< Daniel 5 >
1 Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and [there was] wine before the thousand.
2 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.
10 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, 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 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 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 concerning you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and [that] watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in you.
15 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 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 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 O king, the most high God gave to your father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty, and honour, and glory:
19 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 was lifted up, and his spirit was emboldened to act proudly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and [his] honour was taken from him.
21 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 And you accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, has not humbled your heart before God: know you not all this?
23 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 from his presence has been sent forth the knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered the writing.
25 And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares.
26 This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mane; God has measured your kingdom, and finished it.
27 Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found lacking.
28 Phares; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 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 In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain.
31 And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years [old].
