1. In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.
2. At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks.
3. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
4. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,
5. I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz round his waist.