6. After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard; on its back were four wings like those of a bird, and it had four heads. To this beast dominion was given.
7. After this, in the visions of the night I saw a fourth beast, terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength; it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed, and it trampled with its feet what was left. It differed from the beasts that preceded it. It had ten horns.
8. I was considering the ten horns it had, when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst, and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it. This horn had eyes like human eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
9. As I watched,Thrones were set upand the Ancient of Days took his throne.His clothing was white as snow,the hair on his head like pure wool;His throne was flames of fire,with wheels of burning fire.
10. A river of fire surged forth,flowing from where he sat;Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,and myriads upon myriads stood before him.The court was convened, and the books were opened.
11. I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the burning fire.
12. As for the other beasts, their dominion was taken away, but they were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
13. As the visions during the night continued, I saw coming with the clouds of heavenOne like a son of man.When he reached the Ancient of Daysand was presented before him,
14. He received dominion, splendor, and kingship;all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him.His dominion is an everlasting dominionthat shall not pass away,his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed.
15. Because of this, my spirit was anguished and I, Daniel, was terrified by my visions.
16. I approached one of those present and asked him the truth of all this; in answer, he made known to me its meaning:
17. “These four great beasts stand for four kings which shall arise on the earth.
18. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship, to possess it forever and ever.”
19. Then I wished to make certain about the fourth beast, so very terrible and different from the others, devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws, and trampling with its feet what was left;
20. and about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up, before which three horns fell; and about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly, which appeared greater than its fellows.
21. For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones and was victorious
22. until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived for the holy ones to possess the kingship.