公綿羊和公山羊的異象

在看見先前的異象之後,我但以理在伯沙撒王執政第三年又看見一個異象。 我在異象中看見自己在以攔省的書珊城,又看見自己站在烏萊河畔。 我舉目觀看,見一隻長著長角的公綿羊站在河邊,其中一角比另一角長,較長的角是後長出來的。 我看見這公綿羊向西方、北方和南方頂撞,沒有獸能抵擋牠,或逃脫牠的威力。牠隨心所欲,狂妄自大。

我正沉思的時候,忽然從西面出現一隻公山羊,穿越大地,腳不沾地。牠雙眼之間有一個大角。 這公山羊來到我之前看見的那隻站在河邊的雙角公綿羊那裡,憤怒地向牠頂去。 我看見公山羊憤怒地頂向公綿羊,攻擊牠,折斷了牠的雙角。公綿羊無力抵擋,被撞倒在地,踐踏在腳下,無人能救牠脫離公山羊的威力。 公山羊極其狂妄自大。但正值鼎盛之時,牠的大角突然折斷,在原處又長出四個奇特的角,朝著天的四方。 其中一個角又長出一個小角,向南方、東方和佳美之地[a]擴張勢力。 10 它逐漸強大,高及天軍,將一些天軍和星宿拋到地上,用腳踐踏。 11 它狂妄自大,要與天軍的統帥比高,它廢除日常獻給祂的祭,毀壞祂的聖所。 12 因為反叛的緣故,天軍和日常所獻的祭都交給了它。它將真理拋在地上,它所行的無不順利。

13 接著,我聽見一位聖者在說話,另一位聖者問他:「異象中出現的有關日常所獻的祭,毀滅性的反叛和踐踏聖所及天軍的事要持續多久呢?」 14 他對我說:「兩千三百個晝夜。之後,聖所才會潔淨。」

解釋異象

15 我但以理看見這異象,正想明白它的意思,忽然有一個外貌像人的站在我面前。 16 我聽見有人聲從烏萊河兩岸之間呼喊:「加百列啊,要讓此人明白這異象。」 17 於是,他朝我站的地方走來,當他走來的時候,我嚇得俯伏在地。他對我說:「人子啊,你要明白,這異象是關於末後的時期。」 18 他和我說話的時候,我伏在地上昏睡過去,他便輕拍我,扶我起來, 19 對我說:「我要告訴你將來上帝發烈怒時所發生的事,因為這異象是關於那定好的末後時期。 20 你看見的那隻有兩角的公綿羊指瑪代和波斯的諸王。 21 公山羊指希臘王,在牠雙眼之間的大角指第一個王。 22 大角折斷後,從原處長出四個角表示四個國必從這國興起,但都不及這國強大。 23 在四國的末期,人們惡貫滿盈的時候,必有一個面貌兇惡、詭計多端的王興起。 24 他勢力強大,卻不是靠自己的力量。他必帶來可怕的毀滅,而且凡事亨通,他必毀滅強者和聖民。 25 他利用詭計和騙術得逞,心高氣傲,乘人不備突然毀滅許多人,甚至要攻擊萬君之君,然而他終必被擊垮,但並非被人的手擊垮。 26 異象中所說的兩千三百個晝夜是真的。但你要保密,不可告訴別人,因為這指的是遙遠的將來。」

27 我但以理精疲力盡,病了幾天。後來我起來照常辦理王的事務,但我對這異象感到驚奇不已,不明白它的意思。

Footnotes

  1. 8·9 佳美之地」指以色列,下同11·1641

In the shnat shalosh (third year) of the reign of Belshatzar HaMelech, a chazon (vision) appeared unto me, Daniel, after that which appeared unto me in the beginning.

And I beheld in a chazon; and it came to pass, while I was seeing, that I was in Shushan (Susa) the fortress, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a chazon, and I was by the stream Ulai.

Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, hinei, there stood before the stream a ram which had two karnayim (horns), and the two karnayim were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher was coming up last.

I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no chayyot (beasts) might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and made a great display of strength.

And as I was considering, hinei, a he-goat was coming from the west on the face of kol ha’aretz, and it was not touching the earth; and as to the goat it had a conspicuous keren (horn) between its eyes.

And he came to the ram that had two karnayim, which I had seen standing before the stream, and he ran against him with the wrath of his koach (strength).

And I saw him approaching the ram, and he was enraged against him, and he smote the ram, broke his two karnayim, and there was no koach in the ram to stand before him, and he cast him down to the ground, and trampled him; there was none to deliver the ram from him.

Therefore the he-goat was acting very presumptuously; and when he was powerful, the keren hagedolah (great horn, [i.e., Alexander’s Empire]) was broken; and in the place of it came up conspicuously four, toward the arbah ruchot HaShomayim (the four winds of Heaven).

And out of one of them came forth a little horn [Antiochus Epiphanes], which became exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the [eretz] hatzevi (the glorious land, [i.e., Eretz Israel]).

10 And it became great, even unto the tzva HaShomayim; and it caused to fall down to the earth some of the host and some of the kokhavim it trampled.

11 Yea, he magnified himself even unto the Sar HaTzava, and the daily sacrifice was taken away from Him, and the place of His Mikdash was cast down.

12 And a tzva (army) was given over to oppose the daily sacrifice on account of peysha (transgression, rebellion), and it cast down emes to the ground; and it acted, and prospered.

13 Then I heard one kadosh (angel) speaking, and another kadosh said unto that certain kadosh which spoke, How long shall be the chazon concerning the daily sacrifice, and the desolating peysha (transgression), to give both the Kodesh (Sanctuary) and the tzva (host) to be trodden under foot?

14 And he said unto me, Unto erev-boker two thousand and three hundred; then shall the Kodesh (Sanctuary) be vindicated.

15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, was beholding the chazon, that I sought the meaning; then, hinei, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

16 And I heard a kol adam (man’s voice) amidst the Ulai, and he called, and said, Gavriel, cause this one to understand the vision [see Daniel 9:21].

17 So he came near where I stood; and as he came, I was filled with fear, and I fell down upon my face, but he said unto me, Understand, O ben adam, the chazon (vision) points to the time of the ketz (end).

18 Now while he was speaking with me, I swooned upon my face toward the ground, but he touched me, and made me stand upright.

19 And he said, Hineni, I will cause thee to know that which shall take place in the latter part of HaZa’am (the Wrath period), since at a mo’ed (an appointed time) the Ketz (End) shall be.

20 The ram which thou sawest having two karnayim are the melachim of Media and Paras (Persia).

21 And the shaggy he-goat is melech Yavan (the king of Greece), and the keren hagedolah (great horn) that is between his eyes is the melech harishon (the first king [ i.e., Alexander]).

22 Now one being broken and four stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in its koach (strength).

23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when haposhe’im (the transgressors, the ones rebelling) are come to the full, a melech of unyielding countenance, and mastering intrigues, shall stand up.

24 And his koach shall be mighty, but not by his own koach; and he shall cause astounding destruction, and shall prosper, and accomplish, and shall destroy the mighty and Am Kedoshim (the Holy People).

25 And by his cunning also he shall cause mirmah (deceit) to prosper through his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his lev, and by peace shall destroy rabbim (many); he shall also stand up against the Sar Sarim (Prince of Princes); but he shall be broken without [human] hand.

26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is emes; and thou! Shut up the chazon; for it shall be for many yamim [i.e., distant times].

27 And I Daniel was faint, and lay ill several yamim; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but without understanding it.