from before it. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man {anasha: human appearance}, and a mouth speaking great things {ravrevān: boastful declarations}.
9 I kept watching until thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days {Atik Yomin, Eternal Judge} sat down. His clothing shone white like snow {chiwar: radiant purity}, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was fire and flame, and its wheels were burning fire.
10 A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him {Attiq Yomin, Supreme Judge}; a thousand thousands were serving {yĕshammĕshūnēh: ministering service} Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand were standing before Him. The court sat, and the books were opened.
11 I was watching {havait: ongoing witness} then because of the voice of the great words that the horn {karna: oppressive power} was speaking, and I continued watching until the beast was slain, its body destroyed, and given to the burning fire.
12 But as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, yet a length in their lives was given to them until a time{zeman: appointed season} and a period{ʿiddan: fixed duration}.
13 I was seeing in the night visions, and look, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man {enash: Messianic Title} was coming; then He came to the Ancient of Days {Atiq Yomayya, Eternal Judge} and was brought near before Him.
14 And to him {bar enash: Messianic Representative} were given dominion, glory, and kingship, so that every people, nation, and language would serve him; his authority {sholtan: sovereign rule} continues without end and will not pass away, and his kingdom will not be destroyed.
15 I, Daniel, was distressed in my spirit {rukhi: inner self} within my body, and the visions {chezvei: supernatural revelations} of my head alarmed me.
16 I approached one from among those standing there and asked him the certainty {yatsiva: reliable truth} concerning all this. And he said to me, and the interpretation of the words {millaya: disclosed matters} he made known to me.
17 These great beasts {kheivata: monstrous creatures}, which are four, are four kings who will arise from the earth {ar'a: land or territory}.
18 But the holy ones of the Most High {Elyonin: Supreme Exalted Authority} will receive the kingdom and will possess the kingdom forever, even to the age of ages {olmaya: unending epochs}.
19 Then I desired to know about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly terrifying {yattira: extremely}, whose teeth were of iron and whose claws were of bronze {nechash: copper-alloy}; it devoured, crushed, and trampled the rest with its feet.
20 And concerning the ten horns {qarnayya: symbol of power} that were on its head, and the other that came up and before which three fell, and the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and whose appearance {chezvah: outward aspect} was greater than its companions.
21 I was watching, and that same horn {qarna: symbol of power} was making war with the holy ones {qaddishin: set-apart people}, and was prevailing against them.
22 Until the Ancient of Days {attiq yomayya, Eternal Judge} came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High {elyonin: Supreme Sovereign}; and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, “The fourth beast {ḥevyata: symbolic creature} will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour {teʾakhol: total consumption} the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it.”
24 And the ten horns {qar-nayya: royal symbols} from this kingdom are ten kings who will arise, and another will arise after them; and he will be different from those before, and he will humble {yehashpil: make low} three kings.
25 And he will speak words against the Most High {elya: Supreme Judge}, and he will wear out the holy ones {qadishei: consecrated community} of the Most High, and he will plan to change the appointed times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time, times, and half a time.
26 But the judgment {dina: tribunal decision} will sit, and his dominion will be taken away, to be destroyed and brought to an end {sofa: final conclusion}.
27 The kingdom, the dominion, and the majesty of the realms under all the heavens shall be entrusted to the people of the holy ones of the Most High {Elyonin: Supreme Sovereign}. His kingdom is an everlasting {olam: without end} kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey Him.
28 Here is the close of the matter. I, Daniel, was greatly troubled by my thoughts {rayyonai: inner reflections} and my appearance {vezivai: outward expression} changed upon me, but I kept the matter in my heart.