וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יַעֲמֹד מִיכָאֵל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל הָעֹמֵד עַל־בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ וְהָיְתָה עֵת צָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־נִהְיְתָה מִהְיוֹת גּוֹי עַד הָעֵת הַהִיא וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִמָּלֵט עַמְּךָ כָּל־הַנִּמְצָא כָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר

The following prophecy, which is a continuation of the angel’s speech to Daniel, deals with the end of days. It depicts, in a highly favorable light, events that will occur in the distant future. At that time Mikhael the great prince, who stands by the members of your people, will stand up to plead Israel’s case and pray for the nation; alternatively, this means that he will cease to speak on Israel’s behalf (see 10:21). At that hour there will be a time of trouble that has not been from its becoming a nation of Israel until this time, the end of days. At that time your people will escape, everyone will be saved of your people who is found written in the book, the Book of Life.

וְרַבִּים מִיְּשֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת־עָפָר יָקִיצוּ אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְאֵלֶּה לַחֲרָפוֹת לְדִרְאוֹן עוֹלָם

Many of the sleepers in the dust of the earth, the dead, will awaken. This is one of the rare prophecies in the Bible that deals explicitly with the resurrection. These will awaken to eternal life, a happy existence, and those others, the wicked, will indeed be resurrected, but to reviling and eternal disgrace. They will be subject to curses and unremitting shame.

וְהַמַּשְׂכִּלִים יַזְהִרוּ כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ וּמַצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים כַּכּוֹכָבִים לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד

The wise of the people will shine like the radiance of the firmament; and those who lead the multitudes to righteousness, who are not only wise but who also care for others and perform good deeds for the populace, will shine like the stars in heaven forever and ever. According to the Sages this is referring to teachers of children.

וְאַתָּה דָנִיֵּאל סְתֹם הַדְּבָרִים וַחֲתֹם הַסֵּפֶר עַד־עֵת קֵץ יְשֹׁטְטוּ רַבִּים וְתִרְבֶּה הַדָּעַת

But you, Daniel, even if you know or understand more than I have stated, obscure the words, leave them vague and unclear, and seal the book until the end time, when many will roam, seeking God, and knowledge will increase. At that stage the wise might understand what is written in this book.

וְרָאִיתִי אֲנִי דָנִיֵּאל וְהִנֵּה שְׁנַיִם אֲחֵרִים עֹמְדִים אֶחָד הֵנָּה לִשְׂפַת הַיְאֹר וְאֶחָד הֵנָּה לִשְׂפַת הַיְאֹר

I, Daniel, saw, and behold, two others, angels, were standing, one here on the bank of the river, and one there on the bank of the river, on the two banks of the river.

וַיֹּאמֶר לָאִישׁ לְבוּשׁ הַבַּדִּים אֲשֶׁר מִמַּעַל לְמֵימֵי הַיְאֹר עַד־מָתַי קֵץ הַפְּלָאוֹת

One of them said to the man clothed in linen, apparently the angel Gavriel, or perhaps Mikhael, who was standing above the waters of the river: How long will it be delayed until the wondrous end? When will the end arrive, when all these wonderful events will occur? In the meantime, times are bad.

וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת־הָאִישׁ לְבוּשׁ הַבַּדִּים אֲשֶׁר מִמַּעַל לְמֵימֵי הַיְאֹר וַיָּרֶם יְמִינוֹ וּשְׂמֹאלוֹ אֶל־הַשָּׁמַיִם וַיִּשָּׁבַע בְּחֵי הָעוֹלָם כִּי לְמוֹעֵד מוֹעֲדִים וָחֵצִי וּכְכַלּוֹת נַפֵּץ יַד עַם־קֹדֶשׁ תִּכְלֶינָה כָל־אֵלֶּה

I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, speaking, and he lifted his right and his left to the heavens, a gesture of an oath, and he took an oath by the Ever-Living One, God, that for a time, times, and one-half, after the passage of a defined period of time, whose duration is not stated here, and then again that period, and half of that period, and with the conclusion of the breaking of the power of the holy people, all these troubles will conclude, and then the end will arrive.

וַאֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי וְלֹא אָבִין וָאֹמְרָה אֲדֹנִי מָה אַחֲרִית אֵלֶּה

I heard all of this, but I did not understand; I did not know to what he was referring, and I said: My lord, what will be the end of all these calculations you stated?

וַיֹּאמֶר לֵךְ דָּנִיֵּאל כִּי סְתֻמִים וַחֲתֻמִים הַדְּבָרִים עַד־עֵת קֵץ

He said: Go, Daniel, as the matters that you wish to know are to remain obscured and sealed until the end time. Only when the redemption arrives will everything become clear.

יִתְבָּרְרוּ וְיִתְלַבְּנוּ ויִצָּרְפוּ רַבִּים וְהִרְשִׁיעוּ רְשָׁעִים וְלֹא יָבִינוּ כָּל־רְשָׁעִים וְהַמַּשְׂכִּלִים יָבִינוּ

Many things will be clarified; many issues will become clearer over time, and through the sufferings and troubles much will be made clear, and refined, and the wicked will act wickedly. All of the wicked will not understand these prophecies; but the wise will understand.

וּמֵעֵת הוּסַר הַתָּמִיד וְלָתֵת שִׁקּוּץ שֹׁמֵם יָמִים אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם וְתִשְׁעִים

From the time of the abolishing of the continual daily burnt offering, and the setting of the desolating detestable thing in the Temple, there will be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. It is unclear whether this is referring to actual days. Many interpret these “days” of suffering as years.

אַשְׁרֵי הַמְחַכֶּה וְיַגִּיעַ לְיָמִים אֶלֶף שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה

Happy is one who waits another forty-five days, or years, and reaches one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. It is unknown when this counting starts, when it will end, or what the indicated dates signify. These matters were left unclear to Daniel himself.

וְאַתָּה לֵךְ לַקֵּץ וְתָנוּחַ וְתַעֲמֹד לְגֹרָלְךָ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין

But you, Daniel, go to the end, until the end of your own days, and rest, die, and after you have lain down in death, you will arise to your fate at the end of the days. You will be among those who will arise at the end of days, and will then understand the meaning of your prophecy.