1. In the third year of Persia’s King Cyrus, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar. The message was true: there would be a great conflict. Daniel understood the message, having discerned the meaning of the vision.
2. During that time, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks.
3. I didn’t eat any rich foods. Neither meat nor wine passed my lips, and I didn’t clean up at all until the three weeks were up.
4. Then, on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was on the bank of the great Tigris River,
5. I looked up and suddenly saw a man clothed in linen in front of me. He had a brilliant gold belt around his waist,
6. and his body was like topaz. His face was like a flash of lightning, and his eyes were like burning torches. His arms and feet looked like polished bronze. When he spoke, it sounded like the roar of a crowd.
7. Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The other people who were with me didn’t see it. Despite that, they were terrified and ran away to hide.
8. So I was left alone to see this great vision all by myself. All my strength left me. My energy was sapped, and I couldn’t stay strong.
9. Then I heard the sound of the man’s words. When I heard it, I fell into a trance with my face on the ground.