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1 And it came to pass the second night that I saw a dream, and, behold, there came up from the sea an eagle, which had twelve feathered wings, and three heads. 2 And I saw, and, behold, she spread her wings over all the earth, and all the winds of heaven blew on her, * and the clouds were gathered together against her. 3 And I beheld, and out of her wings there grew other wings over against them; and they became little wings and small. 4 But her heads were at rest: the head in the midst was greater than the other heads, yet rested it with them. 5 Moreover I beheld, and, lo, the eagle flew with her wings, to reign over the earth, and over them that dwell therein. 6 And I beheld how that all things under heaven were subject unto her, and no man spake against her, no, not one creature upon earth. 7 And I beheld, and, lo, the eagle rose upon her talons, and uttered her voice to her wings, saying, 8 Watch not all at once: sleep every one in his own place, and watch by course: 9 but let the heads be preserved for the last. 10 And I beheld, and, lo, the voice went not out of her heads, but from the midst of her body. 11 And I numbered † her wings that were over against the other, and, behold, there were eight of them. 12 And I beheld, and, lo, on the right side there arose one wing, and reigned over all the earth; 13 and so it was, that when it reigned, the end of it came, and it appeared not, so that the place thereof appeared no more: and the next following rose up, and reigned, and it bare rule a great time; 14 and it happened, that when it reigned, the end of it came also, so that it appeared no more, like as the first. 15 And, lo, there came a voice unto it, and said, 16 Hear thou that hast borne rule over the earth all this time: this I proclaim unto thee, before thou shalt appear no more, 17 There shall none after thee attain unto thy time, neither unto the half thereof. 18 Then arose the third, and had the rule as the others before, and it also appeared no more. 19 So went it with all the wings one after another, as that every one bare rule, and then appeared no more. 20 And I beheld, and, lo, in process of time the ‡ wings that followed were set up upon the § right side, that they might rule also; and some of them ruled, but within a while they appeared no more: 21 some also of them were set up, but ruled not. 22 After this I beheld, and, lo, the twelve wings appeared no more, nor two of the little wings: 23 and there was no more left upon the eagle’s body, but the three heads that rested, and six little wings. 24 And I beheld, and, lo, two little wings divided themselves from the six, and remained under the head that was upon the right side: but four remained in their place. 25 And I beheld, and, lo, these ** under wings thought to set up themselves, and to have the rule. 26 And I beheld, and, lo, there was one set up, but within a while it appeared no more. 27 A second also, and it was sooner away than the first. 28 And I beheld, and, lo, the two that remained thought also in themselves to reign: 29 and while they so thought, behold, there awaked one of the heads that were at rest, namely, it that was in the midst; for that was greater than the two other heads. 30 And I beheld how that it joined the two other heads with it. 31 And, behold, the head was turned with them that were with it, and did eat up the two †† under wings that thought to have reigned. 32 But this head held the whole earth in possession, and bare rule over those that dwell therein with much oppression; and it had the governance of the world more than all the wings that had been. 33 And after this I beheld, and, lo, the head also that was in the midst suddenly appeared no more, like as the wings. 34 But there remained the two heads, which also in like sort reigned over the earth, and over those that dwell therein. 35 And I beheld, and, lo, the head upon the right side devoured it that was upon the left side.
36 Then I heard a voice, which said unto me, Look before thee, and consider the thing that thou seest. 37 And I beheld, and, lo, as it were a lion roused out of the wood roaring: and I heard how that he sent out a man’s voice unto the eagle, and spake, saying, 38 Hear thou, I will talk with thee, and the Most High shall say unto thee, 39 Art not thou it that remainest of the four beasts, whom I made to reign in my world, that the end of my times might come through them? 40 And the fourth came, and overcame all the beasts that were past, and held the world in governance with great trembling, and the whole compass of the earth with grievous oppression; and so long time dwelt he upon the earth with deceit. 41 And thou hast judged the earth, but not with truth. 42 For thou hast afflicted the meek, thou hast hurt the peaceable, thou hast hated them that speak truth, thou hast loved liars, and destroyed the dwellings of them that brought forth fruit, and cast down the walls of such as did thee no harm. 43 Therefore is thy insolent dealing come up unto the Most High, and thy pride unto the Mighty. 44 The Most High also hath looked upon his times, and, behold, they are ended, and his ages are fulfilled. 45 And therefore appear no more, thou eagle, nor thy horrible wings, nor thy evil little wings, nor thy cruel heads, nor thy hurtful talons, nor all thy vain body: 46 that all the earth may be refreshed, and be eased, being delivered from thy violence, and that she may hope for the judgement and mercy of him that made her.
* 11:2 So the chief Oriental versions. The Latin has only and were gathered together. † 11:11 The Syriac has her little wings, and, &c. ‡ 11:20 The Syriac has little wings. § 11:20 The Aethiopic has left. ** 11:25 The Syriac has little wings. †† 11:31 The Syriac has little wings.