"In his placea despicableperson will arise,on whom the honorof kingshiphas not been conferred,but he will comein a timeof tranquilityand seizethe kingdomby intrigue.
"Now when they fallthey will be granteda littlehelp,and manywill joinwith them in hypocrisy.
"And throughhis shrewdnessHe will cause deceitto succeedby his influence;And he will magnify[himself] in his heart,And he will destroymanywhile [they are] at ease.He will even opposethe Princeof princes,But he will be brokenwithouthumanagency.
His speechwas smootherthanbutter,But his heartwas war;His wordswere softerthanoil,Yet they were drawnswords.
The LORDhas issueda commandconcerningyou: "Your namewill nolongerbe perpetuated.I will cutoffidoland imageFrom the houseof your gods.I will prepareyour grave,For you are contemptible."
"By smooth[words] he will turnto godlessnessthose who actwickedlytoward the covenant,but the peoplewho knowtheir Godwill displaystrengthand takeaction.
"Then in his placeone will arisewho will sendan oppressorthroughthe Jewelof [his] kingdom;yet within a fewdayshe will be shattered,though not in angernorin battle.
"But one of the descendantsof her linewill arisein his place,and he will comeagainst[their] armyand enterthe fortressof the kingof the North,and he will dealwith them and display[great] strength.
"In the latterperiodof their rule,When the transgressorshave run[their course], A kingwill arise,Insolentand skilledin intrigue.
Out of oneof them camefortha rather smallhornwhich grewexceedinglygreattowardthe south,towardthe east,and towardthe Beautiful[Land].
"While I was contemplatingthe horns,behold,anotherhorn,a littleone,cameup amongthem, and threeof the firsthornswere pulledout by the rootsbeforeit; and behold,thishornpossessed eyeslike the eyesof a manand a mouthutteringgreat[boasts].
Nolongerwill the foolbe callednoble,Or the roguebe spokenof [as] generous.
In whose eyesa reprobateis despised,But who honorsthose who fearthe LORD;He swearsto his own hurtand does not change;
The wickedstrutabout on everysideWhen vilenessis exaltedamong the sonsof men.
"For I have toldhim that I am about to judgehis houseforeverfor the iniquitywhichhe knew,becausehis sonsbroughta curseon themselvesand he did not rebukethem.
"This sentenceis by the decreeof the [angelic] watchersAnd the decisionis a commandof the holyones,In orderthat the livingmay knowThat the MostHighis rulerover the realmof mankind,And bestowsit on whomHe wishesAnd setsoverit the lowliestof men."
