1And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)
The Kings of the South and the North
2“Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. 3Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. 4After he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others.
5“The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. 6After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power11:6 Or offspring will not last. In those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort and her father11:6 Or child (see Vulgate and Syriac) and the one who supported her.
7“One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. 8He will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. 9Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. 10His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress.
11“Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated. 12When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. 13For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.
14“In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 15Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. 16The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it. 17He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans11:17 Or but she will not succeed or help him. 18Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him. 19After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more.
20“His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.
21“He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. 23After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.
25“With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. 26Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. 27The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. 28The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.
29“At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31“His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
33“Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
The King Who Exalts Himself
36“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. 37He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.11:39 Or land for a reward
40“At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. 42He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites11:43 That is, people from the upper Nile region in submission. 44But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at11:45 Or the sea and the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
1Na Mediani Dario ahenni afe a edi kan no, misii gyinae sɛ megyina nʼakyi na mabɔ ne ho ban.)
Anafo Fam Ne Atifi Fam Ahemfo
2“Na afei, mɛka mu nokware akyerɛ wo: ahemfo baasa bɛsɔre wɔ Persia, wɔn akyi no, nea ɔto so anan a obenya ne ho akyɛn nkae no bɛsɔre. Ɔde nʼahonya mu ahoɔden behwanyan obiara atia Hela ahenni. 3Afei ɔhene kɛse bi bɛsɔre wɔ tumi mu a ɔbɛyɛ nea ɔpɛ. 4Ne ba no akyi, wɔbɛkyekyɛ nʼaheman no mu anan. Ɛrenkɔ nʼasefo nkyɛn, na ɔrennya tumi a na ɔwɔ no, efisɛ wobetutu nʼaheman no ase de ama afoforo.
5“Ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam no bɛyɛ den, nanso nʼasafohene no mu baako bɛyɛ den asen no na ɔde tumi a ɛyɛ den bedi ahemman no so. 6Mfe bi akyi no, wɔbɛyɛ ayɔnko. Ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam no babea bɛkɔ ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam no nkyɛn akɔyɛ nnamfofa apam; nanso ɔbabea no renkura ne tumi mu bio, na ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam ne ne tumi nso rennyina. Saa mmere no mu no, wobeyi ɔhene babea, adehye a wɔka ne ho, nʼagya ne nea ogyinaa nʼakyi nyinaa no ama.
7“Obi a ofi anafo fam babea abusua mu bɛsɔre asi nʼanan mu. Na ɔde dɔm bɛba abɛhyɛn ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam aban no mu na ɔne wɔn ako na wadi wɔn so nkonim. 8Ɔbɛfa wɔn anyame, ahoni a wɔde dade ayɛ ne wɔn ademude a wɔde dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ ayɛ akɔ Misraim. Na mfe bi mu no, ɔbɛtwe ne ho afi ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam no ho. 9Afei ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam no bɛtow ahyɛ ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam no so, nanso ɔbɛsan nʼakyi akɔ nʼankasa asase so. 10Ne mmabarima besiesie wɔn ho ama ɔko na wɔde asraafo dɔm kɛse bɛkɔ te sɛ asu a ayiri, akɔko ara akodu atamfo no aban no ho.
11“Afei ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam no de abufuw kɛse bɛsɔre na wako atia ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam a ɔno nso wɔ asraafo dɔm kɛse, na obedi wɔn so nkonim. 12Sɛ wɔde asraafo no kɔ a, ahantan bɛhyɛ anafo fam hene no ma, na obekunkum mpempem, nanso ne nkonimdi no renkyɛ. 13Ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam nso bɛboa asraafo afoforo a wɔdɔɔso sen kan de no, na mfirihyia bebree akyi no, ɔde asraafo dɔm kɛse a wɔwɔ akode betu ɔsa.
14“Saa mmere no mu, bebree bɛsɔre atia ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam. Wɔn a wodi akakabensɛm wɔ wʼankasa wo nkurɔfo mu no bɛtew atua sɛnea ɛte wɔ anisoadehu no mu no, nanso wɔrenni nkonim. 15Afei ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam no bɛba abesisi mpie na ɔbɛko agye kuropɔn a wɔagye ho ban no. Asraafo a wɔwɔ anafo fam no rennya ahoɔden nko, na wɔn a wɔyɛ den wɔ wɔn mu no mpo rentumi nnyina ɔko no ano. 16Ɔfowni no bɛyɛ nea ɔpɛ na obiara rentumi nnyina nʼanim. Obegye Asase Fɛɛfɛ no abɔ so, na obenya tumi a ɔde bɛsɛe no. 17Ɔbɛyɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔde ahoɔden a ɔwɔ wɔ nʼahenni no mu nyinaa bɛba, na afei ɔne ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam no akɔyɛ nnamfofa apam. Ɔde ne babea bɛma no aware, na ɔnam so agu nʼahenni no, nanso nʼatirimpɔw yi renyɛ yiye na ɛremmoa no. 18Afei ɔde nʼani bɛkyerɛ mpoano aman so, na wadi mu bebree so nkonim, nanso, ɔsahene bi de ɔhene yi ahomaso bɛba awiei na wadan abɔ no. 19Eyi akyi no, ɔde nʼani bɛkyerɛ aban a ɛwɔ nʼasase so no, nanso obehintiw ahwe ase, na wɔrenhu no bio.
20“Nea obedi nʼade no bɛsoma towgyeni, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a obenya nea ɛbɛma nʼahenni no anuonyam atena hɔ. Mfirihyia kakra bi akyi no, wɔbɛsɛe no; nanso ɛremfi abufuw anaa ɔko mu.
21“Obi a wommu no na ɔnyɛ ɔdehye na obedi nʼade. Ɔbɛtow ahyɛ ahenni no so bere a so nnipa no asom adwo wɔn, na ɔde nnaadaa agye. 22Afei ɔbɛtɔre asraafo dɔm a wontumi nkan wɔn dodow no ase. Wɔbɛsɛe asraafo no ne ɔhenebabarima a ɔhyɛ bɔhyɛ no ase no. 23Wɔne no yɛ apam wie a, ɔnam nnaadaa kwan so benya nnipa kakraa bi na wapere tumi. 24Sɛ amantam a wɔyɛ adefo no te nka sɛ wɔn asom adwo wɔn a, ɔbɛtow ahyɛ wɔn so, na nea nʼagyanom ne ne nenanom antumi anyɛ no, ɔbɛyɛ. Ɔbɛkyekyɛ asade ne ahonyade ama nʼakyidifo. Ɔbɛbɔ pɔw atu aban agu, nanso ɛbɛyɛ nna tiaa bi mu.
25“Obenya asraafo dɔm kɛse na wanya ahoɔden ne akokoduru asɔre atia ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam. Ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam no de asraafo a wɔdɔɔso na wɔyɛ den betu ɔsa, nanso ɔrentumi nnyina, esiane pɔw ahorow a wɔabɔ de atia no nti. 26Wɔn a ɔhene bɔ wɔn akɔnhama no bɛbɔ mmɔden sɛ wobehuan nʼase antweri; wobetwiw afa ɔhene no asraafo no so, na bebree nso bɛtotɔ wɔ ɔko mu. 27Ahemfo baanu a bɔne adi wɔn ti mu dɛm bɛtena ɔpon baako ho, adi atoro akyerɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho, nanso ɛrenkosi hwee, efisɛ awiei no bɛba ne bere a wɔahyɛ no. 28Ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam no de ahonyade bebree bɛsan akɔ ne man mu, nanso ne koma rempɛ apam kronkron no. Ɔbɛyɛ biribi atia apam kronkron no na wasan akɔ ne man mu.
29“Bere a wɔahyɛ no du a, ɔbɛtow ahyɛ anafo aman no so bio, nanso saa bere yi de, ɛrenyɛ yiye mma no sɛ kan no. 30Ahyɛn a wofi aman a ɛwɔ mpoano wɔ atɔe fam no bɛko atia no, na nʼabasa mu bebu. Enti ɔbɛsan nʼakyi na ɔde nʼabufuw akowie apam kronkron no so, na ɔne wɔn a wɔpo apam kronkron no bɛyɛ baako.
31“Na nʼasraafo bɛsɔre. Wobegu asɔredan no aban ho fi, na wɔagu daa daa afɔrebɔ no. Wɔde abusude a ɛde ɔsɛe ba besi anan mu. 32Ɔde nnaadaa bɛkɔ so asɛe wɔn a wobu apam no so, nanso wɔn a wonim wɔn Nyankopɔn no bɛsɔre atia no denneennen.
33“Anyansafo bɛkyerɛkyerɛ bebree, nanso bere bi mu no, wɔbɛtotɔ wɔ afoa ano, wɔbɛhyew wɔn, wɔbɛfa wɔn nnommum anaa wɔbɛfom wɔn nneɛma. 34Sɛ wɔhwe ase a, wobenya mmoa kakra, na bebree a wonni nokware bɛkɔ akɔdɔm wɔn. 35Anyansafo no mu bi behintihintiw. Ɛnam so bɛma wɔasiesie wɔn, ahohoro wɔn ho fi na wɔayɛ wɔn a wɔn ho nni nkekae akosi awiei bere no, efisɛ ɛbɛba bere a wɔahyɛ no.
Ɔhene A Ɔma Ne Ho So
36“Ɔhene no bɛyɛ nea ɔpɛ, ɔbɛma ne ho so, ayɛ ne ho ɔkɛse asen onyame biara, na waka nea obi ntee da afa anyame mu Nyame no ho. Obenya nkɔso akosi sɛ abufuw bere no bɛba awiei, efisɛ ɛsɛ sɛ nea wɔahyɛ ato hɔ no ba mu. 37Obebu nʼagyanom anyame animtiaa. Ɔremfa mmea no nyame a wɔdɔ no anaa onyame foforo biara nyɛ hwee, na mmom ɔbɛma ne ho so aboro wɔn nyinaa so. 38Ɔde aban no nyame, nyame a nʼagyanom nnim besi wɔn anan mu; ɔde sikakɔkɔɔ, dwetɛ, aboɔdemmo ne akyɛde a ɛsom bo bedi no ni. 39Ɔde mmoa a onya fi ananafo nyame hɔ no bɛtow ahyɛ aban a ɛyɛ den pa ara so, na wɔn a wogye no to mu no, ɔbɛhyɛ wɔn anuonyam. Obedi nnipa bebree so, na ɔbɛkyekyɛ asase no mu de ayɛ akatua.
40“Awiei no du a, ɔhene a ɔwɔ anafo fam no ne no bɛko, na ɔhene a ɔwɔ atifi fam no nso de nteaseɛnam, apɔnkɔsotefo ne po so asraafo bebree behyia no. Ɔbɛtow ahyɛ aman bebree so na watwiw afa wɔn so te sɛ nsuyiri. 41Ɔbɛtow ahyɛ Asase Fɛfɛ no so. Aman bebree bɛtotɔ ase, nanso wobegye Edom, Moab ne Amon mu fa kɛse afi ne nsam. 42Ɔde ne tumi bɛkɔ aman bebree so; na Misraim remfi mu tɔtrɔtɔɔ. 43Ɔde ne nsa bɛto ademude a ɛyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ, dwetɛ ne Misraim ahonyade nyinaa so, na Libiafo ne Etiopiafo ayɛ nʼasomfo. 44Nanso amanneɛ a ɔbɛte afi apuei ne atifi fam bɛbɔ no hu, na ɔde abufuwhyew befi akɔ akɔsɛe bebree atɔre wɔn ase. 45Ɔbɛhoro nʼadehye ntamadan wɔ po no ne bepɔw kronkron fɛɛfɛ no ntam. Na nʼawiei bɛba a ɔrennya mmoa biara.
