Day 340 of 730

¹In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the word was true: a great war. And he understood the word, and had understanding of the vision.

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

³I had no pleasing food, neither meat nor wine came into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.

⁴In the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is the Tigris,

⁵I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, around his waist a belt made of pure gold from Uphaz.

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

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

⁸So I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; for my natural appearance grew deathly pale, and I retained no strength.

⁹Yet I heard the sound of his words, and when I heard the sound of his words, then I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face toward the ground.

¹⁰Behold, a hand touched me, which set me on my knees and on the palms of my hands.

¹¹He said to me, "Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright; for I have now been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling.

¹²Then said he to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel; for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. And I have come because of your words.

¹³But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was left there with the kings of Persia.

¹⁴Now I have come to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the latter days; for the vision refers to future days."

¹⁵And when he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground, and could not speak.

¹⁶And behold, one in the likeness of a human touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who stood before me, "My lord, it is because of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have no strength.

¹⁷For how can this servant of my lord talk with my lord? As for me, no strength remains, and I am breathless."

¹⁸Then one like the appearance of a man touched me again and strengthened me.

¹⁹And he said, "Greatly loved man, do not be afraid, peace be to you; be strong, be strong!" When he spoke to me, I was strengthened, and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."

²⁰Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. When I go forth, behold, the prince of Greece shall come.

²¹But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the Book of Truth. And there is no one who contends with me against them except Michael, your prince."

¹"And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to support and strengthen him.

²And now what I show you is true. Behold, there shall arise three more kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than all of them; and when he has grown strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.

³And a powerful king shall arise, who shall rule an extensive empire, and do as he pleases.

⁴When he shall arise, his kingdom shall be broken up, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his authority with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, and will go to others besides these.

⁵The king of the south shall grow strong, and one of his officers shall grow more powerful, and shall have a greater kingdom than his.

⁶At the end of years they shall join themselves together; and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain her power; neither shall his strength endure; but she shall be surrendered, and her attendants, and he who became the father of her, and he who supported her in those times.

⁷But out of a shoot from her roots shall arise in his place, who shall come against the army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail.

⁸Also their gods, with their molten images, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold, shall he carry captive into Egypt; and he shall withdraw for some years from the king of the north.

⁹And he shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but he shall return into his own land.

¹⁰And his sons shall wage war, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall advance and overflow and pass through, and they shall return and wage war, as far as his fortress.

¹¹The king of the south shall be moved with rage and shall come forth and fight against him, even with the king of the north; and he shall raise a great multitude, and the multitude shall be given into his hand.

¹²The multitude shall be taken away, and his heart shall be exalted; and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail.

¹³The king of the north shall return, and shall raise a multitude greater than the former; and he shall advance after some years with a great army and with abundant supplies.

¹⁴And in those times many shall rise up against the king of the south: also the violent ones among your people shall rise up in confirmation of the vision; but they shall fail.

¹⁵So the king of the north shall come, and build up a siege mound and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not prevail, neither his best troops, neither shall there be any strength to resist.

¹⁶But he who comes against him shall do as he pleases, and no one shall be able to withstand him. And he shall stand in the beautiful land, and destruction will be within his power.

¹⁷He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and will reach an agreement with him which he shall put into effect. And he shall give him a daughter of women to send destruction on him; but it will not last or be to his advantage.

¹⁸After this shall he turn his face to the coastal regions, and shall capture many. But a commander shall bring his insolence to an end. In addition, he shall repay him for his insolence.

¹⁹Then he shall turn his attention toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found again.

²⁰Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute to pass through the kingdom to maintain its glory; but within few days he shall be destroyed, though not in anger nor in battle.

²¹In his place shall arise a despicable person, to whom the honor of kingship had not been given, but he shall come in a time of prosperity, and shall obtain the kingdom through deceit.

²²And large armies shall be swept away and shattered before him, as well as the prince of the covenant.

²³And after an alliance is made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he shall become strong with a small force.

²⁴In a time of prosperity he shall come even on the richest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor their fathers; he shall distribute among them plunder, and spoil, and property. He shall devise plans against their strongholds, but only for a time.

²⁵And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall wage war in battle with an extremely large and powerful army; but he shall not stand; for they shall devise plans against him.

²⁶Yes, those who eat of his royal food shall seek to destroy him, and his army shall be swept away; and many shall fall slain.

²⁷As for both these kings, their minds shall be fixed on evil, and they shall speak lies at the table; but it shall not succeed; for still the end shall be at the appointed time.

²⁸Then shall he return into his land with great property; and his mind shall be against the holy covenant. And he shall take action, and then return to his own land.

²⁹At the appointed time he shall return, and come into the south; but this time the outcome shall not be as it was before.

³⁰For ships from Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be intimidated, and shall turn back, and be enraged against the holy covenant, and shall take action. He shall turn back, and show regard to those who forsake the holy covenant.

³¹Forces shall come at his order, and they shall profane the sanctuary and the fortress, and shall take away the daily burnt offering, and they shall set up the abomination that causes desolation.

³²And those who act wickedly toward the covenant he shall corrupt by smooth words; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and take action.

³³And those who are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for some time.

³⁴Now when they shall fall, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join with them insincerely.

³⁵Some of those who are wise shall fall, to be refined, purified and cleansed until the time of the end; for the appointed time is still to come.

³⁶And the king shall do as he pleases. And he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak outrageous things against the God of gods. And he shall prosper until the indignation is accomplished; for that which is decreed shall be done.

³⁷Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the one desired by women, nor show regard to any other god, because he shall magnify himself above all.

³⁸But instead he shall honor the god of fortresses; a god whom his fathers did not know shall he honor with gold and silver, and with valuable stones, and costly gifts.

³⁹And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Whoever acknowledges him he shall grant considerable honor; and he shall make them rulers over many, and shall divide the land for a price.

⁴⁰And at the time of the end shall the king of the south attack him. And the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall invade countries, and pass through like a flood.

⁴¹He shall enter also into the beautiful land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.

⁴²He shall reach out his hand also on other countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

⁴³But he shall have control over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the riches of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his feet.

⁴⁴But news out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go out with tremendous rage to destroy and utterly sweep away many.

⁴⁵And he shall pitch his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with no one to help him.

¹I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me, and heard my cry.

²He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.

³He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

⁴Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, and doesn't respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

⁵Many, Lord, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, and your thoughts which are toward us. They can't be declared back to you. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

⁶Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.

⁷Then I said, "Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll.

⁸I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your Law is within my heart."

⁹I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Lord, you know.

¹⁰I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.

¹¹Do not withhold your tender mercies from me, Lord. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.

¹²For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. My heart has failed me.

¹³Be pleased, Lord, to deliver me. Hurry to help me, Lord.

¹⁴Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt.

¹⁵Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, "Aha! Aha!"

¹⁶Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let such as love your salvation say continually, "Let the Lord be exalted!"

¹⁷But I am poor and needy. May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Do not delay, my God.

¹The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

²"Surely I am the most ignorant man, and do not have a man's understanding.

³I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

⁴Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?

⁵"Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

⁶Do not add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

⁷"Two things I have asked of you; do not deny me before I die:

⁸Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;

⁹lest I be full, deny you, and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

¹⁰"Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

¹¹There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn't bless their mother.

¹²There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.

¹³There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.

¹⁴There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

¹⁵"The leach has two daughters: 'Give, give.' "There are three things that are never satisfied; four that do not say, 'Enough:'

¹⁶Sheol, the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that doesn't say, 'Enough.'

¹⁷"The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother: the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.

¹⁸"There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I do not understand:

¹⁹The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden.

²⁰"So is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, 'I have done nothing wrong.'

²¹"For three things the earth tremble, and under four, it can't bear up:

²²For a servant when he is king; a fool when he is filled with food;

²³for an unloved woman when she is married; and a handmaid who is heir to her mistress.

²⁴"There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

²⁵the ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

²⁶The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

²⁷The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

²⁸You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.

²⁹"There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

³⁰The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn't turn away for any;

³¹the greyhound, the male goat also; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

³²"If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

³³For as the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife."