Daniel 5
1 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.
Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and [there was] wine before the thousand.
2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
And Baltasar drinking gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the gold and silver vessels, which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought forth from the temple in Jerusalem; that the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, should drink out of them.
3 Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
So the gold and silver vessels were brought which [Nabuchodonosor] had taken out of the temple of God in Jerusalem; and the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, drank out of them.
4 As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of iron, and of wood, and of stone.
5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing,
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote in front of the lamp on the plaster of the wall of the king's house: and the king saw the knuckles of the hand that wrote.
6 his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one another.
7 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
And the king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers; and he said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and make known to me the interpretation, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [there shall be] a golden chain upon his neck, and he shall be the third ruler in my kingdom.
8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.
Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known the interpretation to the king.
9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.
And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.
10 Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.
Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not your thoughts trouble you, and let not your countenance be changed.
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of your father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor your father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers.
12 did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”
For [there is] an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding in him, interpreting dreams [as he does], and answering hard [questions], and solving difficulties: [it is] Daniel, and the king gave him the name of Baltasar: now then let him be called, and he shall tell you the interpretation of the writing.
13 So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
Then Daniel was brought in before the king: and the king said to Daniel, Are you Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judea, which the king my father brought?
14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
I have heard concerning you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and [that] watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in you.
15 Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.
And now, the wise men, magicians, [and] soothsayers, have come in before me, to read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation: but they could not tell it me.
16 But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
And I have heard concerning you, that you are able to make interpretations: now then if you shall be able to read the writing, and to make known to me the interpretation of it, you shall be clothed with purple, and there shall be a golden chain upon your neck, and you shall be third ruler in my kingdom.
17 In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.
And Daniel said, before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give the present of your house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to you the interpretation of it.
18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
O king, the most high God gave to your father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty, and honor, and glory:
19 Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.
and by reason of the majesty which he gave to him, all nations, tribes, [and] languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he killed; and whom he would he struck; and whom he would he exalted; and whom he would he abased.
20 But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was emboldened to act proudly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and [his] honor was taken from him.
21 He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
And he was driven forth from men; and his heart was given him after the nature of wild beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and they fed him with grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the most high God is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whoever he shall please.
22 But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.
And you accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, has not humbled your heart before God: know you not all this?
23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
And you has been exalted against the Lord God of heaven; and they have brought before you the vessels of his house, and you, and your nobles, and your mistresses, and your concubines, have drunk wine out of them; and you has praised the gods of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and wood, and stone, which see not, and which hear not, and know not: and the God in whose hand are your breath, and all your ways has you not glorified.
24 Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
Therefore from his presence has been sent forth the knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered the writing.
25 Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares.
26 And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mane; God has measured your kingdom, and finished it.
27 TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found lacking.
28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
Phares; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
Then Baltasar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put the golden chain about his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he was the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain,
In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain.
31 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years [old].
