Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts
1-2 Daniel wrote:
In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylonia, I had some dreams and visions while I was asleep one night, and I wrote them down.
The four winds were stirring up the mighty sea, 3 when suddenly four powerful beasts came out of the sea. Each beast was different. 4 The first was like a lion with the wings of an eagle. As I watched, its wings were pulled off. Then it was lifted to an upright position and made to stand on two feet, just like a human, and it was given a human mind.
5 The second beast looked like a bear standing on its hind legs. It held three ribs in its teeth, and it was told, “Attack! Eat all the flesh you want.”
6 The third beast was like a leopard—except that it had four wings and four heads. It was given authority to rule.
7 The fourth beast was stronger and more terrifying than the others. Its huge teeth were made of iron, and what it didn't grind with its teeth, it smashed with its feet. It was different from the others, and it had horns on its head—ten of them. 8 Just as I was thinking about these horns, a smaller horn appeared, and three of the other horns were pulled up by the roots to make room for it. This horn had the eyes of a human and a mouth that spoke with great arrogance.
Judgment
Daniel wrote:
9 Thrones were set up
while I was watching,
and the Eternal God
took his place.
His clothing and his hair
were white as snow.
His throne was a blazing fire
with fiery wheels,
10 and flames were dashing out
from all around him.
Countless thousands
were standing there
to serve him.
The time of judgment began,
and the books were opened.
11 I watched closely to see what would happen to this smaller horn because of the arrogant things it was saying. Then before my very eyes, the fourth beast was killed and its body destroyed by fire. 12 The other three beasts had their authority taken from them, but they were allowed to live a while longer. 13 As I continued to watch the vision that night,
I saw what looked like
a son of man
coming with the clouds of heaven,
and he was presented
to the Eternal God.
14 He was crowned king
and given power and glory,
so that all people
of every nation and race
would serve him.
He will rule forever,
and his kingdom is eternal,
never to be destroyed.
The Meaning of Daniel's Vision
15 Daniel wrote:
I was terrified by these visions, and I didn't know what to think. 16 So I asked one of those standing there, and he explained, 17 “The four beasts are four earthly kingdoms. 18 But God Most High will give his kingdom to his chosen ones, and it will be theirs forever and ever.”
19 I wanted to know more about the fourth beast, because it was so different and much more terrifying than the others. What was the meaning of its iron teeth and bronze claws and of its feet that smashed what the teeth and claws had not ground and crushed? 20 I also wanted to know more about all ten of those horns on its head. I especially wanted to know more about the one that took the place of three of the others—the horn that had eyes and spoke with arrogance and seemed greater than the others. 21 While I was looking, this horn attacked God's chosen ones and was winning the battle. 22 Then God Most High, the Eternal God, came and judged in favor of his chosen ones, because the time had arrived for them to be given the kingdom.
23 Then I was told
by the one standing there:
“The fourth beast
will be a fourth kingdom
to appear on earth.
It will be different
from all the others—
it will trample the earth
and crush it to pieces.
24 All ten of those horns are kings
who will come from this kingdom,
and one more will follow.
This horn will be different
from the others,
and it will conquer
three other kings.
25 “This king will speak evil
of God Most High,
and he will be cruel
to God's chosen ones.
He will try to change God's Law
and the sacred seasons.
And he will be able to do this
for a time, two times,
and half a time.
26 But he will finally be judged,
and his kingdom
completely destroyed.
27 “Then the greatest kingdom of all
will be given to the chosen ones
of God Most High.
His kingdom will be eternal,
and all others will serve
and obey him.”
28 That was what I saw and heard. I turned pale with fear and kept it all to myself.
رؤى دانيال
1 في السَّنةِ الأولى مِنْ عَهدِ بَلشصَّرَ مَلِكِ بابِلَ، حَلُمَ دانيالُ حُلُما رَآهُ في مَنامِهِ وهوَ على فِراشِهِ، فكتَبَ الحُلُمَ وأخبَرَ بخُلاصَتِهِ.
2 قال: «رَأيتُ في مَنامي ليلا، فإذا برياحِ السَّماءِ الأربَعِ اجتاحَتِ البحرَ الكبـيرَ، 3 فطَلَعَ مِنَ البحرِ أربعَةُ حيواناتٍ عظيمَةٍ يَختَلِفُ بَعضُها عَنِ البَعضِ الآخَرِ. 4 الأوَّلُ مِثلُ الأسدِ ولَه جَناحا نَسْرٍ. وبَينَما كُنتُ أنظُرُ إليهِ اقْتُلِـعَ جَناحاهُ، ثُمَّ ارْتَفَعَ على الأرضِ وقامَ على رِجلَيهِ كإنسانٍ، وأُعطِـيَ قلبَ إنسانٍ. 5 وإذا بحيوانٍ آخَرَ شَبـيهٍ بالدُبِّ، فقامَ على جَنْبٍ واحدٍ وفي فَمِهِ ثَلاثُ أَضلُعٍ بَينَ أسنانِهِ فقِـيلَ لَه: قُمْ فَكُلْ لَحْما كثيرا. 6 وبَعدَ ذلِكَ رَأيتُ فإذا بِآخَرَ مِثلِ النَّمِرِ، ولَه أربعَةُ أجنِحَةٍ، طائِرٌ على ظَهرِهِ. وكانَ لِلحيوانِ أربعَةُ رُؤوسٍ وأُعطِـيَ سُلطانا. 7 ثُمَّ رَأيتُ في مَنامي في ذلِكَ اللَّيلِ، فإذا بِـحيوانٍ رابِـعٍ هائِلٍ شديدٍ قَويٍّ جدًّا. ولَه أسنانٌ كبـيرةٌ مِنْ حديدٍ، فكانَ يأكُلُ ويَسحَقُ ويَرفُسُ الباقي بِرِجلَيهِ. وهوَ يختَلِفُ عَنْ سائِرِ الحيواناتِ الّتي قَبلَهُ، ولَه عشَرَةُ قُرونٍ. 8 فتَأمَّلْتُ القُرونَ، فإذا بِقَرنٍ آخرَ صغيرٍ طلَعَ بَينَها، فقَلَعَ ثَلاثَةً مِنَ القُرونِ الأولى مِنْ أمامِهِ، وإذا بِــعُيونٍ في هذا القَرْنِ كعُيونِ إنسانٍ وبِفَمٍ يَنطِقُ بعَظائِمِ الأمورِ. 9 وبَينَما كُنتُ أرى، نُصِبَتْ عُروشٌ، فجلَسَ شيخٌ طاعِنٌ في السِّنِ، وكانَ لباسُهُ أبـيضَ كالثَّلْجِ، وشَعْرُ رَأسِهِ كالصُّوفِ النقيِّ، وعرشُهُ لَهيـبُ نارٍ، 10 وتَخدُمُهُ أُلوفُ أُلوفٍ، وتَقِفُ بَينَ يديهِ رِبْواتُ رِبْواتٍ. فجلَسَ أهلُ القضاءِ وفُتِحَتِ الأسفارُ.
11 «وكُنتُ أرى وأسمَعُ صوتَ الأقوالِ العظيمَةِ الّتي يَنطِقُ بها القَرْنُ، إلى أنْ قُتِلَ الحيوانُ الرَّابعُ وبادَ جسمُهُ وجُعِلَ وَقُودا لِلنَّارِ. 12 أمَّا باقي الحيواناتِ فأُزيلَ سُلطانُها، لكنَّها وُهِبَت حياةً تَطولُ إلى زمانٍ مُعَيَّنٍ.
13 «ورَأيتُ في مَنامي ذلِكَ اللَّيلَ، فإذا بِمِثلِ ابْنِ إنسانٍ آتيا على سَحابِ السَّماءِ، فأسرَعَ إلى الشَّيخِ الطَّاعِنِ في السِّنِ. فقُرِّبَ إلى أمامِهِ 14 وأُعطِـيَ سُلطانا ومَجدا ومُلْكا حتّى تعبُدَهُ الشُّعوبُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ ولِسانٍ ويكونَ سُلطانُهُ سُلطانا أبديًّا لا يَزولُ، ومُلْكُهُ لا يتَعَدَّاهُ الزَّمنُ.
تفسير الرؤى
15 «فانْزَعَجَت روحي، أنا دانيالُ، في داخِلي وأقلَقَتْني رُؤى مَنامي، 16 فاقتَرَبْتُ إلى أحدِ الواقِفينَ وسَألْتُهُ عَنْ حقيقةِ ذلِكَ كُلِّهِ، فأخبَرَني وأعلَمَني بتفسيرِ تِلكَ الأمورِ. 17 وهوَ أنَّ هذِهِ الحيواناتِ الأربعَةَ العظيمةَ تَدُلُّ على أربعَةِ مُلوكٍ يَقومونَ مِنَ الأرضِ، 18 ثُمَّ يأتي قدِّيسُو اللهِ العليِّ فيأخذونَ المُلْكَ ويَحوزونَهُ إلى أبدِ الآبدينَ».
19 «فرغِبْتُ في الاطِّلاعِ على حقيقةِ الحيوانِ الرَّابعِ الّذي كانَ مُختَلِفا عَنْ سائِرِ الحيواناتِ وهائِلا جدًّا، والّذي أسنانُهُ مِنْ حديدٍ، وأظفارُهُ مِنْ نُحاسٍ، وأكلَ وسحَقَ ورفَسَ الباقي برجلَيهِ، 20 وعلى القُرونِ العشَرَةِ الّتي في رأسِهِ، وعلى القَرْنِ الآخرِ الّذي طلَعَ فسَقَطَت مِنْ أمامِهِ ثَلاثةُ قُرونٍ، وكانَ لَه عُيونٌ وفَمٌ يَنطِقُ بعَظائِمِ الأمورِ، ومَنظَرُهُ أضخَمُ مِنْ مَنظَرِ أصحابِهِ. 21 ونَظَرْتُ القَرْنَ فرَأيتُهُ يُحارِبُ القدِّيسينَ ويَغلِبُهُم. 22 ولكنْ جاءَ الشَّيخُ الطَّاعِنُ في السِّنِ، وحكَمَ بالعَدلِ لِقدِّيسي اللهِ العليِّ، وحانَ الوقتُ الّذي فيهِ يَحوزونَ المُلْكَ.
23 «وهذا هوَ التَّفسيرُ الّذي أُعطِـيَ لي: الحيوانُ الرَّابعُ يكونُ المَملَكةَ الرَّابعَةَ على الأرضِ، وتكونُ مُختَلِفَةً عَنْ سائِرِ المَمالِكِ، فتأكُلُ الأرضَ كُلَّها وتَدوسُها وتَسحَقُها. 24 والقُرونُ العشَرَةُ الّتي تَحكُمُ تِلكَ المَملَكةَ، هيَ عشَرَةُ مُلوكٍ ثُمَّ يَقومُ بَعدَهُم مَلِكٌ آخَرُ يَختَلِفُ عَنِ الأوَّلينَ ويُخضِعُ ثَلاثَةَ مُلوكٍ، 25 ويَنطِقُ بأقوالٍ ضِدَّ اللهِ العليِّ ويُضايِقُ قِدِّيسيهِ، ويَظنُّ أنَّهُ يُغَيِّرُ الأزمِنَةَ والشَّريعَةَ، وسَيُسَلَّمُ القِدِّيسونَ إلى يدِهِ ثَلاثَ سِنينَ ونِصْفَ السَّنةِ. 26 ثُمَّ يَجلِسُ أهلُ القضاءِ، فيُزالُ سُلطانُهُ ويُدَمَّرُ ويُبادُ على الدَّوامِ. 27 ويُوهَبُ المُلْكَ والسُّلطانَ وعظَمَةَ جميعِ المَمالِكِ تَحتَ السَّماءِ كُلِّها لِشعبِ قدِّيسيِّ اللهِ العليِّ، وسيكونُ مُلْكُهُم مُلْكا أبديًّا، ويَخدُمُهُم جميعُ السَّلاطينِ ويَسمعونَ لهُم.
28 إلى هُنا نِهايَةُ ما رَأيتُ، فأقلَقَتْني، أنا دانيالُ، أفكاري جدًّا، وتَغَيَّرَت منِّي سِحْنَتي، وحَفِظْتُ هذا كُلَّهُ في قلبـي».