Daniel

10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a matter was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and faithful was the matter but [concerned] a great warfare, and he marked the word, and had understanding in the revelation.

2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three sevens of days:

3 food to delight in did I not eat neither flesh nor wine came into my mouth, nor did I so much as anoint myself,—until were fulfilled three sevens of days.

4 And on the twenty-fourth day of the first month,—when I was by the side of the great river, the same is Tigris

5 then lifted I up mine eyes and looked, and lo! a man clothed in linen,—whose loins were girded with the bright gold of Uphaz;

6 whose body was like Tarshish-stone and his face like the appearance of lightning and his eyes were like torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like the look of bronze burnished,—and the sound of his words was like the sound of a multitude.

7 And I, Daniel, alone beheld the revelation, and the men who were with me beheld not the revelation,—in truth a great terror had fallen upon them, and they had fled while hiding themselves.

8 I therefore was left alone, and beheld this great revelation and there remained in me no strength,—but my freshness was turned upon me into disfigurement, and I retained no strength.

9 So then I heard the sound of his words,—and when I heard the sound of his words then I myself came to be in a deep sleep upon my face with my face to the earth.

10 And lo! a hand touched me; and roused me up on my knees and the palms of my hands.

11 Then said he unto me, O Daniel! man greatly delighted in! have understanding in the words which I am about to speak unto thee and stand up where thou art, for now have I been sent unto thee. And when he had spoken with me this word I stood up trembling.

12 Then said he unto me, Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand and to humble thyself before thy God thy words were heard; and I am come by reason of thy words.

13 But the ruler of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but lo! Michael one of the chief rulers came in to help me,—and I left him there, beside the kings of Persia.

14 So then I am come to let thee understand that which shall befall thy people in the afterpart of the days,—for yet is the vision for [those] days.

15 And when he had spoken with me such words as these,—I set my face towards the earth and was dumb.

16 Then lo! like the similitude of the sons of men one was touching my lips,—so I opened my mouth and spake and said unto him who was standing before me, O my lord! By the revelation my pains have seized me, and I retain no strength.

17 How then can the servant of this my lord speak with this my lord,—seeing that as for me—henceforth there remaineth in me no strength, and no spirit is left in me?

18 Then again there touched me one like in appearance to a son of earth and he strengthened me.

19 And he said, Do not fear, O man greatly delighted in! peace to thee, be strong, yea be strong! And as he spake with me I gained strength, and said, Let my lord speak for thou hast strengthened me.

20 And he said, Knowest thou wherefore I am come unto thee? But now must I return to fight with the ruler of Persia; I therefore am going forth, and lo! the ruler of Greece is coming.

21 Howbeit I will tell thee that which is inscribed in the writing of truth,—but there is no one who holdeth strongly with me concerning these things, save Michael your ruler.