In the third year
of aCyrus
king
of Persia
a 1message
was revealed
to bDaniel
, who
was named
Belteshazzar
; and the 1 cmessage
was true
and one of great
2conflict
, but he understood
the 1message
and had an dunderstanding
of the vision
.
In those days
, I, Daniel
, had been
amourning
for three
entire
weeks
.
I adid not eat any 1tasty
food
, nor
did meat
or wine
enter
my mouth
, nor
did I use
any ointment
at all until
the entire
three
weeks
were completed
.
On the twenty-fourth day
of the first
month
, while I was by the bank
of the great
ariver
, that is, the 1Tigris
,
I lifted my eyes
and looked
, and behold
, there was a certain
man
adressed
in linen
, whose waist
was bgirded
with a belt of pure
cgold
of Uphaz
.
His body also was like 1beryl
, his face
2had the appearance
of lightning
, ahis eyes
were like flaming
torches
, his arms
and feet
like the gleam
of polished
bronze
, and the sound
of his words
like the sound
of a 3tumult
.
Now I, Daniel, aalone
saw
the vision
, while the bmen
who
were with me did not see
the vision
; nevertheless
, a great
cdread
fell
on them, and they ran
away
to hide
themselves.
So I was aleft alone
and saw
this
great
vision
; yet bno
strength
was left
in me, for my 1natural
color
turned
to 2a deathly
pallor
, and I retained
no
strength
.
But I heard the sound
of his words
; and as soon as I heard
the sound
of his words
, I afell
into a deep
sleep
on my face
, with my face
to the ground
.
Then behold, a hand
atouched
me and set
me trembling
on my 1hands
and knees
.
He said to me, "O aDaniel
, man
of 1high
esteem
, bunderstand
the words
that I am about to tell
you and cstand
2upright
, for I have now
been sent
to you." And when he had spoken
this
word
to me, I stood
up dtrembling
.
Then he said to me, " aDo not be afraid
, Daniel
, for from the first
day
that you set
your heart
on understanding
this and on bhumbling
yourself before
your God
, your words
were heard
, and I have come
in response cto your words
.
"But the prince of the kingdom
of Persia
was 1withstanding
me for twenty-one
days
; then behold
, aMichael
, one
of the chief
princes
, came
to help
me, for I had been left
there
with the kings
of Persia
.
"Now I have come to agive
you an understanding
of what
will happen
to your people
in the 1 blatter
days
, for the vision
pertains to cthe days
yet
future."
When he had spoken to me according to these
words
, I 1turned
my face
toward the ground
and became
aspeechless
.
And behold, 1 aone who
resembled
a human
being
was btouching
my lips
; then I opened
my mouth
and spoke
and said
to him who was standing
before
me, "O my lord
, as a result of the vision
2 canguish
has come
upon me, and I have retained
no
strength
.
"For ahow can
such
a servant
of my lord
talk
with such
as my lord
? As for me, there remains
just now
bno
strength
in me, nor
has any breath
been left
in me."
Then this one with human appearance
touched
me again
and astrengthened
me.
He said, "O man
of 1high
esteem
, ado not be afraid
. Peace
2be with you; take
bcourage
and be courageous
!" Now as soon as he spoke
to me, I received
strength
and said
, "May my lord
speak
, for you have cstrengthened
me."
Then he said, "Do you 1understand
why
I came
to you? But I shall now
return
to fight
against
the 2prince
of Persia
; so I am going
forth
, and behold
, the 2 aprince
of 3Greece
is about to come
.
"However, I will tell
you what is inscribed
in the writing
of atruth
. Yet there
is no
one
who 1stands
firmly
with me against
these
forces except
bMichael
your prince
.