Daniel · Chapter 10

[ edit] In þe þrid ȝeer of rewme of Cyrus, kyng of Perſis, a word is toke aȝein to Danyel, by name Balþaſar; and þe word trewe, and grete ſtrengþe, and he vndirſtode þe word; forſoþe vndirſtondyng is neede in viſioun. In þo days Y, Danyel, weilide in days of þree wekis; Y eete not deſireful breede, and fleſhe and wyne entriden not in to my mouþ, bot neþer wiþ oynement Y was anoyntid, til days of þree weekis weren fulfillid. Forſoþe in þe fourþe and twentiþe day of þe firſt moneþ, Y was byſydis þe grete flode, þat is Tigris.

And I reyſide myn eeȝen, and ſawȝ, and loo! oo man cloþid in lynnen, and his reyns gird to wiþ ſhynyng gold; and his body as criſolitus, and his face as fourme of leyt, and his eeȝen as a laumpe brennynge, and his armys and whiche þing is dounward vn to þe feet as fourme of braſſe waxinge whyte, and þe voice of his wordis as voice of multitude. Forſoþe Y, Danyel, aloone ſawe þe viſioun; ſoþely þe men þat weren wiþ me, ſawen not, bot ful myche dreed felle vp on hem, and þei fledden in to an hid place. Forſoþe Y left aloone ſawe þis greet viſioun, and ſtrengþe abode not in me; bot and my fourme is chaungid in me, and Y was drye, or welewid, neþer hadde eny þing of ſtrengþis.

And Y herde þe voice of his wordis, and Y heerynge laye caſtidoun, or ferd, vpon my face, and my cheer cleuyde to þe erþe. And loo! an hond touchide me, and reyſide me on my knees, and vpon þe fyngris of myn hondis. And he ſayde to me, Danyel, man of deſiris, vndirſtonde þe wordis whiche Y ſpeke to þee, and ſtonde þou in þi degree; now forſoþe Y am ſente to þee. And whenn he ſaide to me þis word, Y ſtode tremblynge. And he ſaiþ to me, Danyel, nyl þou dreede, for of þe firſt day in whiche þou puttidiſt þin herte for to vndirſtonde, þat þou ſhuldiſt tourmente þee in ſiȝt of þi God, þin wordis ben herde, and Y came for þi wordis.

Forſoþe þe prince of þe kingdam of Perſis aȝein ſtode me oon and twenti days, and loo! Mychael, oon of þe firſt princis, came in to myn help, and Y abode þere byſidis þe kyng of Perſis. Forſoþe Y came for to teche þee, what þingis ben to cummynge to þi peple in þe laſt days; for ȝit þe viſioun is deferrid, or drawen alonge, in to days. And whann he ſpac to me ſiche maner wordis, Y keſte doun my cheer to þe erþe, and was ſtille. And lo! as þe licneſſe of þe ſone of man touchide my lippis; and Y opnynge my mouþ ſpac, and ſaide to hym þat ſtode byfore me, My Lord, in þi viſioun my ioyntouris ben vnbounden, and no þing of ſtrengþis aboden in me.

And how may þe ſeruaunt of my Lord ſpeke wiþ my Lord? no þing of ſtrengþis aboode in me, bot and my breþe is cloſid bitwixe, or ſtoppide. Þerfore eftſoone as þe ſiȝt of man touchide me, and coumfortide me, and ſaide, Nyl þou dreede, þou man of deſyrs; pees to þee, be þou coumfortid, and be þou ſtrong. And whann he ſpac wiþ me, Y waxe ſtronge, and ſaide, Speke þou, my Lord, for and þou haſt coumfortide me. And he ſaiþ, Wher þou waſt, whi Y came to þee? And now Y ſhal turne aȝein, for to fiȝt aȝeinus þe prince of Perſis. Forſoþe whann Y wente out, þe prince of Greekis apeeride cummynge.

Neþeleſe Y ſhal telle to þee, what þing is expreſſid in þe wrytyng of trewþe; and no man is myn helper in alle þeſe þingis, no bot Miȝhel, ȝour prince.