1    2   While the lion was still addressing the eagle, I looked and saw the one remaining head disappear. Then the two ^note wings which had gone over to him arose and set themselves up as rulers. Their reign was short and troubled, 3   and when I looked at them they were already vanishing. Then the eagle's entire body burst into flames, and the earth was struck with terror.

So great was my alarm and fear that I awoke, and said to myself:

Visions of the last days 4   ‘See the result of your attempt to discover the ways of the Most High! 5   My mind is weary; I am utterly exhausted. The terrors of this night have completely drained my strength. 6   So I will now pray to the Most High for strength to hold out to the end.’ 7   Then I said: ‘My Master and Lord, if I have won your favour and stand higher in your approval than most men, if it is true that my prayers have reached your presence, then give me strength; 8   reveal to me, my Lord, the exact interpretation of this terrifying vision, and so bring full consolation to my soul. 9   For you have already judged me worthy to be shown the end of the present age.’

10    11   He said to me: ‘Here is the interpretation of your vision. The eagle you saw rising from the sea represents the fourth kingdom in the vision seen by your brother Daniel. 12   But he was not given the interpretation which I am now giving you or have already given you. 13   The days are coming when the earth will be under an empire more terrible than any before. 14   It will be ruled by twelve kings, one after another. 15   The second to come to the throne will have the longest reign of all the twelve. 16   That is the meaning of the twelve wings you saw.

17   ‘As for the voice which you heard speaking from the middle of the eagle's body, and not from its heads, this is what it means: 18   After this second king's reign, great conflicts will arise, which will bring the empire into danger of falling; and yet it will not fall then, but will be restored to its original strength.

19   ‘As for the eight lesser wings which you saw growing from the eagle's wings, this is what they mean: 20   The empire will come under eight kings whose reigns will be trivial and short-lived; 21   two of them will come and go just before the middle of the period, four will be kept back until shortly before its end, and two will be left until the end itself.

22   ‘As for the three heads which you saw sleeping, this is what they mean: 23   In the last years of the empire, the Most High will bring to the throne three kings, who will restore much of its strength, and 24   rule ^note over the earth and its inhabitants more oppressively than anyone before. 25   They are called the eagle's heads, because they will complete and bring to a head its long series of wicked deeds. 26   As for the greatest head, which you saw disappear, it signifies one of the kings, who will die in his bed, but in great agony. 27   The two that

Visions of the last days survived will be destroyed by the sword; 28   one of them will fall by the sword of the other, who will himself fall by the sword in the last days.

29   ‘As for the two little wings that went over to the head on the right side, this is what they mean: 30   They are the ones whom the Most High has reserved until the last days, and their reign, as you saw, was short and troubled.

31   ‘As for the lion which you saw coming from the forest, roused from sleep and roaring, which you heard addressing the eagle, taxing it with its wicked deeds and words, 32   this is the Messiah whom the Most High has kept back until the end. He will address ^note those rulers, taxing them openly with their sins, their crimes, and their defiance. 33   He will bring them alive to judgement; he will convict them and then destroy them. 34   But he will be merciful to those of my people that remain, all who have been kept safe in my land; he will set them free and give them gladness, until the final day of judgement comes, about which I told you at the beginning.

35    36   ‘That, then, is the vision which you saw, and its meaning. It is the secret of the Most High, which no one except yourself has proved worthy to be told. 37   What you have seen you must therefore write in a book and deposit it in a hiding-place. 38   You must also disclose these secrets to those of your people whom you know to be wise enough to understand them and to keep them safe. 39   But stay here yourself for seven more days, to receive whatever revelation the Most High thinks fit to send you.’ Then the angel left me.

40   When all the people heard that seven days had passed without my returning to the town, they assembled and came to me. 41   ‘What wrong or injury have we done you,’ they asked me, ‘that you have deserted us and settled here? 42   Out of all the prophets you are the only one left to us. You are like the last cluster in a vineyard, like a lamp in the darkness, or a safe harbour for a ship in a storm. 43   Have we not suffered enough? 44   If you desert us, we had far better have been destroyed in the fire that burnt up Zion. 45   We are no better than those who perished there.’ Then they raised a loud lamentation.

46   I replied: ‘Take courage, Israel; house of Jacob, lay aside your grief. 47   The Most High bears you in mind, and the Mighty One has not for ever ^note forgotten you. 48   I have not left you, nor abandoned you; I came here to pray for Zion in her distress, and to beg for mercy for

Visions of the last days your sanctuary that has fallen so low. 49   Go to your homes now, every one of you; and in a few days' time I will come back to you.’

50    51   So the people returned to the town as I told them, while I remained in the field. I stayed there for seven days in obedience to the angel, eating nothing but what grew in the field, and living on that for the whole of the time.

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