O Sonho de Daniel:
Os Quatro Animais
1No primeiro ano de Belsazar, rei da Babilônia, Daniel teve um sonho, e certas visões passaram por sua mente, estando ele deitado em sua cama. Ele escreveu o seguinte resumo do seu sonho.
2“Em minha visão à noite, eu vi os quatro ventos do céu agitando o grande mar. 3Quatro grandes animais, diferentes uns dos outros, subiram do mar.
4“O primeiro parecia um leão e tinha asas de águia. Eu o observei e, em certo momento, as suas asas foram arrancadas, e ele foi erguido do chão, firmou-se sobre dois pés como um homem e recebeu coração de homem.
5“A seguir, vi um segundo animal, que tinha a aparência de um urso. Ele foi erguido por um dos seus lados, e na boca, entre os dentes, tinha três costelas. Foi-lhe dito: ‘Levante-se e coma quanta carne puder!’
6“Depois disso, vi um outro animal, que se parecia com um leopardo. Nas costas tinha quatro asas, como as de uma ave. Esse animal tinha quatro cabeças e recebeu autoridade para governar.
7“Em minha visão à noite, vi ainda um quarto animal, aterrorizante, assustador e muito poderoso. Tinha grandes dentes de ferro, com os quais despedaçava e devorava suas vítimas e pisoteava tudo o que sobrava. Era diferente de todos os animais anteriores e tinha dez chifres.
8“Enquanto eu considerava os chifres, vi outro chifre, pequeno, que surgiu entre eles; e três dos primeiros chifres foram arrancados para dar lugar a ele. Esse chifre possuía olhos como os olhos de um homem e uma boca que falava com arrogância.
9“Enquanto eu olhava,
“tronos foram colocados,
e um ancião se assentou.
Sua veste era branca como a neve;
o cabelo era branco como a lã.
Seu trono era envolto em fogo,
e as rodas do trono estavam em chamas.
10De diante dele, saía um rio de fogo.
Milhares de milhares o serviam;
milhões e milhões estavam diante dele.
O tribunal iniciou o julgamento,
e os livros foram abertos.
11“Continuei a observar por causa das palavras arrogantes que o chifre falava. Fiquei olhando até que o animal foi morto, e o seu corpo foi destruído e atirado no fogo. 12Dos outros animais foi retirada a autoridade, mas eles tiveram permissão para viver por um período de tempo.
13“Em minha visão à noite, vi alguém semelhante a um filho de homem, vindo com as nuvens dos céus. Ele se aproximou do ancião e foi conduzido à sua presença. 14Ele recebeu autoridade, glória e o reino; todos os povos, nações e homens de todas as línguas o adoraram. Seu domínio é um domínio eterno que não acabará, e seu reino jamais será destruído.
A Interpretação do Sonho
15“Eu, Daniel, fiquei agitado em meu espírito, e as visões que passaram pela minha mente me aterrorizaram. 16Então me aproximei de um dos que ali estavam e lhe perguntei o significado de tudo o que eu tinha visto.
“Ele me respondeu, dando-me esta interpretação: 17‘Os quatro grandes animais são quatro reinos que se levantarão na terra. 18Mas os santos do Altíssimo receberão o reino e o possuirão para sempre; sim, para todo o sempre’.
19“Então eu quis saber o significado do quarto animal, diferente de todos os outros e o mais aterrorizante, com seus dentes de ferro e garras de bronze, o animal que despedaçava e devorava suas vítimas, e pisoteava tudo o que sobrava. 20Também quis saber sobre os dez chifres da sua cabeça e sobre o outro chifre que surgiu para ocupar o lugar dos três chifres que caíram, o chifre que tinha olhos e uma boca que falava com arrogância. 21Enquanto eu observava, esse chifre guerreava contra os santos e os derrotava, 22até que o ancião veio e pronunciou a sentença a favor dos santos do Altíssimo; chegou a hora de eles tomarem posse do reino.
23“Ele me deu a seguinte explicação: ‘O quarto animal é um quarto reino que aparecerá na terra. Será diferente de todos os outros reinos e devorará a terra inteira, despedaçando-a e pisoteando-a. 24Os dez chifres são dez reis que sairão desse reino. Depois deles um outro rei se levantará, e será diferente dos primeiros reis. 25Ele falará contra o Altíssimo, oprimirá os seus santos e tentará mudar os tempos7.25 Ou o calendário; ou ainda as festas religiosas e as leis. Os santos serão entregues nas mãos dele por um tempo, tempos7.25 Ou dois tempos e meio tempo.
26“ ‘Mas o tribunal o julgará, e o seu poder lhe será tirado e totalmente destruído, para sempre. 27Então a soberania, o poder e a grandeza dos reinos que há debaixo de todo o céu serão entregues nas mãos dos santos, o povo do Altíssimo. O reino dele será um reino eterno, e todos os governantes o adorarão e lhe obedecerão’.
28“Esse é o fim da visão. Eu, Daniel, fiquei aterrorizado por causa dos meus pensamentos e meu rosto empalideceu, mas guardei essas coisas comigo”.
Daniel Has a Dream About Four Animals
1It was the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylon. Daniel had a dream. He was lying in bed. In his dream, visions passed through his mind. He wrote down what he saw.
2Daniel said, “I had a vision at night. I looked up and saw the four winds of heaven. They were stirring up the Mediterranean Sea. 3Four large animals came up out of the sea. Each one was different from the others.
4“The first animal was like a lion. It had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off. Then it was lifted up from the ground. It stood on two feet like a human being. And the mind of a human being was given to it.
5“I saw a second animal. It looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides. And it had three ribs between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up! Eat meat until you are full!’
6“After that, I saw another animal. It looked like a leopard. On its back were four wings like the wings of a bird. The animal I saw had four heads. And it was given authority to rule.
7“After that, in my vision I looked up and saw a fourth animal. It was terrifying and very powerful. It had large iron teeth. It crushed those it attacked and ate them up. It stomped on anything that was left. It was different from the other animals. And it had ten horns.
8“I thought about the horns. Then I saw another horn. It was a little one. It grew up among the other horns. Three of the first horns were pulled up by their roots to make room for it. The little horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being. Its mouth was always bragging.
9“As I watched,
“thrones were set in place.
The Eternal God took his seat.
His clothes were as white as snow.
The hair on his head was white like wool.
His throne was blazing with fire.
And flames were all around its wheels.
10A river of fire was flowing.
It was coming out from in front of God.
Thousands and thousands of angels served him.
Millions of them stood in front of him.
The court was seated.
And the books were opened.
11“Then I continued to watch because of the way the horn was bragging. I kept looking until the fourth animal was killed. I watched until its body was destroyed. It was thrown into the blazing fire. 12The authority of the other animals had been stripped away from them. But they were allowed to live for a period of time.
13“In my vision I saw one who looked like a son of man. He was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Eternal God. He was led right up to him. 14And he was given authority, glory and a kingdom. People of all nations, no matter what language they spoke, worshiped him. His authority will last forever. It will not pass away. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
An Angel Tells Daniel What His Dream Means
15“My spirit was troubled. The visions that passed through my mind upset me. 16I approached an angel who was standing there. I asked him what all these things really meant.
“So he explained to me what everything meant. 17He said, ‘The four large animals stand for four kings. The kings will appear on the earth. 18But the holy people of the Most High God will receive the kingdom. They will possess it forever. It will belong to them for ever and ever.’
19“Then I wanted to know what the fourth animal stood for. It was different from the others. It was the most terrifying of all. It had iron teeth and bronze claws. It crushed everyone it attacked and ate them up. It stomped on anything that was left. 20I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head. And I wanted to know about the other horn that grew up later. It caused three of the ten horns to fall out. It appeared to be stronger than the others. It had eyes. And its mouth was always bragging. 21I saw that the horn was at war with God’s holy people. It was winning the battle over them. 22But then the Eternal God came. He decided in favor of his holy people. So the time came when the kingdom was given to them.
23“Here’s how the angel explained it to me. He said, ‘The fourth animal stands for a fourth kingdom. It will appear on earth. It will be different from the other kingdoms. It will eat up the whole earth. It will stomp on it and crush it. 24The ten horns stand for ten kings. They will come from the fourth kingdom. After them another king will appear. He will be different from the earlier ones. He’ll bring three kings under his control. 25He’ll speak against the Most High God. He’ll treat God’s holy people badly. He will try to change the times and laws that were given by God. God’s holy people will be placed under his power for three and a half years.
26“ ‘But the court will be seated. And the power of that king will be taken away from him. It will be completely destroyed forever. 27Then the authority, power and greatness of all the kingdoms on earth will be taken from them. And all they had will be given to the holy people of the Most High God. His kingdom will last forever. Every ruler will worship and obey him.’
28“That’s all I saw. My thoughts deeply troubled me. My face turned pale. But I kept those things to myself.”
