בִּשְׁנַת שָׁלוֹשׁ לְכוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס דָּבָר נִגְלָה לְדָנִיֵּאל אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֵּלְטְאשַׁצַּר ואֱמֶת הַדָּבָר וְצָבָא גָדוֹל וּבִין אֶת־הַדָּבָר וּבִינָה לוֹ בַּמַּרְאֶה

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a matter was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Beltshatzar (see 1:7), the truth of the matter and all the details; the vision itself and its fulfillment in all its details were revealed to Daniel. He understood the matter and had understanding given to him of the vision.

בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֲנִי דָנִיֵּאל הָיִיתִי מִתְאַבֵּל שְׁלֹשָׁה שָׁבֻעִים יָמִים

From this point, Daniel narrates the events in the first person. In those days, I, Daniel was mourning again for the destruction of the Temple and its aftermaths, for three weeks of days.

לֶחֶם חֲמֻדוֹת לֹא אָכַלְתִּי וּבָשָׂר וָיַיִן לֹא־בָא אֶל־פִּי וְסוֹךְ לֹא־סָכְתִּי עַד־מְלֹאת שְׁלֹשֶׁת שָׁבֻעִים יָמִים

I did not mourn or fast completely; however, I ate no tasty, good-quality bread, but only plain, cheap bread; this is reminiscent of the dietary limitations imposed upon the prophet Ezekiel, and meat and wine did not enter my mouth. I did not anoint myself, my body with oil, until the completion of three weeks of days. For three weeks I lived in the simplest fashion, without delicacies or pleasure.

וּבְיוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי עַל יַד הַנָּהָר הַגָּדוֹל הוּא חִדָּקֶל

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was alongside the great river, the Tigris, not far from the city of Babylon;

וָאֶשָּׂא אֶת־עֵינַי וָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ־אֶחָד לָבוּשׁ בַּדִּים וּמָתְנָיו חֲגֻרִים בּכֶתֶם אוּפָז

I lifted my eyes and I saw, and behold a man dressed in linen, and his loins were girded with belts of choice gold of Ufaz.

וּגְוִיָּתוֹ כְתַרְשִׁישׁ וּפָנָיו כְּמַרְאֵה בָרָק וְעֵינָיו כְּלַפִּידֵי אֵשׁ וּזְרֹעֹתָיו וּמַרְגְּלֹתָיו כְּעֵין נְחֹשֶׁת קָלָל וְקוֹל דְּבָרָיו כְּקוֹל הָמוֹן

His body was like beryl, his face was ablaze, like the appearance of lightning, his eyes were bright like torches of fire, his arms and his legs like burnished bronze, and the sound of his speech, like the noise of a multitude. He was a mighty, entirely glowing figure.

וְרָאִיתִי אֲנִי דָנִיֵּאל לְבַדִּי אֶת־הַמַּרְאָה וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עִמִּי לֹא רָאוּ אֶת־הַמַּרְאָה אֲבָל חֲרָדָה גְדֹלָה נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּבְרְחוּ בְּהֵחָבֵא

I, Daniel, alone, saw the vision, and the men who were with me, perhaps Hananya, Mishael, and Azarya, or Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, did not see the vision; the man Daniel saw was not flesh and blood, but a prophetic vision that was only meant for him; however, a great trembling overcame them, for although they could not see the vision sharply and clearly, like Daniel, nevertheless as they were great men, they experienced a vague feeling of terror, and therefore they fled into hiding.

וַאֲנִי נִשְׁאַרְתִּי לְבַדִּי וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת־הַמַּרְאָה הַגְּדֹלָה הַזֹּאת וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר־בִּי כֹּחַ וְהוֹדִי נֶהְפַּךְ עָלַי לְמַשְׁחִית וְלֹא עָצַרְתִּי כֹּחַ

I remained alone, and I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me to stand and bear the vision; my glory, the countenance of my face, was transformed for me into destruction, as though it were destroyed, and I retained no strength.

וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת־קוֹל דְּבָרָיו וּכְשָׁמְעִי אֶת־קוֹל דְּבָרָיו וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי נִרְדָּם עַל־פָּנַי וּפָנַי אָרְצָה

I heard the sound of his words, of the man; and when I heard the sound of his words, I was asleep on my face, with my face toward the ground.

וְהִנֵּה יָד נָגְעָה בִּי וַתְּנִיעֵנִי עַל־בִּרְכַּי וְכַפּוֹת יָדָי

Behold, while I was still lying on the ground, the form of a hand touched me, and it moved and lifted me so that I could get up onto my knees and the palms of my hands.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי דָּנִיֵּאל אִישׁ־חֲמֻדוֹת הָבֵן בַּדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי דֹבֵר אֵלֶיךָ וַעֲמֹד עַל־עָמְדֶךְ כִּי עַתָּה שֻׁלַּחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וּבְדַבְּרוֹ עִמִּי אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה עָמַדְתִּי מַרְעִיד

He said to me: Daniel, splendid man, chosen one, understand the matters that I am speaking to you, and stand in your place, or stand in your place to listen to my statement; for now I have been sent to you. While he was speaking this matter to me, I stood trembling. Daniel managed to stand, but he still shook in great terror at the angel’s presence.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי אַל־תִּירָא דָנִיֵּאל כִּי מִן־הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ אֶת־לִבְּךָ לְהָבִין וּלְהִתְעַנּוֹת לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֶיךָ נִשְׁמְעוּ דְבָרֶיךָ וַאֲנִי בָאתִי בִּדְבָרֶיךָ

He, the man clothed in linen, identified as the angel Gavriel, said to me: Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to fast before your God, your words have been heard by God; and I have come because of your words.

וְשַׂר מַלְכוּת פָּרַס עֹמֵד לְנֶגְדִּי עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד יוֹם וְהִנֵּה מִיכָאֵל אַחַד הַשָּׂרִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים בָּא לְעָזְרֵנִי וַאֲנִי נוֹתַרְתִּי שָׁם אֵצֶל מַלְכֵי פָרָס

Gavriel continued: The prince, the angel who represents the power of the kingdom of Persia, was standing opposite me, and we struggled against each other for twenty-one days, in my efforts to protect Israel from the angel of the kingdom of Persia, an active force in the world; and behold, Mikhael, one of the chief princes, angels, came to help me, and throughout the period of your ascetic practices I remained there, with the kings of Persia.

וּבָאתִי לַהֲבִינְךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָה לְעַמְּךָ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים כִּי־עוֹד חָזוֹן לַיָּמִים

I have come to explain to you that which will befall your people at the end of days; for there will yet be another vision designated for showing what will happen in the days to come.

וּבְדַבְּרוֹ עִמִּי כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה נָתַתִּי פָנַי אַרְצָה וְנֶאֱלָמְתִּי

As he was speaking with me these words, I lowered my gaze toward the ground and was silent. I could not speak or react at all.

וְהִנֵּה כִּדְמוּת בְּנֵי אָדָם נֹגֵעַ עַל־שְׂפָתָי וָאֶפְתַּח פִּי וָאֲדַבְּרָה וָאֹמְרָה אֶל־הָעֹמֵד לְנֶגְדִּי אֲדֹנִי בַּמַּרְאָה נֶהֶפְכוּ צִירַי עָלַי וְלֹא עָצַרְתִּי כֹּחַ

Behold, one in the image of a person was touching my lips, and as a result, I opened my mouth, and I spoke and said as follows to the one standing opposite me: My lord, at the vision, at the very sight of you, I felt as though my internal organs were overturned, and I retained no strength.

וְהֵיךְ יוּכַל עֶבֶד אֲדֹנִי זֶה לְדַבֵּר עִם־אֲדֹנִי זֶה וַאֲנִי מֵעַתָּה לֹא־יַעֲמָד־בִּי כֹּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה לֹא נִשְׁאֲרָה־בִי

How can this servant of my lord, I, speak with this my lord, with you? As for me, from now, strength will not endure in me, and breath is not left in me.

וַיֹּסֶף וַיִּגַּע־בִּי כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם וַיְחַזְּקֵנִי

The same one with the appearance of a man touched me again, and he strengthened me. I felt him give me strength.

וַיֹּאמֶר אַל־תִּירָא אִישׁ־חֲמֻדוֹת שָׁלוֹם לָךְ חֲזַק וַחֲזָק וּכְדַבְּרוֹ עִמִּי הִתְחַזַּקְתִּי וָאֹמְרָה יְדַבֵּר אֲדֹנִי כִּי חִזַּקְתָּנִי

He said: Splendid man, do not fear. Peace to you, be strong, be strong. As he was speaking with me, I grew stronger, and I said: Speak my lord, as you have strengthened me, and now I can focus on your words.

וַיֹּאמֶר הֲיָדַעְתָּ לָמָּה־בָּאתִי אֵלֶיךָ וְעַתָּה אָשׁוּב לְהִלָּחֵם עִם־שַׂר פָּרָס ואֲנִי יוֹצֵא וְהִנֵּה שַׂר־יָוָן בָּא

He said: Do you know why I have come to you? It is in order to inform you what is currently happening and what will occur in the future. Now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. When I go out from my battle with the prince of Persia, behold, the prince of Yavan is coming. After the confrontation with the kingdom of Persia, the kingdom of Yavan, Greece, will rule the world.

אֲבָל אַגִּיד לְךָ אֶת־הָרָשׁוּם בִּכְתָב אֱמֶת וְאֵין אֶחָד מִתְחַזֵּק עִמִּי עַל־אֵלֶּה כִּי אִם־מִיכָאֵל שַׂרְכֶם

However, I will tell you that which is inscribed in the script of truth; there is no one who helps me, aids me in my struggle against these princes except Mikhael, your prince. Mikhael is one of the higher angels; just as there are angels that represent the kingdoms of Persia and Greece, so Mikhael is the prince that represents Israel. When Gavriel sought to help, to fight against the nations of the world that subjugate Israel, Mikhael arrived to assist him.