1. In Belshazzar’s first year as king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream. He saw a vision while he was asleep. He wrote down the main parts of the dream.
2. In my visions at night I, Daniel, saw the four winds of heaven stirring up the Mediterranean Sea.
3. Four large animals, each one different from the others, came out of the sea.
4. The first animal was like a lion, but it had wings like an eagle. I watched until its wings were plucked off and it was lifted off the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human and was given a human mind.
5. I saw a second animal. It looked like a bear. It was raised on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, “Get up, and eat as much meat as you want.”
6. After this, I saw another animal. It looked like a leopard. On its back it had four wings, like the wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads. It was given power to rule.
7. After this, I saw a fourth animal in my vision during the night. It was terrifying, dreadful, extraordinarily strong, and had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed its victims and trampled whatever was left. It acted differently from all the other animals that I had seen before. It had ten horns.
8. While I was thinking about the horns, another horn, a little horn, came up among them. It uprooted three of the other horns. This horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that spoke impressive things.
9. I watched until thrones were set upand the Ancient One, who has lived for endless years, sat down.His clothes were as white as snowand the hair on his head was like pure wool.His throne was fiery flames,and its wheels were burning fire.
10. A river of fire flowed.It came from him.Thousands and thousands served him.Ten thousand times ten thousand were stationed in front of him.The court convened,and the books were opened.
11. I continued to watch because of the impressive words that the horn was speaking. I watched until the animal was killed. Its body was destroyed and put into a raging fire.
12. The power of the rest of the animals was taken away, but they were allowed to live for a period of time.
13. In my visions during the night, I saw among the clouds in heaven someone like the Son of Man. He came to the Ancient One, who has lived for endless years, and was presented to him.
14. He was given power, honor, and a kingdom. People from every province, nation, and language were to serve him. His power is an eternal power that will not be taken away. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
15. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled, and my visions frightened me.
16. I went to someone who was standing there and asked him to tell me the truth about all this. So he told me what all this meant.
17. He said, “These four large animals are four kingdoms that will rise to power on the earth.