但以理书 7
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
但以理夢中見異象
7 巴比倫王伯沙撒第一年，但以理躺在床上時，他作了一個夢，腦海中出現了異象；他就把那夢記錄下來，把事情的重點述說出來。 2 但以理說：“在夜間的異象中，我看見天的四風，攪動大海。
四巨獸
3 “有四隻巨獸從海中上來，形狀各不相同。 4 第一隻獸像獅子，卻有鷹的翅膀。我一直在觀看，看見牠的翅膀被拔去，牠從地上被舉起來，兩腳像人一樣直立在地上；又有人的心給了牠。 5 我又看見另一隻獸，就是第二隻獸；牠和熊相似，挺起一邊的身軀，口中的牙齒銜著三根肋骨。有人這樣對牠說：‘起來，吃多量的肉吧！’ 6 此後，我繼續觀看，看見另一隻獸像豹，背上有鳥的四個翅膀；這獸有四個頭，又有權柄給了牠。 7 後來，我在夜間的異象中繼續觀看，看見有第四隻獸，非常恐怖，十分可怕，極其強壯。牠有大鐵牙；牠吞吃咬碎，又把剩餘的用腳踐踏；這獸和前面的各獸都不相同；牠有十個角。 8 我正在究察這些角的時候，看見角的中間長出另一個小角來。在這小角前面，有三個先前的角連根被拔起來。這小角有眼，像人的眼，又有一張說誇大話的嘴。
9 “我一直在觀看，
看見有些寶座安放好了，
萬古常存者就坐上去；
他的衣服潔白如雪，
他的頭髮純淨像羊毛。
他的寶座是火燄，
寶座的輪子是烈火。
10 有火像河湧出，
烈火從他面前冒出；
事奉他的有千千，
侍立在他面前的有萬萬。
審判已經開始，
案卷都展開了。
11 “那時，因那小角說誇大話的聲音，我繼續觀看，看見那獸被殺，屍體被毀，扔在烈火中。 12 至於其餘的三獸，牠們的權柄都被奪去，牠們的生命卻得著延長，直到所定的時候和日期。
13 “我在夜間的異象中繼續觀看，
看見有一位像人子的，
駕著天雲而來，
到萬古常存者那裡，
被引領到他面前，
14 得了權柄、尊榮和國度；
各國、各族和說各種語言的人都事奉他。
他的權柄是永遠的權柄，是不能廢去的；
他的國度是永不毀滅的。
解釋異象的意義
15 “至於我但以理，我的靈在我裡面憂傷，我腦海中出現的異象使我驚惶。 16 於是我走近其中一位侍立者，問他有關這一切事的實情；他就告訴我，使我知道這些事的意思，他說： 17 ‘這四隻巨獸就是將要在世上興起的四個王。 18 但至高者的聖民必要得國，擁有這國，直到永永遠遠。’ 19 那時我想知道有關第四隻獸的實情，牠和其他三獸不相同，十分恐怖，有鐵牙銅爪；牠吞吃咬碎，又把剩餘的用腳踐踏。 20 我又想知道有關牠頭上的十角，和那另長出來的小角，以及那三個在這小角前面倒下的角的實情。這小角有眼，有說誇大話的嘴；牠的形狀比牠的同類更威猛。 21 我繼續觀看，看見這小角和聖民爭戰，戰勝了他們， 22 直到萬古常存者來到，為至高者的聖民伸張正義；聖民擁有國度的時候就到了。
23 “那位侍立者這樣說：‘那第四隻獸就是世上必有的第四國，和其他各國都不相同；牠必吞吃全地，踐踏咬碎全地。 24 至於那十角，就是從這國中將要興起的十個王，在他們以後，必有另一個王興起，和先前的王都不相同；他必制伏三個王。 25 他必說話，敵擋至高者；他必折磨至高者的聖民，又想改變節期和律法；聖民必交在他的手中，一載、二載、半載（“一載、二載、半載”或譯：“一個時期、多個時期、半個時期”）。 26 但審判要開始，他的權柄必被奪去，他必被毀壞滅絕，直到永遠。 27 那時，國度、權柄，和普天之下萬國的大權，都必賜給至高者的聖民。他的國是永遠的國；所有掌權的都必事奉他，順從他。’ 28 這事到此完畢。我但以理心中十分驚惶，臉色也變了，但我把這事存放在心裡。”
Daniel 7
EasyEnglish Bible
Daniel's vision about four animals and a little horn
7 In the first year that King Belshazzar ruled Babylon, Daniel had a dream.[a] He saw visions in his head while he lay on his bed. He wrote down what he saw in the dream.
2 Daniel wrote, ‘I had a vision at night. I saw the four winds of the sky. They caused big waves in the great sea. 3 Then four large animals came out of the sea. They were all different from each other.
4 The first animal seemed like a lion, but it had the wings of an eagle. As I watched, someone pulled its wings off. They lifted it up and it stood on two feet like a man. They gave a man's mind to it.
5 Then I saw a second animal. It seemed like a bear. It raised itself up on one side and it had three ribs between its teeth. Someone said to it, “Stand up and eat the meat from many bodies.”
6 Then I saw another animal. It seemed like a leopard, but it had four wings on its back. They were like a bird's wings. This animal had four heads. It received authority to rule.
7 Then, while I looked, I saw a fourth animal in my vision. It was a terrible animal that was very strong. It had large iron teeth. It ate things and it broke them into pieces. It used its feet to stamp on everything else. It was different from the other animals. It had ten horns.
8 I was thinking about the horns and what they might mean. Then I saw another little horn that came up among the other ten horns. It pulled out three of those other horns to make room for itself. This little horn had eyes that looked like a man's eyes. It had a mouth that spoke proud words.
God's court
9 While I looked, people put some thrones in their places.
Then the God who has ruled for ever sat on his throne.
His clothes were as white as snow.
His hair was white like pure wool.
His throne and the wheels under it burned with flames of fire.
10 A river of fire poured out from the place where he was sitting.
Thousands of servants were ready to do whatever he wanted.
Many more thousands stood around, ready to serve him.
Then the meeting of the court began.
Someone opened the books to see what was in them.
11 I continued to watch as the little horn was speaking proud words. While I watched, someone killed the fourth animal. They threw its body into the fire. The fire destroyed it. 12 The other animals also lost their power to rule, but they could continue to live for a certain time.
13 I continued to watch in my vision at night and this is what I saw:
I saw someone who seemed like a son of man.[b]
He was coming towards me, with the clouds of the sky around him.
He came near to the God who has ruled for ever.
People took him to stand in front of God.
14 God gave him great honour and authority to rule as king.
The people of all nations and those who spoke every language agreed to serve him.
He has authority to rule for ever.
He will never stop being king.
Nobody will be able to destroy his kingdom.
Daniel learns the meaning of his vision
15 I, Daniel, had much trouble in my mind. The things that I saw in my vision frightened me. 16 So I spoke to someone who was standing near God's throne. I asked him to explain what all these things meant. He told me the meaning of my vision. 17 He said, “The four large animals are four kings. They will rule kingdoms on the earth. 18 But the holy people of the Most High God will receive authority to rule as kings. God's kingdom will belong to them for ever.”
19 Then I wanted to know about the fourth animal. It was different from all the other animals. It was a terrible animal that made me very afraid. It had large iron teeth and feet with sharp bronze claws.[c] It ate things and it broke them into pieces. It used its feet to stamp on everything else. 20 I wanted to know the meaning of the ten horns on its head.[d] I also wanted to know about the little horn that came up among them. It pushed out three of the other horns. This horn had eyes, and a mouth that spoke proud words. The little horn seemed to be greater than the other horns. 21 While I was watching, the little horn attacked God's holy people. It was winning the fight against them. 22 But then the God who has ruled for ever arrived. As judge, he said that the holy people of the Most High God were good and right. Then the time came for God's holy people to receive the kingdom, so that it belonged to them.
23 The person that I had asked told me this: “The fourth animal shows that there will be a fourth kingdom on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms. It will use its power to destroy the whole earth. It will stamp on everything and break them into pieces.
24 The ten horns show that ten kings will rule that kingdom. After them, another king will come to rule. He will be different from the other kings. He will get power over three kings. 25 He will insult the Most High God. He will be cruel to God's holy people. He will try to change the days for God's festivals and the laws about them. God's people will be under his power for three and a half times.[e] 26 Then God's court will be ready to judge him. He will lose his authority to rule as king. That will be the end of his kingdom for ever!
27 Then the holy people who belong to the Most High God will receive authority to rule as kings. They will have authority over all the kingdoms of the earth and all their great power. The kingdom of the Most High God will continue for ever. All rulers will serve him and obey him.”
28 That is a report of everything that I saw in my vision. It caused me, Daniel, to have much trouble in my mind and my face became white. But I did not tell anyone about these things.’
Footnotes
- 7:1 Belshazzar was the last Babylonian king. We read about his death in Daniel 5.
- 7:13 ‘Son of man’ means that he looked like a human. Jesus called himself the Son of Man. The ‘son of man’ that Daniel saw in his vision, shows the power and authority of Jesus Christ.
- 7:19 Claws are the sharp points that many birds have on the toes of their feet.
- 7:20 In the Bible, a horn often shows strength and power.
- 7:25 ‘Three and a half times’ may mean 3½ years.
Daniel 7
King James Version
7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.
2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, 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 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, 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 beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
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