¹ 猶大王約雅敬在位第三年，巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來到耶路撒冷，將城圍困。

² 主將猶大王約雅敬，並神殿中器皿的幾分交付他手。他就把這器皿帶到示拿地，收入他神的廟裡，放在他神的庫中。

³ 王吩咐太監長亞施毗拿，從以色列人的宗室和貴冑中帶進幾個人來，

⁴ 就是年少沒有殘疾、相貌俊美、通達各樣學問、知識聰明俱備、足能侍立在王宮裡的，要教他們迦勒底的文字言語。

⁵ 王派定將自己所用的膳和所飲的酒，每日賜他們一分，養他們三年。滿了三年，好叫他們在王面前侍立。

⁶ 他們中間有猶大族的人：但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅。

⁷ 太監長給他們起名：稱但以理為伯提沙撒，稱哈拿尼雅為沙得拉，稱米沙利為米煞，稱亞撒利雅為亞伯尼歌。

⁸ 但以理卻立志不以王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己，所以求太監長容他不玷污自己。

⁹ 神使但以理在太監長眼前蒙恩惠，受憐憫。

¹⁰ 太監長對但以理說：我懼怕我主我王，他已經派定你們的飲食；倘若他見你們的面貌比你們同歲的少年人肌瘦，怎麼好呢？這樣，你們就使我的頭在王那裡難保。

¹¹ 但以理對太監長所派管理但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅的委辦說：

¹² 求你試試僕人們十天，給我們素菜吃，白水喝，

¹³ 然後看看我們的面貌和用王膳那少年人的面貌，就照你所看的待僕人罷！

¹⁴ 委辦便允准他們這件事，試看他們十天。

¹⁵ 過了十天，見他們的面貌比用王膳的一切少年人更加俊美肥胖。

¹⁶ 於是委辦撤去派他們用的膳，飲的酒，給他們素菜吃。

¹⁷ 這四個少年人，神在各樣文字學問（學問：原文是智慧）上賜給他們聰明知識；但以理又明白各樣的異象和夢兆。

¹⁸ 尼布甲尼撒王預定帶進少年人來的日期滿了，太監長就把他們帶到王面前。

¹⁹ 王與他們談論，見少年人中無一人能比但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅，所以留他們在王面前侍立。

²⁰ 王考問他們一切事，就見他們的智慧聰明比通國的術士和用法術的勝過十倍。

²¹ 到古列王元年，但以理還在。

⁹ 希該喜悅以斯帖，就恩待他，急忙給他需用的香品和他所當得的分，又派所當得的七個宮女服事他，使他和他的宮女搬入女院上好的房屋。

¹ In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head on his bed: then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.

² Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke forth on the great sea.

³ Four great animals came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

⁴ The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I saw until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on two feet as a man; and a man's heart was given to it.

⁵ Behold, another animal, a second, like a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus to it, Arise, devour much flesh.

⁶ After this I saw, and behold, another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the animal had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

⁷ After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, a fourth animal, awesome and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet: and it was diverse from all the animals that were before it; and it had ten horns.

⁸ I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots: and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

⁹ I saw until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, [and] its wheels burning fire.

¹⁰ A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

¹¹ I saw at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke; I saw even until the animal was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire.

¹² As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

¹³ I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

¹⁴ There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

¹⁵ As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

¹⁶ I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

¹⁷ These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who shall arise out of the earth.

¹⁸ But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.

¹⁹ Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was diverse from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;

²⁰ and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other [horn] which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.

²¹ I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

²² until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

²³ Thus he said, The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

²⁴ As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.

²⁵ He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

²⁶ But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.

²⁷ The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

²⁸ Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts much troubled me, and my face was changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.