1 In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over the country of Babylonia, Daniel saw a vision by his head upon his bed. Then Daniel wrote the vision which he saw in chief points of words. 2 Upon my bed I was watching in my sleep by night, and look, the four winds of heaven fell upon the great sea. 3 And four beasts came up out of the sea, differing one from another. 4 The first was like a lioness, having wings as of an eagle. I watched until her wings were plucked, and she was lifted up from the earth, and was set upon human feet, and a human heart was given to her. 5 And look, after her another beast, having the likeness of a bear, and it stood upon one side, and three ribs were in its mouth; and thus it said, Arise, devour much flesh. 6 And after these things I watched another beast, like a leopard, and four wings were stretched out over it, and the beast had four heads, and a tongue was given to it. 7 And after these things I watched in the vision of the night a fourth beast, fearful, and its fearfulness surpassing in strength, having great iron teeth, eating and crushing, trampling around with its feet, behaving differently from all the beasts before it; and it had ten horns.⁠a 8 And many counsels were in its horns, and look, another single horn grew up in the midst of them, small among its horns, and three of the first horns were dried up by it; and look, eyes like human eyes were in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things, and it made war against the saints. 9 I watched until thrones were set, and one Ancient of days sat, having a garment like snow, and the hair of his head like pure white wool; the throne was like a flame of fire. 10 And a river of fire went forth before his face; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;⁠b and the court sat, and books were opened. 11 I watched then the sound of the great words which the horn spoke; and the beast was beaten to death, and its body perished, and it was given to be burned with fire. 12 And those around it he removed from their authority, and a time of life was given to them until a time and season. 13 I watched in the vision of the night, and look, upon the clouds of heaven one like a son of man was coming, and he was present as the Ancient of days,⁠c and those standing by were present with him. 14 And authority was given to him, and all the nations of the earth according to their kinds, and all glory serving him; and his authority is an everlasting authority, which shall never be taken away, and his kingdom, which shall never be destroyed. 15 And I Daniel was weary in these things in the vision of the night. 16 I approached one of those standing by, and sought the exact truth from him concerning all these things; and he answered and says to me, and made known to me the interpretation of the words. 17 These great beasts are four kingdoms, which shall perish from the earth. 18 And the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and shall possess the kingdom for ever and for ever and ever. 19 Then I wished to learn exactly concerning the fourth beast, which destroyed all things and was exceedingly fearful; and look, its teeth were of iron and its claws of brass, devouring all around and trampling with the feet; 20 and concerning its ten horns upon its head, and the one other that grew up, and three fell by it; and that horn had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and its appearance surpassed the others. 21 And I observed that horn waging war against the saints and routing them, 22 until the Ancient of days came; and he gave judgment to the saints of the Most High, and the time was given, and the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 And it was said to me concerning the fourth beast, that it shall be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which shall differ from all the earth, and shall lay it waste and grind it to pieces. 24 And as for the ten horns of the kingdom, ten kings shall arise, and the other king shall arise after them, and he shall surpass the first in evils, and shall humble three kings. 25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall undertake to change times and law; and all things shall be delivered into his hands until a time and times and until half a time. 26 And the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his authority, and they shall plan to defile and to destroy until the end. 27 And the kingdom and the authority and their greatness and the dominion of all the kingdoms under heaven he gave to a holy people of the Most High, to reign over an everlasting kingdom; and all authorities shall be subjected to him and shall obey him. 28 Until the conclusion of the word I Daniel was held in great amazement, and my condition was changed in me, and I fixed the word in my heart.