Daniel’s Vision by the Tigris

1  בִּשְׁנַ֣ת (In year) שָׁל֗וֹשׁ (three) לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ (of Cyrus) מֶ֣לֶךְ (king) פָּרַ֔ס (of Persia) דָּבָר֙ (a word) נִגְלָ֣ה (was revealed) לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל (to Daniel), אֲשֶׁר־ (of whom) נִקְרָ֥א (is called) שְׁמ֖וֹ (his name) בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר (Belteshazzar); וֶאֱמֶ֤ת (and was true), הַדָּבָר֙ (the word) וְצָבָ֣א (and the conflict) גָד֔וֹל (great); וּבִין֙ (and he understood) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֔ר (the word), וּבִ֥ינָה (and understanding) ל֖וֹ (was unto him) בַּמַּרְאֶֽה׃ (of the vision).

2  בַּיָּמִ֖ים (In the days) הָהֵ֑ם (those) אֲנִ֤י (I) דָֽנִיֵּאל֙ (Daniel) הָיִ֣יתִי (was) מִתְאַבֵּ֔ל (mourning) שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה (for three) שָׁבֻעִ֖ים (weeks) יָמִֽים׃ (of days). 3  לֶ֣חֶם (Food), חֲמֻד֞וֹת (desireable) לֹ֣א (not) אָכַ֗לְתִּי (did I eat) וּבָשָׂ֥ר (and meat) וָיַ֛יִן (and wine) לֹא־ (not) בָ֥א (did come) אֶל־ (into) פִּ֖י (my mouth), וְס֣וֹךְ (and anointing) לֹא־ (not) סָ֑כְתִּי (did I anoint myself) עַד־ (until) מְלֹ֕את (the fulfilling of). שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת (Three) שָׁבֻעִ֖ים (weeks) יָמִֽים׃פ (of days).

4  וּבְי֛וֹם (And on the day) עֶשְׂרִ֥ים (twenty) וְאַרְבָּעָ֖ה (and four) לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ (of the month), הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן (first) וַאֲנִ֗י (and as I) הָיִ֛יתִי (was) עַ֣ל (on) יַ֧ד (the side) הַנָּהָ֛ר (of the river), הַגָּד֖וֹל (great) ה֥וּא (it is) חִדָּֽקֶל׃ (the Tigris); 5  וָאֶשָּׂ֤א (and I lifted) אֶת־ (-) עֵינַי֙ (my eyes), וָאֵ֔רֶא (and looked), וְהִנֵּ֥ה (and behold) אִישׁ־ (man) אֶחָ֖ד (one) לָב֣וּשׁ (clothed) בַּדִּ֑ים (in linen), וּמָתְנָ֥יו (and his loins) חֲגֻרִ֖ים (girded) בְּכֶ֥תֶם (with gold) אוּפָֽז׃ (of Uphaz). 6  וּגְוִיָּת֣וֹ (And his body was) כְתַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ (like beryl), וּפָנָ֞יו (and his face) כְּמַרְאֵ֤ה (like the appearance) בָרָק֙ (of lightning), וְעֵינָיו֙ (and his eyes) כְּלַפִּ֣ידֵי (like torches) אֵ֔שׁ (of fire), וּזְרֹֽעֹתָיו֙ (and his arms) וּמַרְגְּלֹתָ֔יו (and feet) כְּעֵ֖ין (like an eye) נְחֹ֣שֶׁת (of bronze), קָלָ֑ל (polished) וְק֥וֹל (and the voice) דְּבָרָ֖יו (of his speaking) כְּק֥וֹל (was like the voice) הָמֽוֹן׃ (of a multitude).

7  וְרָאִיתִי֩ (And I saw) אֲנִ֨י (I) דָנִיֵּ֤אל (Daniel) לְבַדִּי֙ (by myself) אֶת־ (-) הַמַּרְאָ֔ה (the vision), וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֙ (and for the men) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who) הָי֣וּ (were) עִמִּ֔י (with me) לֹ֥א (not) רָא֖וּ (did see) אֶת־ (-) הַמַּרְאָ֑ה (the vision); אֲבָ֗ל (but) חֲרָדָ֤ה (a trembling) גְדֹלָה֙ (great) נָפְלָ֣ה (fell) עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם (upon them) וַֽיִּבְרְח֖וּ (and they fled) בְּהֵחָבֵֽא׃ (to hide themselves).

8  וַאֲנִי֙ (And I) נִשְׁאַ֣רְתִּי (was left) לְבַדִּ֔י (by myself), וָֽאֶרְאֶ֗ה (and I saw) אֶת־ (-) הַמַּרְאָ֤ה (the vision), הַגְּדֹלָה֙ (great) הַזֹּ֔את (this) וְלֹ֥א (and not) נִשְׁאַר־ (was there left) בִּ֖י (in me) כֹּ֑ח (power) וְהוֹדִ֗י (for my complexion) נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ (was turned) עָלַי֙ (in me) לְמַשְׁחִ֔ית (to deathly pale), וְלֹ֥א (and not) עָצַ֖רְתִּי (did I retain) כֹּֽחַ׃ (strength). 9  וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע (And I heard) אֶת־ (-) ק֣וֹל (the voice) דְּבָרָ֑יו (of his speaking); וּכְשָׁמְעִי֙ (and at my hearing) אֶת־ (-) ק֣וֹל (the voice) דְּבָרָ֔יו (of his speaking), וַאֲנִ֗י (and I) הָיִ֛יתִי (was) נִרְדָּ֥ם (sleeping deeply) עַל־ (on) פָּנַ֖י (my face), וּפָנַ֥י (and my face) אָֽרְצָה׃ (to the ground).

10  וְהִנֵּה־ (And behold), יָ֖ד (a hand) נָ֣גְעָה (touched) בִּ֑י (me) וַתְּנִיעֵ֥נִי (and it set me trembling) עַל־ (on) בִּרְכַּ֖י (my knees) וְכַפּ֥וֹת (and the palms) יָדָֽי׃ (of my hands). 11  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And he said) אֵלַ֡י (to me) דָּנִיֵּ֣אל (O Daniel), אִישׁ־ (man) חֲ֠מֻדוֹת (most precious), הָבֵ֨ן (may you have understanding) בַּדְּבָרִ֜ים (of the words) אֲשֶׁר֩ (that) אָנֹכִ֨י (I) דֹבֵ֤ר (am speaking) אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (to you) וַעֲמֹ֣ד (and may you stand) עַל־ (upon), עָמְדֶ֔ךָ (your station) כִּ֥י (for) עַתָּ֖ה (now) שֻׁלַּ֣חְתִּי (I have been sent). אֵלֶ֑יךָ (To you)

וּבְדַבְּר֥וֹ (and in his speaking) עִמִּ֛י (with me) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֥ר (the word) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) עָמַ֥דְתִּי (I stood) מַרְעִֽיד׃ (trembling).

12  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And he said) אֵלַי֮ (to me) אַל־ (Do not), תִּירָ֣א (fear) דָנִיֵּאל֒ (Daniel), כִּ֣י׀ (for) מִן־ (from) הַיּ֣וֹם (the day) הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן (first) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) נָתַ֧תָּ (you gave) אֶֽת־ (-) לִבְּךָ֛ (your heart) לְהָבִ֧ין (to understand), וּלְהִתְעַנּ֛וֹת (and to humble yourself) לִפְנֵ֥י (before) אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (your God), נִשְׁמְע֣וּ (were heard), דְבָרֶ֑יךָ (your words) וַאֲנִי־ (and I) בָ֖אתִי (have come) בִּדְבָרֶֽיךָ׃ (because of your words). 13  וְשַׂ֣ר׀ (And the prince) מַלְכ֣וּת (of the kingdom) פָּרַ֗ס (of Persia) עֹמֵ֤ד (was standing) לְנֶגְדִּי֙ (in front of me) עֶשְׂרִ֣ים (for twenty) וְאֶחָ֣ד (and one) י֔וֹם (days); וְהִנֵּ֣ה (and behold), מִֽיכָאֵ֗ל (Michael), אַחַ֛ד (one) הַשָּׂרִ֥ים (of the princes), הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים (chief) בָּ֣א (came) לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי (to help me) וַאֲנִי֙ (and for I) נוֹתַ֣רְתִּי (had been left) שָׁ֔ם (there) אֵ֖צֶל (alongside) מַלְכֵ֥י (the kings) פָרָֽס׃ (of Persia). 14  וּבָ֙אתִי֙ (And I have come) לַהֲבִ֣ינְךָ֔ (to make you understand) אֵ֛ת (-) אֲשֶׁר־ (what) יִקְרָ֥ה (will happen) לְעַמְּךָ֖ (to your people) בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית (in the latter) הַיָּמִ֑ים (days), כִּי־ (for) ע֥וֹד (yet) חָז֖וֹן (the vision) לַיָּמִֽים׃ (is for those days).

15  וּבְדַבְּר֣וֹ (And at his speaking) עִמִּ֔י (with me) כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים (the words) הָאֵ֑לֶּה (these) נָתַ֧תִּי (I turned) פָנַ֛י (my face) אַ֖רְצָה (to the ground), וְנֶאֱלָֽמְתִּי׃ (and I became speechless). 16  וְהִנֵּ֗ה (And behold), כִּדְמוּת֙ (one with the likeness) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) אָדָ֔ם (of man) נֹגֵ֖עַ (was touching) עַל־ (upon) שְׂפָתָ֑י (my lips); וָאֶפְתַּח־ (and I opened) פִּ֗י (my mouth), וָאֲדַבְּרָה֙ (and spoke), וָאֹֽמְרָה֙ (and said) אֶל־ (to) הָעֹמֵ֣ד (the one standing) לְנֶגְדִּ֔י (before me) אֲדֹנִ֗י (My lord), בַּמַּרְאָה֙ (because of the vision) נֶהֶפְכ֤וּ (have turned over) צִירַי֙ (my pains) עָלַ֔י (upon me) וְלֹ֥א (and no) עָצַ֖רְתִּי (do I retain) כֹּֽחַ׃ (strength). 17  וְהֵ֣יךְ (And how) יוּכַ֗ל (is able) עֶ֤בֶד (the servant) אֲדֹנִי֙ (of my lord) זֶ֔ה (of such as) לְדַבֵּ֖ר (to speak) עִם־ (with) אֲדֹ֣נִי (my lord)? זֶ֑ה (Such as) וַאֲנִ֤י (and for me), מֵעַ֙תָּה֙ (from now) לֹֽא־ (no) יַעֲמָד־ (there remains) בִּ֣י (in me) כֹ֔חַ (strength) וּנְשָׁמָ֖ה (and breath) לֹ֥א (not) נִשְׁאֲרָה־ (has been left) בִֽי׃ (in me).

18  וַיֹּ֧סֶף (And he continued) וַיִּגַּע־ (and touched) בִּ֛י (me) כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה (the one with the appearance) אָדָ֖ם (of a man), וַֽיְחַזְּקֵֽנִי׃ (and he strengthened me). 19  וַיֹּ֜אמֶר (And he said), אַל־ (Do not); תִּירָ֧א (fear) אִישׁ־ (O man) חֲמֻד֛וֹת (most precious), שָׁל֥וֹם (Peace be) לָ֖ךְ (with you) חֲזַ֣ק (Be strong), וַחֲזָ֑ק (and be strong).

וּֽבְדַבְּר֤וֹ (And at his speaking) עִמִּי֙ (with me) הִתְחַזַּ֔קְתִּי (I was strengthened), וָאֹֽמְרָ֛ה (and said), יְדַבֵּ֥ר (Let speak); אֲדֹנִ֖י (my lord) כִּ֥י (for) חִזַּקְתָּֽנִי׃ (you have strengthened me).

20  וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (And he said) הֲיָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ (Do you know) לָמָּה־ (why) בָּ֣אתִי (I have come) אֵלֶ֔יךָ (to you) וְעַתָּ֣ה (and) אָשׁ֔וּב (I must return) לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם (to fight) עִם־ (with) שַׂ֣ר (the prince) פָּרָ֑ס (of Persia); וַאֲנִ֣י (and I) יוֹצֵ֔א (am going forth), וְהִנֵּ֥ה (and behold), שַׂר־ (the prince) יָוָ֖ן (of Javan) בָּֽא׃ (will come). 21  אֲבָל֙ (Truly) אַגִּ֣יד (I will declare) לְךָ֔ (to you) אֶת־ (-) הָרָשׁ֥וּם (what is inscribed) בִּכְתָ֖ב (in the Book) אֱמֶ֑ת (of Truth). וְאֵ֨ין (And there is no) אֶחָ֜ד (one) מִתְחַזֵּ֤ק (strengthening himself) עִמִּי֙ (with me) עַל־ (against) אֵ֔לֶּה (these), כִּ֥י (but) אִם־ (only) מִיכָאֵ֖ל (Michael) שַׂרְכֶֽם׃פ (your⁺ prince).