³ I looked up,^(A) and there before me was a ram^(B) with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. ⁴ I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power.^(C) It did as it pleased^(D) and became great.

⁵ As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. ⁶ It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage. ⁷ I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it,^(E) and none could rescue the ram from its power.^{(F) 8} The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off,^(G) and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.^(H)

⁹ Out of one of them came another horn, which started small^(I) but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.^(J)

²⁰ The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.^{(A) 21} The shaggy goat is the king of Greece,^(B) and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.^{(C) 22} The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.

²³ “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. ²⁴ He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people.^{(D) 25} He will cause deceit^(E) to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes.^(F) Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.^(G)