DANIEL DESCRIBES HIS VISIONS (7.1—12.13)
Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts
1 In the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylonia, I had a dream and saw a vision in the night. I wrote the dream down, and this is the record 2 of what I saw that night:
Winds were blowing from all directions and lashing the surface of the ocean. 3 Four huge beasts came up out of the ocean, each one different from the others. 4 The first one looked like a lion, but had wings like an eagle. While I was watching, the wings were torn off. The beast was lifted up and made to stand up straight. And then a human mind was given to it.
5 The second beast looked like a bear standing on its hind legs. It was holding three ribs between its teeth, and a voice said to it, “Go on, eat as much meat as you can!”
6 While I was watching, another beast appeared. It looked like a leopard, but on its back there were four wings, like the wings of a bird, and it had four heads. It had a look of authority about it.
7 As I was watching, a fourth beast appeared. It was powerful, horrible, terrifying. With its huge iron teeth it crushed its victims, and then it trampled on them. Unlike the other beasts, it had ten horns. 8 While I was staring at the horns, I saw a little horn coming up among the others. It tore out three of the horns that were already there. This horn had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting proudly.
The Vision of the One Who Has Been Living Forever
9 While I was looking, thrones were put in place. One who had been living forever sat down on one of the thrones. His clothes were white as snow, and his hair was like pure wool. His throne, mounted on fiery wheels, was blazing with fire, 10 and a stream of fire was pouring out from it. There were many thousands of people there to serve him, and millions of people stood before him. The court began its session, and the books were opened.
11 While I was looking, I could still hear the little horn bragging and boasting. As I watched, the fourth beast was killed, and its body was thrown into the flames and destroyed. 12 The other beasts had their power taken away, but they were permitted to go on living for a limited time.
13 During this vision in the night, I saw what looked like a human being. He was approaching me, surrounded by clouds, and he went to the one who had been living forever and was presented to him. 14 He was given authority, honor, and royal power, so that the people of all nations, races, and languages would serve him. His authority would last forever, and his kingdom would never end.
The Visions Are Explained
15 The visions I saw alarmed me, and I was deeply disturbed. 16 I went up to one of those standing there and asked him to explain it all. So he told me the meaning. 17 He said, “These four huge beasts are four empires which will arise on earth. 18 And the people of the Supreme God will receive royal power and keep it forever and ever.”
19 Then I wanted to know more about the fourth beast, which was not like any of the others—the terrifying beast which crushed its victims with its bronze claws and iron teeth and then trampled on them. 20 And I wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the horn that had come up afterward and had made three of the horns fall. It had eyes and a mouth and was boasting proudly. It was more terrifying than any of the others.
21 While I was looking, that horn made war on God's people and conquered them. 22 Then the one who had been living forever came and pronounced judgment in favor of the people of the Supreme God. The time had arrived for God's people to receive royal power.
23 This is the explanation I was given: “The fourth beast is a fourth empire that will be on the earth and will be different from all other empires. It will crush the whole earth and trample it down. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will appear; he will be very different from the earlier ones and will overthrow three kings. 25 He will speak against the Supreme God and oppress God's people. He will try to change their religious laws and festivals, and God's people will be under his power for three and a half years. 26 Then the heavenly court will sit in judgment, take away his power, and destroy him completely. 27 The power and greatness of all the kingdoms on earth will be given to the people of the Supreme God. Their royal power will never end, and all rulers on earth will serve and obey them.”
28 This is the end of the account. I was so frightened that I turned pale, and I kept everything to myself.
1 Bābeles ķēniņa Belsacara pirmajā valdīšanas gadā Daniēls redzēja sapni, un, guļot gultā, viņš sapnī redzēja dažādas parādības. Viņš aprakstīja sapni un atstāstīja tā galveno saturu. 2 Un Daniēls sacīja: "Es naktī parādībā redzēju, un lūk, četri debess vēji drāzās cits citam pretī pa plašo pasaules jūru, sakuldami augstus viļņus. 3 No jūras tad izkāpa četri milzīgi zvēri, kas visi bija dažādi pēc sava izskata. 4 Pirmais izskatījās kā lauva, bet tam bija ērgļa spārni. Es aplūkoju to, tiekāms tam izrāva spārnus, un tas piecēlās no zemes, nostājās kā cilvēks uz savām kājām, un tam deva cilvēka sirdi. 5 Un tur bija vēl otrs zvērs, tas izskatījās kā lācis; viņš bija piecēlies tikai ar vienu savu pusi, tam bija zobos trīs ribas. Tam kāds sacīja: celies, ēd daudz gaļas! 6 Un tad es redzēju vēl vienu zvēru, tas izskatījās pēc panteras, bet tam bija četri putna spārni uz muguras. Šim zvēram bija arī četras galvas, tam tika piešķirta valdnieka vara. 7 Un pēc tam es redzēju nakts parādībā ceturto zvēru, tas bija briesmīgs un bīstams, un ārkārtīgi stiprs; tam bija lieli un vareni dzelzs zobi, kā arī nagi no vara, tas aprija un iznīcināja visu, un, kas atlika, to tas samina ar kājām; tas bija pavisam citāds nekā visi pārējie zvēri, tam bija arī desmit ragi. 8 Es aplūkoju uzmanīgi šos ragus un redzēju, ka to starpā parādījās vēl viens mazs rags un trīs no tā agrākiem ragiem tika izlauzti. Un redzi, šim ragam bija acis kā cilvēka acis un mute, kas runāja lielas un pārgalvīgas lietas. 9 Es skatījos tālāk un redzēju, ka nolika krēslus un tajos apsēdās cienīgs sirmgalvis; tam drēbes bija baltas kā sniegs un galvas mati kā tīra vilna; viņa tronis bija no uguns liesmām, un tam bija riteņi, kas gailēja kvēlojošās ugunīs. 10 No viņa izplūda uguns liesmas, un tūkstošu tūkstoši kalpoja viņam, un desmit tūkstoši reiz desmit tūkstoši stāvēja pakalpot gatavi viņa priekšā. Iesākās tiesa, tiesas locekļi nosēdās un atvēra grāmatas. 11 Es raudzījos uz visu izbrīnējies to skaļo runu dēļ, ar kādām uzstājās rags; es skatījos tālāk, kamēr zvēru nogalināja, viņa miesu sadalīja gabalos un to iemeta ugunī. 12 Arī pārējiem zvēriem atņēma varu, un viņu dzīves ilgumu noteica uz gadu un stundu. 13 Kamēr es vēroju nakts parādības, redzi, kā debesu padebešos nāca kāds kā Cilvēka Dēls savā izskatā; tas pienāca pie cienījamā sirmgalvja, un to nostatīja sirmgalvja priekšā. 14 Viņam tad tika piešķirta vara, godība un valdīšana, tā ka viņam pakļāvās visas tautas, tautības un valodas; viņa vara ir mūžīga, viņa ķēniņa valsti neviens nekad nevar iznīcināt. 15 Tā kā es, Daniēls, redzētā dēļ jutos savā garā stipri uztraukts un skatītās parādības iedvesa man bailes, 16 tad es piegāju pie viena no tiem, kas tur stāvēja, un prasīju izskaidrojumu visam tam. Viņš man atbildēja un deva izskaidrojumus par manis redzētām norisēm: 17 četri lielie zvēri ir četri ķēniņi, kas celsies virs zemes. 18 Bet Visuaugstā svētie pārņems valdīšanu un to paturēs mūžīgi, pat mūžu mūžos. 19 Tad es gribēju dabūt skaidrību par ceturto zvēru, kas bija citāds nekā visi pārējie: tas bija sevišķi briesmīgs, ar dzelzs zobiem un vara nagiem, kas aprija visu un to, kas atlika, samina zem savām kājām. 20 Arī par tiem desmit ragiem uz viņa galvas es meklēju skaidrību un par to ragu, kas izriesās, kad trīs ragi bija izkrituši, un kam bija acis un mute, kas runāja lielas un pārgalvīgas lietas un kas bija lielāks nekā visi citi. 21 Es arī redzēju, kā šis rags karoja ar svētajiem un tos arī uzveica, 22 kamēr nāca cienīgais sirmgalvis un piešķīra tiesu un taisnību Visuaugstā svētajiem, un iestājās tas laiks, kad svētie saņēma valstību. 23 Viņš tad man deva šādu paskaidrojumu: ceturtais zvērs ir ceturtā valsts, kas nāks virs zemes un kas ir citāda nekā visas citas valstis: tā aprīs visu zemi, to samīs un satrieks druskās. 24 Desmit ragi nozīmē desmit ķēniņus, kas celsies no šīs valsts, un pēc tiem izvirzīsies viens, kas ir citāds nekā agrākie, un nogāzīs trīs ķēniņus. 25 Tas uzstāsies ar skaļām runām pret Visuaugsto un apvainos Visuaugstā svētos, tas centīsies grozīt svētku laikus un bauslību; viņi būs nodoti viņa varā vienu gadu un divus gadus, un vēl vienu pusgadu. 26 Bet tad notiks tiesa, un tam atņems varu, lai tai darītu galu un to iznīcinātu. 27 Tad nodos ķēniņa valstību, varu un virskundzību pār visām valstīm apakš debesīm Visuaugstā svēto tautai. Tās valstība ir mūžīga, un visas varas tai kalpos un būs padotas. - 28 Tās ir apraksta beigas. Manas pārdomas par redzēto sapni mani, Daniēlu, garā ļoti satrauca, tā ka mainījās mana sejas krāsa, mans vaigs palika bāls, bet savus pārdzīvojumus un sapnī dzirdētās runas es paturēju savā sirdī.
