Daniel 8— Septuagint (LXX)

In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, a vision appeared to me — to me, Daniel — after the one that had appeared to me previously.

I looked in the vision, and as I saw it, I was in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam. I looked in the vision, and I was standing beside the Ulai canal.

I raised my eyes and looked, and there standing before the canal was a ram with two horns. Both horns were tall, but one was taller than the other, and the taller one came up last.

I watched the ram charging westward, northward, and southward. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and grew powerful.

While I was considering this, a male goat came from the west, crossing the entire surface of the earth without touching the ground. The goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes.

It came toward the ram with two horns that I had seen standing before the canal, and it charged at it in furious rage.

I watched it reach the ram, and it was enraged against it. It struck the ram and shattered its two horns. The ram had no strength to stand against it. The goat hurled it to the ground and trampled it, and there was no one to rescue the ram from its power.

The male goat grew exceedingly powerful, but at the height of its strength the great horn was broken. In its place four conspicuous horns came up toward the four winds of heaven.

A host was given over along with the daily offering because of transgression. It cast truth to the ground, and it acted and prospered.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who was speaking, "How long will the events of this vision last — the daily offering removed, the desolating transgression set up, and the sanctuary and the host given over to be trampled?"

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking to understand it, there standing before me was one who looked like a man.

I heard a human voice calling from between the banks of the Ulai: "Gabriel, explain the vision to this man!"

He came to where I was standing, and when he arrived I was terrified and fell on my face. He said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision pertains to the time of the end."

While he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and set me on my feet.

He said, "I am going to make known to you what will happen in the latter period of the wrath, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.

As for the horn that was broken, in whose place four others arose — four kingdoms will rise from that nation, but not with its power.

In the latter period of their reign, when the transgressors have reached their full measure, a king will arise — fierce in countenance and skilled in intrigue.

His power will be great, but not by his own strength. He will cause extraordinary destruction and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the powerful and the holy people.

Through his cunning he will make deceit prosper under his hand. In his heart he will exalt himself, and in a time of security he will destroy many. He will even stand against the Prince of princes, but he will be broken — not by human hand.

Then I, Daniel, was overwhelmed and lay ill for days. Afterward I got up and attended to the king's affairs. I was appalled by the vision, and no one could explain it.