Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat
1In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me. 2In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. 3I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. 4I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great.
5As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. 6It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage. 7I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power. 8The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.
9Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. 10It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. 11It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down. 12Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people8:12 Or rebellion, the armies and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.
13Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?”
14He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”
The Interpretation of the Vision
15While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. 16And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision.”
17As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of man,”8:17 The Hebrew phrase ben adam means human being. The phrase son of man is retained as a form of address here because of its possible association with “Son of Man” in the New Testament. he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”
18While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.
19He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end.8:19 Or because the end will be at the appointed time 20The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. 22The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.
23“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. 25He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.
26“The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”
27I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.
公绵羊和公山羊的异象
1在看见先前的异象之后，我但以理在伯沙撒王执政第三年又看见一个异象。 2我在异象中看见自己在以拦省的书珊城，又看见自己站在乌莱河畔。 3我举目观看，见河边站着一只公绵羊，长着两个长角，一角比另一角长，较长的角是后长出来的。 4我看见这公绵羊向西方、北方和南方顶撞，没有兽能抵挡它，或逃脱它的威力。它随心所欲，狂妄自大。
5我正沉思的时候，忽然从西面出现一只公山羊，穿越大地，脚不沾地奔来。它双眼之间有一个醒目的角。 6这公山羊来到我之前看见站在河边的双角公绵羊那里，愤怒地向它顶去。 7我看见公山羊愤怒地顶向公绵羊，攻击它，折断了它的双角。公绵羊无力抵挡公山羊，被撞倒在地，践踏在脚下，无人能救它脱离公山羊的威力。 8公山羊极其狂妄自大。但正值鼎盛之时，它的大角突然折断，在原处又长出四个醒目的角，朝着天的四方。 9其中一个角又长出一个小角，向南方、东方和佳美之地8:9 “佳美之地”指以色列，下同11:16、41。扩张势力。 10它长得高及天军，将一些天军和星宿抛到地上，用脚践踏。 11它狂妄自大，与天军的统帅比高，它废除日常献给祂的祭，毁坏祂的圣所。 12因为反叛的缘故，天军和日常所献的祭都交给了它。它将真理抛在地上，它所行的无不顺利。
13接着，我听见一位圣者在说话，另一位圣者问他：“异象中出现的有关日常所献的祭，毁灭性的反叛和践踏圣所及天军的事要持续多久呢？” 14他对我说：“两千三百个昼夜。之后，圣所才会洁净。”
解释异象
15我但以理看见这异象，正想明白它的意思，忽然有一个外貌像人的站在我面前。 16我听见有人声从乌莱河两岸之间呼喊：“加百列啊，要让此人明白这异象。” 17于是，他朝我站的地方走来，当他走来的时候，我吓得俯伏在地。他对我说：“人子啊，你要明白，这异象是关于末后的时期。” 18他和我说话的时候，我伏在地上昏睡过去，他便轻拍我，扶我起来， 19对我说：“我要告诉你将来上帝发烈怒的末了所发生的事，因为这异象是关于那定好的末后时期。 20你看见的那只有两角的公绵羊指玛代和波斯的诸王。 21公山羊指希腊王，在它双眼之间的大角指第一个王。 22大角折断后，从原处长出四个角表示四个国必从这国兴起，但都不及这国强大。 23在四国的末期，人们恶贯满盈的时候，必有一个面貌凶恶、诡计多端的王兴起。 24他势力强大，却不是靠自己的力量。他必带来可怕的毁灭，而且凡事亨通，他必毁灭强者和圣民。 25他靠阴谋诡计得逞，心高气傲，乘人不备突然毁灭许多人，甚至要攻击万君之君，然而他终必被击垮，但并非被人的手击垮。 26有关两千三百个昼夜的异象是真的。但你要保密，因为这指的是遥远的将来。”
27我但以理精疲力尽，病了几天。后来我起来照常办理王的事务，但我对这异象感到惊奇不已，不明白它的意思。
