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.
1“玛代人大流士元年，我去帮助、护卫米迦勒。 2现在我要把真相告诉你。波斯将再有三位王兴起，随后的第四位王远比其他王富有。他靠财富强盛后，便会煽动众民去攻打希腊国。 3那时必有一位英勇的王兴起，执掌大权，随心所欲。 4但他兴起后不久，他的国必土崩瓦解，在天下一分为四，既不归他的后代统治，也不如他掌权时强盛。因为他的国必被连根拔除，归给外人。
5“南方王必强盛，他的将领中将有一位比他更强盛，这人执掌王权，势力强大。 6若干年后，南方王将与北方王联盟。南方王的女儿将到北方王那里缔结盟约。但她必保不住自己的势力，王权也无法长久。她和她的随从、父亲及辅佐者必遭杀害。
7“她家族中必有一人继承王位，率军攻打北方王的军队，侵入他的堡垒，击败他们， 8将他们的神像、铸造的偶像及金银宝器掳到埃及。此后数年，他不再去攻击北方王。 9后来，北方王必侵入南方王的国土，但终必撤回本国。
10“北方王的儿子们必发动战争，召集大军，如洪水席卷而来，直打到南方王的堡垒。 11南方王必大怒，出来迎战北方王的大军，并击败他们。 12南方王获胜后必心高气傲，杀戮成千上万的人，但他的胜利不能持久。 13因为北方王必召集更庞大的军队，并于数年后带着大量装备卷土重来。
14“那时，许多人必起来反抗南方王。你同胞中的残暴之徒也必反叛，从而使异象应验，但他们必失败。 15北方王必修筑高台攻取南方王的坚城，南方的军兵必无力抵挡，就是精兵也抵挡不住。 16北方王必为所欲为，所向无敌。他必侵占佳美之地，手握毁灭之权。 17他决意倾全国之力而来，与南方王建立联盟，并将自己的女儿嫁给南方王，旨在推翻他的国。但北方王的计划必然失败，毫无收益。
18“后来，他将转而攻打沿海地区，征服许多地方。但一位将领必终结他的嚣张气焰，使他自取其辱。 19他将返回本国的堡垒，从此一蹶不振，销声匿迹。 20继承他王位的人将派税吏横征暴敛，以维持王国的荣耀。但不久他必灭亡，并非死于民怨，也非死于战争。
21“接着继位的是一个卑鄙的人。他无权继位，却乘人不备用奸计篡位。 22他横扫千军，击溃他们，包括盟国的王。 23他与人结盟后，必行欺诈，借不多的人掌握大权。 24他必乘人不备入侵最富庶的地区，行他祖先从未行过的事，将掳掠的财物分给部下，并策划攻打堡垒，但这都是短暂的。 25他集中力量，鼓起勇气，率领大军进攻南方王。南方王也率领强大的军队迎战，却敌不过他，因为有人暗算南方王。 26南方王必遭亲信暗算，全军溃败，许多人被杀。 27两个王心怀叵测，同席而坐，尔虞我诈，但都不成功，因为结局必在所定的时间到来。 28北方王必带着大量财物回国，但他决意反对圣约。他必任意妄为，然后返回本国。
29“到了所定的时间，他必再次攻打南方，但结果与上次不同， 30因为基提的战船必来攻击他，使他丧胆而回。他必恼恨圣约，任意妄为，回来支持背弃圣约的人。 31他的军队必亵渎作圣所的堡垒，废除日常献的祭，设立带来毁灭的可憎之物。 32他必花言巧语笼络违背圣约的人，但认识上帝的人必奋起反抗。 33那些智者必教导许多民众，但他们将在一段时间内被刀剑杀戮，或被烧死，或被掳去，或被抢掠。 34他们倒下时会得到一点援助，许多人并非真心实意地加入他们的行列。 35有些智者将被害，但这是为了熬炼、净化他们，使他们洁白无瑕，一直到末了。因为结局必在所定的时间到来。
36“北方王必任意妄为，自高自大，自以为超越一切神明，肆意诋毁万神之神。他必亨通，一直到上帝发烈怒的日子结束。因为所定的必定成就。 37他不尊崇他祖先的神明，也不尊崇妇女们爱慕的神明或其他任何神明，因为他自认为超越一切。 38他反倒敬奉他祖先不认识的堡垒之神，向它献上金银宝石及贵重的礼物。 39他必靠外族神明的帮助攻打坚固的堡垒，将极大的尊荣赐给顺从他的人，派他们治理民众，分给他们土地作奖赏。
40“到了末后，南方王必与北方王交战。北方王必率领战车、骑兵和大批战船攻击他，又如洪水般横扫列国。 41他必侵入佳美之地，杀死成千上万的人，只有以东、摩押及亚扪人的首领得以逃脱。 42他必攻击列国，埃及也无法逃脱。 43他必掌管埃及的金银财宝，利比亚人和古实人必归顺他。 44但从东方和北方传来的消息必令他震惊，他必大怒，出兵杀戮、毁灭许多人。 45他必在海和荣美的圣山之间搭起他宫殿般的帐幕。但他必灭亡，无人相助。
