Daniel, 10

1. In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was made to Daniel known as Belteshazzar, a true revelation of a great conflict. He grasped the meaning of the revelation; what it meant was disclosed to him in a vision.

1. In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshaz'zar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

2. At that time, I, Daniel, was doing a three-week penance;

2. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.

3. I ate no agreeable food, touched no meat or wine, and did not anoint myself, until these three weeks were over.

3. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

4. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I stood on the bank of that great river, the Tigris,

4. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris,

5. I raised my eyes to look about me, and this is what I saw: A man dressed in linen, with a belt of pure gold round his waist:

5. I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz.

6. his body was like beryl, his face looked like lightning, his eyes were like fiery torches, his arms and his face had the gleam of burnished bronze, the sound of his voice was like the roar of a multitude.

6. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the noise of a multitude.

7. I, Daniel, alone saw the apparition; the men who were with me did not see the vision, but so great a trembling overtook them that they fled to hide.

7. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.

8. I was left alone, gazing on this great vision; I was powerless, my appearance was changed and contorted; my strength deserted me.

8. So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me; my radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength.

9. I heard a voice speaking, and at the sound of the voice I fell fainting, face downwards on the ground.

9. Then I heard the sound of his words; and when I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in a deep sleep with my face to the ground.

10. I felt a hand touching me, setting my knees and my hands trembling.

10. And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.

11. He said, 'Daniel, you are a man specially chosen; understand the words that I am about to say; stand up; I have been sent to you now.' He said this, and I stood up trembling.

11. And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly beloved, give heed to the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you." While he was speaking this word to me, I stood up trembling.

12. He then said, 'Daniel, do not be afraid: from that first day when, the better to understand, you resolved to mortify yourself before God, your words have been heard; and your words are the reason why I have come.

12. Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

13. The Prince of the kingdom of Persia has been resisting me for twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the Chief Princes, came to my assistance. I have left him confronting the kings of Persia

13. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, so I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia

14. and have come to tell you what will happen to your people in the final days. For here is a new vision about those days.'

14. and came to make you understand what is to befall your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come."

15. When he had said these things to me, I prostrated myself on the ground, without saying a word;

15. When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was dumb.

16. then someone looking like a man touched my lips. I opened my mouth to speak, and I said to the person standing in front of me, 'My lord, anguish overcomes me at this vision, and my strength deserts me.

16. And behold, one in the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, "O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength.

17. How can your servant speak to my lord now that I have no strength left and my breath fails me?'

17. How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me."

18. Once again, the person like a man touched me; he gave me strength.

18. Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me.

19. 'Do not be afraid,' he said, 'you are a man specially chosen; peace be with you; play the man, be strong!' And as he spoke to me I felt strong again and said, 'Let my lord speak, you have given me strength.'

19. And he said, "O man greatly beloved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage." And when he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."

20. He then said, 'Do you know why I have come to you?

20. Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I am through with him, lo, the prince of Greece will come.

21. It is to tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. I must go back to fight the Prince of Persia; when I have overcome him, the Prince of Javan will come next.In all this, there is no one to lend me support except Michael your Prince,

21. But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.