Prophecy Of Daniel - Old Testament readings which are never read in a Roman Catholic Mass

[1] In the second year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, Nabuchodonosor had a dream, and his spirit was terrified, and his dream went out of his mind. [2] Then the king commanded to call together the diviners and the wise men, and the magicians, and the Chaldeans: to declare to the king his dreams: so they came and stood before the king. [3] And the king said to them: I saw a dream: and being troubled in mind I know not what I saw. [4] And the Chaldeans answered the king in Syriac: O king, live for ever: tell to thy servants thy dream, and we will declare the interpretation thereof. [5] And the king answering said to the Chaldeans: The thing is gone out of my mind: unless you tell me the dream, and the meaning thereof, you shall be put to death, and your houses shall be confiscated. [6] But if you tell the dream, and the meaning of it, you shall receive of me rewards, and gifts, and great honour: therefore tell me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. [7] They answered again and said: Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation of it. [8] The king answered, and said: I know for certain that you seek to gain time, since you know that the thing is gone from me. [9] If therefore you tell me not the dream, there is one sentence concerning you, that you have also framed a lying interpretation, and full of deceit, to speak before me till the time pass away. Tell me therefore the dream, that I may know that you also give a true interpretation thereof. [10] Then the Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: There is no man upon earth, that can accomplish thy word, O king, neither doth any king, though great and mighty, ask such a thing of any diviner, or wise man, or Chaldean. [11] For the thing that thou askest, O king, is difficult; nor can any one be found that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose conversation is not with men.

[12] Upon hearing this, the king in fury, and in great wrath, commanded that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death. [13] And the decree being gone forth, the wise men were slain: and Daniel and his companions were sought for, to be put to death.

[14] Then Daniel inquired concerning the law and the sentence, of Arioch the general of the king's army, who was gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon. [15] And he asked him that had received the orders of the king, why so cruel a sentence was gone forth from the face of the king. And when Arioch had told the matter to Daniel, [16] Daniel went in and desired of the king, that he would give him time to resolve the question and declare it to the king. [17] And he went into his house, and told the matter to Ananias, and Misael, and Azarias his companions: [18] To the end that they should ask mercy at the face of the God of heaven concerning this secret, and that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. [19] Then was the mystery revealed to Daniel by a vision in the night: and Daniel blessed the God of heaven, [20] And speaking he said:

Blessed be the name of the Lord from eternity and for evermore: for wisdom and fortitude are his. [21] And he changeth times and ages: taketh away kingdoms and establisheth them, giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding. [22] He revealeth deep and hidden things, and knoweth what is in darkness: and light is with him.

[23] To thee, O God of our fathers, I give thanks, and I praise thee: because thou hast given me wisdom and strength: and now thou hast shewn me what we desired of thee, for thou hast made known to us, the king's discourse.

[24] After this Daniel went in to Arioch, to whom the king had given orders to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and he spoke thus to him: Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will tell the solution to the king.

[25] Then Arioch in haste brought in Daniel to the king, and said to him: I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Juda, that will resolve the question to the king. [26] The king answered, and said to Daniel, whose name was Baltassar: Thinkest thou indeed that thou canst tell me the dream that I saw, and the interpretation thereof? [27] And Daniel made answer before the king, and said: The secret that the king desireth to know, none of the wise men, or the philosophers, or the diviners, or the soothsayers can declare to the king. [28] But there is a God in heaven that revealeth mysteries, who hath shewn to thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, what is to come to pass in the latter times. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these: [29] Thou, O king, didst begin to think in thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth mysteries shewed thee what shall come to pass. [30] To me also this secret is revealed, not by any wisdom that I have more than all men alive: but that the interpretation might be made manifest to the king, and thou mightest know the thoughts of thy mind.

[46] Then king Nabuchodonosor fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer in sacrifice to him victims and incense. [47] And the king spoke to Daniel, and said: Verily your God is the God of gods, and Lord of kings, and a revealer of hidden things: seeing thou couldst discover this secret. [48] Then the king advanced Daniel to a high station, and gave him many and great gifts: and he made him governor over all the provinces of Babylon, and chief of the magistrates over all the wise men of Babylon. [49] And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago over the works of the province of Babylon: but Daniel himself was in the king's palace.

[1] King Nabuchodonosor made a statue of gold, of sixty cubits high, and six cubits broad, and he set it up in the plain of Dura of the province of Babylon. [2] Then Nabuchodonosor the king sent to call together the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, the rulers, and governors, and all the chief men of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. [3] Then the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, and rulers, and the great men that were placed in authority, and all the princes of the provinces, were gathered together to come to the dedication of the statue, which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. And they stood before the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. [4] Then a herald cried with a strong voice: To you it is commanded, O nations, tribes, and languages: [5] That in the hour that you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and of the flute, and of the harp, of the sackbut, and of the psaltery, and of the symphony, and of all kind of music; ye fall down and adore the golden statue which king Nabuchodonosor hath set up. [6] But if any man shall not fall down and adore, he shall the same hour be cast into a furnace of burning fire. [7] Upon this therefore, at the time when all the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music: all the nations, tribes, and languages fell down and adored the golden statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.

[8] And presently at that very time some Chaldeans came and accused the Jews, [9] And said to king Nabuchodonosor: O king, live for ever: [10] Thou, O king, hast made a decree that every man that shall hear the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, shall prostrate himself, and adore the golden statue: [11] And that if any man shall not fall down and adore, he should be cast into a furnace of burning fire. [12] Now there are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the works of the province of Babylon, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: these men, O king, have slighted thy decree: they worship not thy gods, nor do they adore the golden statue which thou hast set up. [13] Then Nabuchodonosor in fury, and in wrath, commanded that Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago should be brought: who immediately were brought before the king.

[21] And immediately these men were bound and were cast into the furnace of burning fire, with their coats, and their caps, and their shoes, and their garments. [22] For the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace was heated exceedingly. And the flame of the fire slew those men that had cast in Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago. [23] But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell down bound in the midst of the furnace of burning fire.

[24] And they walked in the midst of the flame, praising God and blessing the Lord. … [26] Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and thy name is worthy of praise, and glorious for ever: [27] For thou art just in all that thou hast done to us, and all thy works are true, and thy ways right, and all thy judgments true. [28] For thou hast executed true judgments in all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon Jerusalem the holy city of our fathers: for according to truth and judgment, thou hast brought all these things upon us for our sins. [29] For we have sinned, and committed iniquity, departing from thee: and we have trespassed in all things: [30] And we have not hearkened to thy commandments, nor have we observed nor done as thou hadst commanded us, that it might go well with us. [31] Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment: [32] And thou hast delivered us into the hands of our enemies that are unjust, and most wicked, and prevaricators, and to a king unjust, and most wicked beyond all that are upon the earth. [33] And now we cannot open our mouths: we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee. … [44] And let all them be confounded that shew evils to thy servants, let them be confounded in all thy might, and let their strength be broken. [45] And let them know that thou art the Lord, the only God, and glorious over all the world.

[46] Now the king's servants that had cast them in, ceased not to heat the furnace with brimstone, and tow, and pitch, and dry sticks, [47] And the flame mounted up above the furnace nine and forty cubits: [48] And it broke forth, and burnt such of the Chaldeans as it found near the furnace. [49] But the angel of the Lord went down with Azarias and his companions into the furnace: and he drove the flame of the fire out of the furnace, [50] And made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, nor did them any harm.

[51] Then these three as with one mouth praised, and glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying:

[52] Blessed art thou, O Lord the God of our fathers: and worthy to be praised, and glorified, and exalted above all for ever: and blessed is the holy name of thy glory: and worthy to be praised, and exalted above all in all ages.

[53] Blessed art thou in the holy temple of thy glory: and exceedingly to be praised, and exceeding glorious for ever.

[54] Blessed art thou on the throne of thy kingdom, and exceedingly to be praised, and exalted above all for ever.

[55] Blessed art thou, that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

[56] Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and worthy of praise, and glorious for ever.

[57] All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[58] O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[59] O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[60] O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[61] O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[62] O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[63] O ye stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[64] O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[65] O all ye spirits of God, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[66] O ye fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[67] O ye cold and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[68] O ye dews and hoar frosts, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[69] O ye frost and cold, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[70] O ye ice and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[71] O ye nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[72] O ye light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[73] O ye lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[74] O let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[75] O ye mountains and hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[76] O all ye things that spring up in the earth, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[77] O ye fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[78] O ye seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[79] O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[80] O all ye fowls of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[81] O all ye beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[82] O ye sons of men, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[83] O let Israel bless the Lord: let them praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[84] O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[85] O ye servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[86] O ye spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[87] O ye holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

[88] O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. For he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us out of the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the burning flame, and saved us out of the midst of the fire.

[89] O give thanks to the Lord, because he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever and ever.

[90] O all ye religious, bless the Lord the God of gods: praise him and give him thanks, because his mercy endureth for ever and ever.

[93] Then Nabuchodonosor came to the door of the burning fiery furnace, and said: Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, ye servants of the most high God, go ye forth, and come. And immediately Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago went out from the midst of the fire. [94] And the nobles, and the magistrates, and the judges, and the great men of the king being gathered together, considered these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies, and that not a hair of their head had been singed, nor their garments altered, nor the smell of the fire had passed on them.

[96] By me therefore this decree is made, that every people, tribe, and tongue, which shall speak blasphemy against the God of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, shall be destroyed, and their houses laid waste: for there is no other God that can save in this manner. [97] Then the king promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the province of Babylon.

[98] Nabuchodonosor the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you. [99] The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders toward me. It hath seemed good to me therefore to publish [100] His signs, because they are great: and his wonders, because they are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, I and his power to all generations.

[1] I, Nabuchodonosor, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace: [2] I saw a dream that affrighted me: and my thoughts in my bed, and the visions of my head troubled me. [3] Then I set forth a decree, that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought in before me, and that they should shew me the interpretation of the dream. [4] Then came in the diviners, the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers, and I told the dream before them: but they did not shew me the interpretation thereof: [5] Till their colleague Daniel came in before me, whose name is Baltassar, according to the name of my god, who hath in him the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him. [6] Baltassar, prince of the diviners, because I know that thou hast in thee the spirit of the holy gods, and that no secret is impossible to thee: tell me the visions of my dreams that I have seen, and the interpretation of them. [7] This was the vision of my head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was exceeding great. [8] The tree was great, and strong: and the height thereof reached unto heaven: the sight thereof was even to the ends of all the earth. [9] Its leaves were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much: and in it was food for all: under it dwelt cattle, and beasts, and in the branches thereof the fowls of the air had their abode: and all flesh did eat of it. [10] I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, and a holy one came down from heaven. [11] He cried aloud, and said thus: Cut down the tree, and chop off the branches thereof: shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruits: let the beasts fly away that are under it, and the birds from its branches. [12] Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be tied with a band of iron, and of brass, among the grass, that is without, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the wild beasts in the grass of the earth. [13] Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given him; and let seven times pass over him. [14] This is the decree by the sentence of the watchers, and the word and demand of the holy ones; till the living know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men; and he will give it to whomsoever it shall please him, and he will appoint the basest man over it. [15] I king Nabuchodonosor saw this dream: thou, therefore, O Baltassar, tell me quickly the interpretation: for all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to declare the meaning of it to me: but thou art able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

[16] Then Daniel, whose name was Baltassar, began silently to think within himself for about one hour: and his thoughts troubled him. But the king answering, said: Baltassar, let not the dream and the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Baltassar answered, and said: My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thy enemies. [17] The tree which thou sawest which was high and strong, whose height reached to the skies, and the sight thereof into all the earth: [18] And the branches thereof were most beautiful, and its fruit exceeding much, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and the birds of the air had their abode in its branches. [19] It is thou, O king, who art grown great and become mighty: for thy greatness hath grown, and hath reached to heaven, and thy power unto the ends of the earth. [20] And whereas the king saw a watcher, and a holy one come down from heaven, and say: Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and brass among the grass without, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, till seven times pass over him. [21] This is the interpretation of the sentence of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king. [22] They shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be with cattle and with wild beasts, and thou shalt eat grass as an ox, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven: and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. [23] But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots thereof, that is, of the tree, should be left: thy kingdom shall remain to thee after thou shalt have known that power is from heaven. [24] Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and redeem thou thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with works of mercy to the poor: perhaps he will forgive thy offences.

[25] All these things came upon king Nabuchodonosor. [26] At the end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of Babylon. [27] And the king answered, and said: Is not this the great Babylon, which I have built to be the seat of the kingdom, by the strength of my power, and in the glory of my excellence? [28] And while the word was yet in the king's mouth, a voice came down from heaven: To thee, O king Nabuchodonosor, it is said: Thy kingdom shall pass from thee, [29] And they shall cast thee out from among men, and thy dwelling shall be with cattle and wild beasts: thou shalt eat grass like an ox, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. [30] The same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor, and he was driven away from among men, and did eat grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: till his hairs grew like the feathers of eagles, and his nails like birds' claws.

[31] Now at the end of the days, I Nabuchodonosor lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my sense was restored to me: and I blessed the most High, and I praised and glorified him that liveth for ever: for his power is an everlasting power, and his kingdom is to all generations. [32] And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing before him: for he doth according to his will, as well with the powers of heaven, as among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is none that can resist his hand, and say to him: Why hast thou done it? [33] At the same time my sense returned to me, and I came to the honour and glory of my kingdom: and my shape returned to me: and my nobles, and my magistrates sought for me, and I was restored to my kingdom: and greater majesty was added to me. [34] Therefore I Nabuchodonosor do now praise, and magnify, and glorify the King of heaven: because all his works are true, and his ways judgments, and them that walk in pride he is able to abase.

[7] And the king cried out aloud to bring in the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon: Whosoever shall read this writing, and shall make known to me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and shall have a golden chain on his neck, and shall be the third man in my kingdom. [8] Then came in all the king's wise men, but they could neither read the writing, nor declare the interpretation to the king. [9] Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was changed: and his nobles also were troubled. [10] Then the queen, on occasion of what had happened to the king, and his nobles, came into the banquet house: and she spoke and said: O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, neither let thy countenance be changed. [11] There is a man in thy kingdom that hath the spirit of the holy gods in him: and in the days of thy father knowledge and wisdom were found in him: for king Nabuchodonosor thy father appointed him prince of the wise men, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, thy father, I say, O king: [12] Because a greater spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, and interpretation of dreams, and shewing of secrets, and resolving of difficult things, were found in him, that is, in Daniel: whom the king named Baltassar. Now therefore let Daniel be called for, and he will tell the interpretation.

[15] And now the wise men the magicians have come in before me, to read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof: and they could not declare to me the meaning of this writing.

[18] O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor thy father a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour. [19] And for the greatness that he gave to him, all people, tribes, and languages trembled, and were afraid of him: whom he would, he slew: and whom he would, he destroyed: and whom he would, he set up: and whom he would, he brought down. [20] But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened unto pride, he was put down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory was taken away. [21] And he was driven out from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses, and he did eat grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: till he knew that the most High ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he will set over it whomsoever it shall please him. [22] Thou also his son, O Baltasar, hast not humbled thy heart, whereas thou knewest all these things:

[29] Then by the king's command Daniel was clothed with purple, and a chain of gold was put about his neck: and it was proclaimed of him that he had power as the third man in the kingdom. [30] The same night Baltasar the Chaldean king was slain. [31] And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being threescore and two years old.

[1] In the third year of the reign of king Baltasar, a vision appeared to me. I Daniel, after what I had seen in the beginning, [2] Saw in my vision when I was in the castle of Susa, which is in the province of Elam: and I saw in the vision that I was over the gate of Ulai. [3] And I lifted up my eyes, and saw: and behold a ram stood before the water, having two high horns, and one higher than the other, and growing up. [4] Afterward I saw the ram pushing with his horns against the west, and against the north, and against the south: and no beasts could withstand him, nor be delivered out of his hand: and he did according to his own will, and became great.

[5] And I understood: and behold a he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and he touched not the ground, and the he goat had a notable horn between his eyes. [6] And he went up to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen standing before the gate, and he ran towards him in the force of his strength. [7] And when he was come near the ram, he was enraged against him, and struck the ram: and broke his two horns, and the ram could not withstand him: and when he had cast him down on the ground, he stamped upon him, and none could deliver the ram out of his hand. [8] And the he goat became exceeding great: and when he was grown, the great horn was broken, and there came up four horns under it towards the four winds of heaven.

[9] And out of one of them came forth a little horn: and it became great against the south, and against the east, and against the strength. [10] And it was magnified even unto the strength of heaven: and it threw down of the strength, and of the stars, and trod upon them. [11] And it was magnified even to the prince of the strength: and it took away from him the continual sacrifice, and cast down the place of his sanctuary. [12] And strength was given him against the continual sacrifice, because of sins: and truth shall be cast down on the ground, and he shall do and shall prosper. [13] And I heard one of the saints speaking, and one saint said to another, I know not to whom that was speaking: How long shall be the vision, concerning the continual sacrifice, and the sin of the desolation that is made: and the sanctuary, and the strength be trodden under foot? [14] And he said to him: Unto evening and morning two thousand three hundred days: and the sanctuary shall be cleansed.

[15] And it came to pass when I Daniel saw the vision, and sought the meaning, that behold there stood before me as it were the appearance of a man. [16] And I heard the voice of a man between Ulai: and he called, and said: Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. [17] And he came and stood near where I stood: and when he was come, I fell on my face trembling, and he said to me: Understand, O son of man, for in the time of the end the vision shall be fulfilled. [18] And when he spoke to me I fell flat on the ground: and he touched me, and set me upright, [19] And he said to me: I will shew thee what things are to come to pass in the end of the malediction: for the time hath its end. [20] The ram, which thou sawest with horns, is the king of the Medes and Persians. [21] And the he goat, is the king of the Greeks, and the great horn that was between his eyes, the same is the first king. [22] But whereas when that was broken, there arose up four for it: four kings shall rise up of his nation, but not with his strength. [23] And after their reign, when iniquities shall be grown up, there shall arise a king of a shameless face, and understanding dark sentences. [24] And his power shall be strengthened, but not by his own force: and he shall lay all things waste, and shall prosper, and do more than can be believed. And he shall destroy the mighty, and the people of the saints, [25] According to his will, and craft shall be successful in his hand: and his heart shall be puffed up, and in the abundance of all things he shall kill many: and he shall rise up against the prince of princes, and shall be broken without hand. [26] And the vision of the evening and the morning, which was told, is true: thou therefore seal up the vision, because it shall come to pass after many days.

[27] And I Daniel languished, and was sick for some days: and when I was risen up, I did the king's business, and I was astonished at the vision, and there was none that could interpret it.

[1] In the first year of Darius the son of Assuerus of the seed of the Medes, who reigned over the kingdom of the Chaldeans: [2] The first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, concerning which the word of the Lord came to Jeremias the prophet, that seventy years should be accomplished of the desolation of Jerusalem. [3] And I set my face to the Lord my God, to pray and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

[11] And all Israel have transgressed thy law, and have turned away from hearing thy voice, and the malediction, and the curse, which is written in the book of Moses the servant of God, is fallen upon us, because we have sinned against him. [12] And he hath confirmed his words which he spoke against us, and against our princes that judged us, that he would bring in upon us a great evil, such as never was under all the heaven, according to that which hath been done in Jerusalem. [13] As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: and we entreated not thy face, O Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and think on thy truth. [14] And the Lord hath watched upon the evil, and hath brought it upon us: the Lord our God is just in all his works which he hath done: for we have not hearkened to his voice. [15] And now, O Lord our God, who hast brought forth thy people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and hast made thee a name as at this day: we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, [16] O Lord, against all thy justice: let thy wrath and thy indignation be turned away, I beseech thee, from thy city Jerusalem, and from thy holy mountain. For by reason of our sins, and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem, and thy people are a reproach to all that are round about us. [17] Now therefore, O our God, hear the supplication of thy servant, and his prayers: and shew thy face upon thy sanctuary which is desolate, for thy own sake. [18] Incline, O my God, thy ear, and hear: open thy eyes, and see our desolation, and the city upon which thy name is called: for it is not for our justifications that we present our prayers before thy face, but for the multitude of thy tender mercies. [19] O Lord, hear: O Lord, be appeased: hearken and do: delay not for thy own sake, O my God: because thy name is invocated upon thy city, and upon thy people.

[20] Now while I was yet speaking, and praying, and confessing my sins, and the sins of my people of Israel, and presenting my supplications in the sight of my God, for the holy mountain of my God: [21] As I was yet speaking in prayer, behold the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly touched me at the time of the evening sacrifice. [22] And he instructed me, and spoke to me, and said:

O Daniel, I am now come forth to teach thee, and that thou mightest understand. [23] From the beginning of thy prayers the word came forth: and I am come to shew it to thee, because thou art a man of desires: therefore do thou mark the word, and understand the vision. [24] Seventy weeks are shortened upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, that transgression may be finished, and sin may have an end, and iniquity may be abolished; and everlasting justice may be brought; and vision and prophecy may be fulfilled; and the saint of saints may be anointed. [25] Know thou therefore, and take notice: that from the going forth of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ the prince, there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built again, and the walls in straitness of times. [26] And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people with their leader that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary: and the end thereof shall be waste, and after the end of the war the appointed desolation. [27] And he shall confirm the covenant with many, in one week: and in the half of the week the victim and the sacrifice shall fall: and there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation: and the desolation shall continue even to the consummation, and to the end.

[1] In the third year of Cyrus king of the Persians, a word was revealed to Daniel surnamed Baltassar, and a true word, and great strength: and he understood the word: for there is need of understanding in a vision. [2] In those days I Daniel mourned the days of three weeks. [3] I ate no desirable bread, and neither flesh, nor wine entered into my mouth, neither was I anointed with ointment: till the days of three weeks were accomplished.

[4] And in the four and twentieth day of the first month I was by the great river which is the Tigris. [5] And I lifted up my eyes, and I saw: and behold a man clothed in linen, and his loins were girded with the finest gold: [6] And his body was like the chrysolite, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as a burning lamp: and his arms, and all downward even to the feet, like in appearance to glittering brass: and the voice of his word like the voice of a multitude. [7] And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw it not: but an exceeding great terror fell upon them, and they fled away, and hid themselves. [8] And I being left alone saw this great vision: and there remained no strength in me, and the appearance of my countenance was changed in me, and I fainted away, and retained no strength. [9] And I heard the voice of his words: and when I heard, I lay in a consternation, upon my face, and my face was close to the ground.

[10] And behold a hand touched me, and lifted me up upon my knees, and upon the joints of my hands. [11] And he said to me: Daniel, thou man of desires, understand the words that I speak to thee, and stand upright: for I am sent now to thee. And when he had said this word to me, I stood trembling. [12] And he said to me: Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, to afflict thyself in the sight of thy God, thy words have been heard: and I am come for thy words. [13] But the prince of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me one and twenty days: and behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there by the king of the Persians. [14] But I am come to teach thee what things shall befall thy people in the latter days, for as yet the vision is for days.

[15] And when he was speaking such words to me, I cast down my countenance to the ground, and held my peace. [16] And behold, as it were the likeness of a son of man touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spoke, and said to him that stood before me: O my Lord, at the sight of thee my joints are loosed, and no strength hath remained in me. [17] And how can the servant of my lord speak with my lord? for no strength remaineth in me, moreover my breath is stopped. [18] Therefore he that looked like a man touched me again, and strengthened me. [19] And he said: Fear not, O man of desires, peace be to thee: take courage and be strong. And when he spoke to me, I grew strong: and I said: Speak, O my lord, for thou hast strengthened me. [20] And he said: Dost thou know wherefore I am come to thee? and now I will return, to fight against the prince of the Persians. When I went forth, there appeared the prince of the Greeks coming. [21] But I will tell thee what is set down in the scripture of truth: and none is my helper in all these things, but Michael your prince.

[1] And from the first year of Darius the Mede I stood up that he might be strengthened and confirmed. [2] And now I will shew thee the truth. Behold there shall stand yet three kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be enriched exceedingly above them all: and when he shall be grown mighty by his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. [3] But there shall rise up a strong king, and shall rule with great power: and he shall do what he pleaseth. [4] And when he shall come to his height, his kingdom shall be broken, and it shall be divided towards the four winds of the heaven: but not to his posterity, nor according to his power with which he ruled. For his kingdom shall be rent in pieces, even for strangers, beside these.

[5] And the king of the south shall be strengthened, and one of his princes shall prevail over him, and he shall rule with great power: for his dominion shall be great. [6] And after the end of years they shall be in league together: and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make friendship, but she shall not obtain the strength of the arm, neither shall her seed stand: and she shall be given up, and her young men that brought her, and they that strengthened her in these times. [7] And a plant of the bud of her roots, shall stand up: and he shall come with an army, and shall enter into the province of the king of the north: and he shall abuse them, and shall prevail. [8] And he shall also carry away captive into Egypt their gods, and their graven things, and their precious vessels of gold and silver: he shall prevail against the king of the north. [9] And the king of the south shall enter into the kingdom, and shall return to his own land.

[10] And his sons shall be provoked, and they shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and he shall come with haste like a flood: and he shall return and be stirred up, and he shall join battle with his forces. [11] And the king of the south being provoked shall go forth, and shall fight against the king of the north, and shall prepare an exceeding great multitude, and a multitude shall be given into his hand. [12] And he shall take a multitude, and his heart shall be lifted up, and he shall cast down many thousands: but he shall not prevail. [13] For the king of the north shall return and shall prepare a multitude much greater than before: and in the end of times and years, he shall come in haste with a great army, and much riches. [14] And in those times many shall rise up against the king of the south, and the children of prevaricators of thy people shall lift up themselves to fulfill the vision, and they shall fall. [15] And the king of the north shall come, and shall cast up a mount, and shall take the best fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, and his chosen ones shall rise up to resist, and they shall not have strength. [16] And he shall come upon him and do according to his pleasure, and there shall be none to stand against his face: and he shall stand in the glorious land, and it shall be consumed by his hand. [17] And he shall set his face to come to possess all his kingdom, and he shall make upright conditions with him: and he shall give him a daughter of women, to overthrow it: and she shall not stand, neither shall she be for him. [18] And he shall turn his face to the islands, and shall take many: and he shall cause the prince of his reproach to cease, and his reproach shall be turned upon him. [19] And he shall turn his face to the empire of his own land, and he shall stumble, and fall, and shall not be found. [20] And there shall stand up in his place, one most vile, and unworthy of kingly honour: and in a few days he shall be destroyed, not in rage nor in battle.

[21] And there shall stand up in his place one despised, and the kingly honour shall not be given him: and he shall come privately, and shall obtain the kingdom by fraud. [22] And the arms of the fighter shall be overcome before his face, and shall be broken; yea also the prince of the covenant. [23] And after friendships, he will deal deceitfully with him: and he shall go up, and shall overcome with a small people. [24] And he shall enter into rich and plentiful cities: and he shall do that which his fathers never did, nor his fathers' fathers: he shall scatter their spoils, and their prey, and their riches, and shall forecast devices against the best fenced places: and this until a time. [25] And his strength and his heart shall be stirred up against the king of the south with a great army: and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with many and very strong succours: and they shall not stand, for they shall form designs against him. [26] And they that eat bread with him, shall destroy him, and his army shall be overthrown: and many shall fall down slain. [27] And the heart of the two kings shall be to do evil, and they shall speak lies at one table, and they shall not prosper: because as yet the end is unto another time. [28] And he shall return into his land with much riches: and his heart shall be against the holy covenant, and he shall succeed and shall return into his own land. [29] At the time appointed he shall return, and he shall come to the south, but the latter time shall not be like the former. [30] And the galleys and the Romans shall come upon him, and he shall be struck, and shall return, and shall have indignation against the covenant of the sanctuary, and he shall succeed: and he shall return and shall devise against them that have forsaken the covenant of the sanctuary.

[31] And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall defile the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the continual sacrifice, and they shall place there the abomination unto desolation. [32] And such as deal wickedly against the covenant shall deceitfully dissemble: but the people that know their God shall prevail and succeed. [33] And they that are learned among the people shall teach many: and they shall fall by the sword, and by fire, and by captivity, and by spoil for many days. [34] And when they shall have fallen they shall be relieved with a small help: and many shall be joined to them deceitfully. [35] And some of the learned shall fall, that they may be tried, and may be chosen, and made white even to the appointed time, because yet there shall be another time.

[36] And the king shall do according to his will, and he shall be lifted up, and shall magnify himself against every god: and he shall speak great things against the God of gods, and shall prosper, till the wrath be accomplished. For the determination is made. [37] And he shall make no account of the God of his fathers: and he shall follow the lust of women, and he shall not regard any gods: for he shall rise up against all things. [38] But he shall worship the god Maozim in his place: and a god whom his fathers knew not, he shall worship with gold, and silver, and precious stones, and things of great price. [39] And he shall do this to fortify Maozim with a strange god, whom he hath acknowledged, and he shall increase glory and shall give them power over many, and shall divide the land gratis.

[40] And at the time prefixed the king of the south shall fight against him, and the king of the north shall come against him like a tempest, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with a great navy, and he shall enter into the countries, and shall destroy, and pass through. [41] And he shall enter into the glorious land, and many shall fall: and these only shall be saved out of his hand, Edom, and Moab, and the principality of the children of Ammon. [42] And he shall lay his hand upon the lands: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. [43] And he shall have power over the treasures of gold, and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt: and he shall pass through Libya, and Ethiopia. [44] And tidings out of the east, and out of the north shall trouble him: and he shall come with a great multitude to destroy and slay many. [45] And he shall fix his tabernacle Apadno between the seas, upon a glorious and holy mountain: and he shall come even to the top thereof, and none shall help him.

[1] And Daniel was the king's guest, and was honoured above all his friends. [2] Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel: and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and sixty vessels of wine. [3] The king also worshipped him, and went every day to adore him: but Daniel adored his God. And the king said to him: Why dost thou not adore Bel? [4] And he answered, and said to him: Because I do not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, that created heaven and earth, and hath power over all flesh. [5] And the king said to him: Doth not Bel seem to thee to be a living god? Seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day? [6] Then Daniel smiled and said: O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, neither hath he eaten at any time. [7] And the king being angry called for his priests, and said to them: If you tell me not, who it is that eateth up these expenses, you shall die. [8] But if you can shew that Bel eateth these things, Daniel shall die, because he hath blasphemed against Bel. And Daniel said to the king: Be it done according to thy word.

[9] Now the priests of Bel were seventy, besides their wives, and little ones, and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel. [10] And the priests of Bel said: Behold we go out: and do thou, O king, set on the meats, and make ready the wine, and shut the door fast, and seal it with thy own ring: [11] And when thou comest in the morning, if thou findest not that Bel hath eaten up all, we will suffer death, or else Daniel that hath lied against us. [12] And they little regarded it, because they had made under the table a secret entrance, and they always came in by it, and consumed those things.

[13] So it came to pass after they were gone out, the king set the meats before Bel: and Daniel commanded his servants, and they brought ashes, and he sifted them all over the temple before the king: and going forth they shut the door, and having sealed it with the king's ring, they departed. [14] But the priests went in by night, according to their custom, with their wives and their children: and they ate and drank up all.

[15] And the king arose early in the morning, and Daniel with him. [16] And the king said: Are the seals whole, Daniel? And he answered: They are whole, O king. [17] And as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the table, and cried out with a loud voice: Great art thou, O Bel, and there is not any deceit with thee. [18] And Daniel laughed: and he held the king that he should not go in: and he said: Behold the pavement, mark whose footsteps these are. [19] And the king said: I see the footsteps of men, and women, and children. And the king was angry. [20] Then he took the priests, and their wives, and their children: and they shewed him the private doors by which they came in, and consumed the things that were on the table. [21] The king therefore put them to death, and delivered Bel into the power of Daniel: who destroyed him, and his temple.

[22] And there was a great dragon in that place, and the Babylonians worshipped him. [23] And the king said to Daniel: Behold thou canst not say now, that this is not a living god: adore him therefore. [24] And Daniel said: I adore the Lord my God: for he is the living God: but that is no living god. [25] But give me leave, O king, and I will kill this dragon without sword or club. And the king said: I give thee leave. [26] Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and boiled them together: and he made lumps, and put them into the dragon's mouth, and the dragon burst asunder. And he said: Behold him whom you worshipped.

[27] And when the Babylonians had heard this, they took great indignation: and being gathered together against the king, they said: The king is become a Jew. He hath destroyed Bel, he hath killed the dragon, and he hath put the priests to death. [28] And they came to the king, and said: Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thy house. [29] And the king saw that they pressed upon him violently: and being constrained by necessity he delivered Daniel to them. [30] And they cast him into the den of lions, and he was there six days. [31] And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given to them two carcasses every day, and two sheep: but then they were not given unto them, that they might devour Daniel.

[32] Now there was in Judea a prophet called Habacuc, and he had boiled pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl: and was going into the field, to carry it to the reapers. [33] And the angel of the Lord said to Habacuc: Carry the dinner which thou hast into Babylon to Daniel, who is in the lions' den. [34] And Habacuc said: Lord, I never saw Babylon, nor do I know the den. [35] And the angel of the Lord took him by the top of his head, and carried him by the hair of his head, and set him in Babylon over the den in the force of his spirit. [36] And Habacuc cried, saying: O Daniel, thou servant of God, take the dinner that God hath sent thee. [37] And Daniel said: Thou hast remembered me, O God, and thou hast not forsaken them that love thee. [38] And Daniel arose and ate. And the angel of the Lord presently set Habacuc again in his own place.

[39] And upon the seventh day the king came to bewail Daniel: and he came to the den, and looked in, and behold Daniel was sitting in the midst of the lions. [40] And the king cried out with a loud voice, saying: Great art thou, O Lord the God of Daniel. And he drew him out of the lions' den. [41] But those that had been the cause of his destruction, he cast into the den, and they were devoured in a moment before him. [42] Then the king said: Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth fear the God of Daniel: for he is the Saviour, working signs, and wonders in the earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions' den.