then he wrote the dream Then [he wrote the dream] and told the beginnings of the matters.

and behold [as translated,] and behold.

the four winds of the heavens were stirring up, etc. four blowing winds coming from the four directions of the world and waging war with the Great Sea and stirring it up.

And four beasts [as translated,] and four beasts.

each one different from the other [as translated,] each one different from the other.

The first one was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle It was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle; that is the kingdom of Babylon, which was ruling at that time, and so did Jeremiah see it (4:7): “A lion has come up from its thicket,” and he says also (48:40): “like an eagle he shall soar.”

until its wings were plucked Its wings were plucked, which is an allusion to its downfall

and it was taken from the earth an expression of being removed from the earth, an allusion to the curtailment of the kingdom from the world.

and the heart of a mortal Aram. וּלְבַב אֶנָשׁ, an expression of weakness, like (Psalms 9:21): “Let the nations know that they are forever mortal men (אֶנוֹשׁ)”.

another [as translated,] another.

second that emerged second from the sea.

resembling a bear This represents the kingdom of Persia, which will reign after Babylon, who eats and drinks like a bear and is enwrapped in flesh like a bear.

resembling a bear It is spelled לְדֹב [without a “vav,”] like דִיבָא, the Aramaic for זְאֵב, a wolf, for the kingdom of Persia was also called a wolf, as it is said: (Jer. 5: 6): “Therefore a lion smote them, a wolf of the deserts spoils them.”

and it stood to one side and it stood to one side, indicating that when the kingdom of Babylon terminates, Persia will wait one year, when Media will reign.

and there were three ribs in its mouth Aram. וּתְלָת עִלָעִין בְּפֻמַּהּ, three ribs. Our Sages explained that three provinces were constantly rebelling against it [i.e., Persia] and making peace with it; sometimes it would swallow them and sometimes spit them out. That is the meaning of “in its mouth between its teeth,” sometimes outside its teeth, sometimes inside (Kid. 72a), but I say that the three עִלָעִין are three kings who will rise from Persia: Cyrus, Ahasuerus, and Darius who built the Temple.

much meat [as translated,] much meat.

four wings...four heads They are the four rulers to whom Alexander of Macedon allotted his kingdom at his death, as is written in the book of Joseph ben Gurion (Book 3, ch. 14), for this third beast is the kingdom of Antiochus, and it is called נָמֵר because it issued decrees upon Israel [which were] spotted (מְנֻמָּרוֹת) and varied one from the other.

and dominion was given it [as translated,] and dominion was given it.

in the visions of the night on another night. The first three he saw on one night, and this one on another night, because it is equal to them all. In Leviticus Rabbah (13:5).

and it had...iron teeth [as translated,] iron teeth.

and crushed It crushed and ground finely.

and...the rest what it left over from its eating.

and...ten horns Aram. וְקַרְנַיִן עֲשַׂר. The angel explained to him that these are the ten kings who would ascend [the throne] of Rome before Vespasian, who would destroy the Temple.

and behold Aram. וַאֲלוּ, like וַאֲרוּ, an expression of “behold.”

speaking arrogantly words of arrogance. That is Titus, about whom the Rabbis, of blessed memory, said (Gittin 56b) that he blasphemed and berated and entered the Heichal with brazenness.

until thrones were set up Thrones were set up and established to sit in judgment, one for judgment for the nations of the world and one for charity for Israel.

and the Ancient of Days sat The Holy One, blessed be He, was sitting in judgment on this kingdom and on those before it, who provoked Him and oppressed His children.

as white as snow to whiten the iniquities of His people.

and the hair of His head was like clean wool He cleanses Himself of the merits that the nations have before Him, and He pays them all their reward in this world. In Lev. Rabbah.

of fire [as translated,] of fire.

a burning fire [as translated,] a burning fire.

was flowing and emerging [as translated,] was flowing and emerging.

serve Him i.e., the Ancient of Days.

justice was established The judgment is established before Him.

and the books were opened The books were opened; the book of the transgressions and the evils that they committed.

from the sound of the arrogant words From the sound of the haughty words that the horn was speaking, the wrath of the Ancient of Days was aroused.

until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed and given [as translated,] and its body was destroyed.

to a flame of fire to a flame of fire; this refers to Jacob’s fire etc.

But as for the other beasts, their dominion was removed And from the other kingdoms, their dominion was removed by Heaven.

and they were given an extension of life And He gave them time to live until a set day in the future, the wars of Gog and Magog.

an extension Aram. אַרְכָה, waiting.

one like a man was coming That is the King Messiah.

and...up to the Ancient of Days Who was sitting in judgment and judging the nations.

came arrived, reached.

And He gave him dominion And to that man He gave dominion over the nations, for the heathens he likens to beasts, and Israel he likens to a man because they are humble and innocent.

which will not be removed [as translated,] will not be removed.

My spirit... became troubled Aram. אֶתְכְּרִיַת an expression of (Exod. 21:33): “or if...digs (יִכְרֶה),” and Hebrew and Aramaic are alike in this case; i.e., it was humbled because of the depth of its digging.

within its sheath Aram. בְּגוֹ נִדְנֶה ; i.e., my spirit became terrified in my body from this dream.

I drew near to one of those standing I drew near to one of those standing there beside the Ancient of Days. The angels are called standing ones, as it is said: (Zech. 3:7): “among these who stand by (הָעמְדִים),” because they have no joints.

and I asked him the truth [as translated,] and I asked him the truth.

four kingdoms Aram. אַרְבְּעָא מַלְכִין, lit. four kings.

And the high holy ones will receive the kingdom These are Israel, who will take the kingdom from the fourth one.

Then I wished to determine the truth Then I wished to determine the truth concerning the fourth beast.

which was different from all of them—excessively dreadful which was different from all of them with excessive dreadfulness.

and [the] three [that] fell before it and three of the first ones fell before it.

and the horn that was like this and that had eyes and the horn that was like this, and had eyes, as is written above.

I looked in my first dream, which I told above.

with the holy ones with Israel.

and gave revenge to the high holy ones and He gave them revenge from it.

So he said So did the angel who interpreted the dream for me reply to me.

And the ten horns And its ten horns that you saw—this is its interpretation.

from that kingdom [as translated,] from that kingdom.

and the last one will rise after them and the last one will rise after them—that is Titus.

against the Most High [as translated,] against the Most High.

and he will oppress the high holy ones He will burden and oppress Israel.

and he will think to change the times and the law He will plan in his heart to cause them to transgress all their appointed times and their laws.

until a time, two times, and half a time This is an obscure end, as was said to Daniel (12:4): “And you, Daniel, close up the words and seal,” and the early commentators expounded on it, each one according to his view, and the ends have passed. We can still interpret it as I saw written in the name of Rav Saadia Gaon, that they are the 1,335 years stated at the end of the Book (12:12): “Fortunate is he who waits [and reaches the days one thousand three hundred and thirty-five],” and he explains the appointed time as until the time of two times and a half time, and he [Rav Saadia Gaon] said that the times are 480 [years], which is the time from the Exodus from Egypt until the Temple was built, and 410 [years], [which are] the days of the First Temple, totaling 890, and another half of this time, 445, totaling 1,335. Figure these from the time the daily sacrifice was discontinued until the daily sacrifice will be restored to its place; it was discontinued six years prior to the destruction, and there is somewhat of a proof in this Book. [See Rashi to 8:14.] Others bring further proof to this computation, namely that (Deut. 31:18): “And I, will hide My face” [the words] הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר add up in gematria to 1,335.

And the judgment was established And the judgment was established before Him.

and they will remove his dominion from heaven. They will remove the dominion and the rule of that kingdom.

and obey They will obey his command to execute it.

until here [as translated,] until here.

my thoughts terrified me greatly My thoughts were terrifying me greatly.

and my colors changed The appearance of my good looks and my features changed.

I kept...in my heart I hid in my heart.