¹ 巴比倫王伯沙撒元年，但以理在床上做夢，見了腦中的異象，就記錄這夢，述說其中的大意。

² 但以理說：我夜裡見異象，看見天的四風陡起，颳在大海之上。

³ 有四個大獸從海中上來，形狀各有不同：

⁴ 頭一個像獅子，有鷹的翅膀；我正觀看的時候，獸的翅膀被拔去，獸從地上得立起來，用兩腳站立，像人一樣，又得了人心。

⁵ 又有一獸如熊，就是第二獸，旁跨而坐，口齒內啣著三根肋骨。有吩咐這獸的說：起來吞吃多肉。

⁶ 此後我觀看，又有一獸如豹，背上有鳥的四個翅膀；這獸有四個頭，又得了權柄。

⁷ 其後我在夜間的異象中觀看，見第四獸甚是可怕，極其強壯，大有力量，有大鐵牙，吞吃嚼碎，所剩下的用腳踐踏。這獸與前三獸大不相同，頭有十角。

⁸ 我正觀看這些角，見其中又長起一個小角；先前的角中有三角在這角前，連根被他拔出來。這角有眼，像人的眼，有口說誇大的話。

⁹ 我觀看，見有寶座設立，上頭坐著亙古常在者。他的衣服潔白如雪，頭髮如純淨的羊毛。寶座乃火燄，其輪乃烈火。

¹⁰ 從他面前有火，像河發出；事奉他的有千千，在他面前侍立的有萬萬；他坐著要行審判，案卷都展開了。

¹¹ 那時我觀看，見那獸因小角說誇大話的聲音被殺，身體損壞，扔在火中焚燒。

¹² 其餘的獸，權柄都被奪去，生命卻仍存留，直到所定的時候和日期。

¹³ 我在夜間的異象中觀看，見有一位像人子的，駕著天雲而來，被領到亙古常在者面前，

¹⁴ 得了權柄、榮耀、國度，使各方、各國、各族的人都事奉他。他的權柄是永遠的，不能廢去；他的國必不敗壞。

¹⁵ 至於我─但以理，我的靈在我裡面愁煩，我腦中的異象使我驚惶。

¹⁶ 我就近一位侍立者，問他這一切的真情。他就告訴我，將那事的講解給我說明。

¹⁷ 這四個大獸就是四王將要在世上興起。

¹⁸ 然而，至高者的聖民，必要得國享受，直到永永遠遠。

¹⁹ 那時我願知道第四獸的真情，他為何與那三獸的真情大不相同，甚是可怕，有鐵牙銅爪，吞吃嚼碎，所剩下的用腳踐踏；

²⁰ 頭有十角和那另長的一角，在這角前有三角被他打落。這角有眼，有說誇大話的口，形狀強橫，過於他的同類。

²¹ 我觀看，見這角與聖民爭戰，勝了他們。

²² 直到亙古常在者來給至高者的聖民伸冤，聖民得國的時候就到了。

²³ 那侍立者這樣說：第四獸就是世上必有的第四國，與一切國大不相同，必吞吃全地，並且踐踏嚼碎。

²⁴ 至於那十角，就是從這國中必興起的十王，後來又興起一王，與先前的不同；他必制伏三王。

²⁵ 他必向至高者說誇大的話，必折磨至高者的聖民，必想改變節期和律法。聖民必交付他手一載、二載、半載。

²⁶ 然而，審判者必坐著行審判；他的權柄必被奪去，毀壞，滅絕，一直到底。

²⁷ 國度、權柄，和天下諸國的大權必賜給至高者的聖民。他的國是永遠的；一切掌權的都必事奉他，順從他。

²⁸ 那事至此完畢。至於我─但以理，心中甚是驚惶，臉色也改變了，卻將那事存記在心。

¹ Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon,

² (after that Jeconiah the king, and the queen mother, and the eunuchs, [and] the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem),

³ by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), saying,

⁴ Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, to all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:

⁵ Build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

⁶ Take wives, and father sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there, and don't be diminished.

⁷ Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace you shall have peace.

⁸ For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Don't let your prophets who are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.

⁹ For they prophesy falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says Yahweh.

¹⁰ For thus says Yahweh, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.

¹² You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

¹³ You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

¹⁴ I will be found by you, says Yahweh, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahweh; and I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.

¹⁵ Because you have said, Yahweh has raised us up prophets in Babylon;

¹⁶ thus says Yahweh concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who haven't gone forth with you into captivity;

¹⁷ thus says Yahweh of Armies; Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that can't be eaten, they are so bad.

¹⁸ I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I have driven them;

¹⁹ because they have not listened to my words, says Yahweh, with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, says Yahweh.

²⁰ Hear therefore the word of Yahweh, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

²¹ Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall kill them before your eyes;