1فِي السَّنَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ لِكُورَشَ مَلِكِ فَارِسَ كُشِفَ أَمْرٌ لِدَانِيآلَ الَّذِي سُمِّيَ بِاسْمِ بَلْطَشَاصَّرَ. وَالأَمْرُ حَقٌّ وَالْجِهَادُ عَظِيمٌ، وَفَهِمَ الأَمْرَ وَلَهُ مَعْرِفَةُ الرُّؤْيَا.2فِي تِلْكَ الأَيَّامِ أَنَا دَانِيآلَ كُنْتُ نَائِحاً ثَلاَثَةَ أَسَابِيعِ أَيَّامٍ3لَمْ آكُلْ طَعَاماً شَهِيّاً وَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ فِي فَمِي لَحْمٌ وَلاَ خَمْرٌ، وَلَمْ أَدَّهِنْ حَتَّى تَمَّتْ ثَلاَثَةُ أَسَابِيعِ أَيَّامٍ.4وَفِي الْيَوْمِ الرَّابِعِ وَالْعِشْرِينَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ الأَوَّلِ إِذْ كُنْتُ عَلَى جَانِبِ النَّهْرِ الْعَظِيمِ هُوَ دِجْلَةُ5رَفَعْتُ وَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا بِرَجُلٍ لاَبِسٍ كَتَّاناً، وَحَقَوَاهُ مُتَنَطِّقَانِ بِذَهَبِ أُوفَازَ،6وَجِسْمُهُ كَالزَّبَرْجَدِ، وَوَجْهُهُ كَمَنْظَرِ الْبَرْقِ، وَعَيْنَاهُ كَمِصْبَاحَيْ نَارٍ، وَذِرَاعَاهُ وَرِجْلاَهُ كَعَيْنِ النُّحَاسِ الْمَصْقُولِ، وَصَوْتُ كَلاَمِهِ كَصَوْتِ جُمْهُورٍ.7فَرَأَيْتُ أَنَا دَانِيآلُ الرُّؤْيَا وَحْدِي، وَالرِّجَالُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعِي لَمْ يَرَوْا الرُّؤْيَا، لَكِنْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِمِ ارْتِعَادٌ عَظِيمٌ فَهَرَبُوا لِيَخْتَبِئُوا.8فَبَقِيتُ أَنَا وَحْدِي، وَرَأَيْتُ هَذِهِ الرُّؤْيَا الْعَظِيمَةَ. وَلَمْ تَبْقَ فِيَّ قُوَّةٌ، وَنَضَارَتِي تَحَوَّلَتْ فِيَّ إِلَى فَسَادٍ، وَلَمْ أَضْبِطْ قُوَّةً.9وَسَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ كَلاَمِهِ. وَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ كَلاَمِهِ كُنْتُ مُسَبَّخاً عَلَى وَجْهِي وَوَجْهِي إِلَى الأَرْضِ.10وَإِذَا بِيَدٍ لَمَسَتْنِي وَأَقَامَتْنِي مُرْتَجِفاً عَلَى رُكْبَتَيَّ وَعَلَى كَفَّيْ يَدَيَّ.11وَقَالَ لِي، يَا دَانِيآلُ، أَيُّهَا الرَّجُلُ الْمَحْبُوبُ افْهَمِ الْكَلاَمَ الَّذِي أُكَلِّمُكَ بِهِ، وَقُمْ عَلَى مَقَامِكَ لأَنِّي الآنَ أُرْسِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ. وَلَمَّا تَكَلَّمَ مَعِي بِهَذَا الْكَلاَمِ قُمْتُ مُرْتَعِداً.12فَقَالَ لِي، لاَ تَخَفْ يَا دَانِيآلُ، لأَنَّهُ مِنَ الْيَوْمِ الأَوَّلِ الَّذِي فِيهِ جَعَلْتَ قَلْبَكَ لِلْفَهْمِ وَلإِذْلاَلِ نَفْسِكَ قُدَّامَ إِلَهِكَ، سُمِعَ كَلاَمُكَ، وَأَنَا أَتَيْتُ لأَجْلِ كَلاَمِكَ.13وَرَئِيسُ مَمْلَكَةِ فَارِسَ وَقَفَ مُقَابِلِي وَاحِداً وَعِشْرِينَ يَوْماً، وَهُوَذَا مِيخَائِيلُ وَاحِدٌ مِنَ الرُّؤَسَاءِ الأَوَّلِينَ جَاءَ لإِعَانَتِي، وَأَنَا أُبْقِيتُ هُنَاكَ عِنْدَ مُلُوكِ فَارِسَ.14وَجِئْتُ لأُفْهِمَكَ مَا يُصِيبُ شَعْبَكَ فِي الأَيَّامِ الأَخِيرَةِ، لأَنَّ الرُّؤْيَا إِلَى أَيَّامٍ بَعْدُ.15فَلَمَّا تَكَلَّمَ مَعِي بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْكَلاَمِ جَعَلْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَى الأَرْضِ وَصَمَتُّ.16وَهُوَذَا كَشِبْهِ بَنِي آدَمَ لَمَسَ شَفَتَيَّ، فَفَتَحْتُ فَمِي وَتَكَلَّمْتُ وَقُلْتُ لِلْوَاقِفِ أَمَامِي، يَا سَيِّدِي، بِالرُّؤْيَا انْقَلَبَتْ عَلَيَّ أَوْجَاعِي فَمَا ضَبَطْتُ قُوَّةً.17فَكَيْفَ يَسْتَطِيعُ عَبْدُ سَيِّدِي هَذَا أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ مَعَ سَيِّدِي هَذَا وَأَنَا فَحَالاً لَمْ تَثْبُتْ فِيَّ قُوَّةٌ وَلَمْ تَبْقَ فِيَّ نَسَمَةٌ.18فَعَادَ وَلَمَسَنِي كَمَنْظَرِ إِنْسَانٍ وَقَوَّانِي.19وَقَالَ، لاَ تَخَفْ أَيُّهَا الرَّجُلُ الْمَحْبُوبُ. سَلاَمٌ لَكَ. تَشَدَّدْ. تَقَوَّ. وَلَمَّا كَلَّمَنِي تَقَوَّيْتُ وَقُلْتُ، لِيَتَكَلَّمْ سَيِّدِي لأَنَّكَ قَوَّيْتَنِي.20فَقَالَ، هَلْ عَرَفْتَ لِمَاذَا جِئْتُ إِلَيْكَ. فَالآنَ أَرْجِعُ وَأُحَارِبُ رَئِيسَ فَارِسَ. فَإِذَا خَرَجْتُ هُوَذَا رَئِيسُ الْيُونَانِ يَأْتِي.21وَلَكِنِّي أُخْبِرُكَ بِالْمَرْسُومِ فِي كِتَابِ الْحَقِّ. وَلاَ أَحَدٌ يَتَمَسَّكُ مَعِي عَلَى هَؤُلاَءِ إِلاَّ مِيخَائِيلُ رَئِيسُكُمْ.
1In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.2In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.3I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.4And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;5Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:6His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.7And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.8Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.9Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.10And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.11And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.12Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.14Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.15And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.16And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.17For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.18Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,19And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.20Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.21But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.