1「瑪代人大流士元年，我去幫助、護衛米迦勒。 2現在我要把真相告訴你。波斯將再有三位王興起，隨後的第四位王遠比其他王富有。他靠財富強盛後，便會煽動眾民去攻打希臘國。 3那時必有一位英勇的王興起，執掌大權，隨心所欲。 4但他興起後不久，他的國必土崩瓦解，在天下一分為四，既不歸他的後代統治，也不如他掌權時強盛。因為他的國必被連根拔除，歸給外人。
5「南方王必強盛，他的將領中將有一位比他更強盛，這人執掌王權，勢力強大。 6若干年後，南方王將與北方王聯盟。南方王的女兒將到北方王那裡締結盟約。但她必保不住自己的勢力，王權也無法長久。她和她的隨從、父親及輔佐者必遭殺害。
7「她家族中必有一人繼承王位，率軍攻打北方王的軍隊，侵入他的堡壘，擊敗他們， 8將他們的神像、鑄造的偶像及金銀寶器擄到埃及。此後數年，他不再去攻擊北方王。 9後來，北方王必侵入南方王的國土，但終必撤回本國。
10「北方王的兒子們必發動戰爭，召集大軍，如洪水席捲而來，直打到南方王的堡壘。 11南方王必大怒，出來迎戰北方王的大軍，並擊敗他們。 12南方王獲勝後必心高氣傲，殺戮成千上萬的人，但他的勝利不能持久。 13因為北方王必召集更龐大的軍隊，並於數年後帶著大量裝備捲土重來。
14「那時，許多人必起來反抗南方王。你同胞中的殘暴之徒也必反叛，從而使異象應驗，但他們必失敗。 15北方王必修築高臺攻取南方王的堅城，南方的軍兵必無力抵擋，就是精兵也抵擋不住。 16北方王必為所欲為，所向無敵。他必侵佔佳美之地，手握毀滅之權。 17他決意傾全國之力而來，與南方王建立聯盟，並將自己的女兒嫁給南方王，旨在推翻他的國。但北方王的計劃必然失敗，毫無收益。
18「後來，他將轉而攻打沿海地區，征服許多地方。但一位將領必終結他的囂張氣焰，使他自取其辱。 19他將返回本國的堡壘，從此一蹶不振，銷聲匿跡。 20繼承他王位的人將派稅吏橫徵暴斂，以維持王國的榮耀。但不久他必滅亡，並非死於民怨，也非死於戰爭。
21「接著繼位的是一個卑鄙的人。他無權繼位，卻乘人不備用奸計篡位。 22他橫掃千軍，擊潰他們，包括盟國的王。 23他與人結盟後，必行欺詐，藉不多的人掌握大權。 24他必乘人不備入侵最富庶的地區，行他祖先從未行過的事，將擄掠的財物分給部下，並策劃攻打堡壘，但這都是短暫的。 25他集中力量，鼓起勇氣，率領大軍進攻南方王。南方王也率領強大的軍隊迎戰，卻敵不過他，因為有人暗算南方王。 26南方王必遭親信暗算，全軍潰敗，許多人被殺。 27兩個王心懷叵測，同席而坐，爾虞我詐，但都不成功，因為結局必在所定的時間到來。 28北方王必帶著大量財物回國，但他決意反對聖約。他必任意妄為，然後返回本國。
29「到了所定的時間，他必再次攻打南方，但結果與上次不同， 30因為基提的戰船必來攻擊他，使他喪膽而回。他必惱恨聖約，任意妄為，回來支持背棄聖約的人。 31他的軍隊必褻瀆作聖所的堡壘，廢除日常獻的祭，設立帶來毀滅的可憎之物。 32他必花言巧語籠絡違背聖約的人，但認識上帝的人必奮起反抗。 33那些智者必教導許多民眾，但他們將在一段時間內被刀劍殺戮，或被燒死，或被擄去，或被搶掠。 34他們倒下時會得到一點援助，許多人並非真心實意地加入他們的行列。 35有些智者將被害，但這是為了熬煉、淨化他們，使他們潔白無瑕，一直到末了。因為結局必在所定的時間到來。
36「北方王必任意妄為，自高自大，自以為超越一切神明，肆意詆譭萬神之神。他必亨通，一直到上帝發烈怒的日子結束。因為所定的必定成就。 37他不尊崇他祖先的神明，也不尊崇婦女們愛慕的神明或其他任何神明，因為他自認為超越一切。 38他反倒敬奉他祖先不認識的堡壘之神，向它獻上金銀寶石及貴重的禮物。 39他必靠外族神明的幫助攻打堅固的堡壘，將極大的尊榮賜給順從他的人，派他們治理民眾，分給他們土地作獎賞。
40「到了末後，南方王必與北方王交戰。北方王必率領戰車、騎兵和大批戰船攻擊他，又如洪水般橫掃列國。 41他必侵入佳美之地，殺死成千上萬的人，只有以東、摩押及亞捫人的首領得以逃脫。 42他必攻擊列國，埃及也無法逃脫。 43他必掌管埃及的金銀財寶，利比亞人和古實人必歸順他。 44但從東方和北方傳來的消息必令他震驚，他必大怒，出兵殺戮、毀滅許多人。 45他必在海和榮美的聖山之間搭起他宮殿般的帳幕。但他必滅亡，無人相助。
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.
