Daniel 5
1 Belshazzar, the king, made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and each one of them drank according to his age.
Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and [there was] wine before the thousand.
2 And so, when they were drunk, he instructed that the vessels of gold and silver should be brought, which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had carried away from the temple, which was in Jerusalem, so that the king, and his nobles, and his wives, and the concubines, might drink from them.
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 Then the gold and silver vessels were presented, which he had carried away from the temple and which had been in Jerusalem, and the king, and his nobles, wives, and concubines, drank from them.
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 they praised their gods of gold, and silver, brass, iron, and 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 In the same hour, there appeared fingers, as of the hand of a man, writing on the surface of the wall, opposite the candlestick, in the king’s palace. And the king observed the part of the hand that wrote.
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 was changed, and his thoughts disturbed him, and he lost his self-control, and his knees knocked against one other.
Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one another.
7 And the king cried out loudly for them to bring in the astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. And the king proclaimed to the wise men of Babylon, saying, “Whoever will read this writing and make known to me its interpretation will be clothed with purple, and will have a golden chain on his neck, and will be third in my 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 Then, in came all the wise men of the king, but they could neither read the writing, nor reveal the interpretation to the king.
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 Therefore, king Belshazzar was quite confused, and his face was altered, and even his nobles were disturbed.
And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.
10 But the queen, because of what had happened to the king and his nobles, entered the banquet house. And she spoke out, saying, “O king, live forever. Do not let your thoughts confuse you, neither should your face be altered.
Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, and let not thy countenance be changed.
11 There is a man in your kingdom, who has the spirit of the holy gods within himself, and in the days of your father, knowledge and wisdom were found in him. For king Nebuchadnezzar, your father, appointed him leader of the astrologers, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, even your father, I say to you, O king.
There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of thy father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor thy father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers.
12 For a greater spirit, and foresight, and understanding, and interpretation of dreams, and the revealing of secrets, and the solution to difficulties were found in him, that is, in Daniel, to whom the king gave the name Belteshazzar. Now, therefore, let Daniel be summoned, and he will explain the interpretation.”
For [there is] an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding are 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 thee the interpretation of the writing.
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king spoke to him, saying, “Are you Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom my father the king led out of Judea?
Then Daniel was brought in before the king: and the king said to Daniel, Art thou Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judea, which the king my father brought?
14 I have heard of you, that you have the spirit of the gods, and that greater knowledge, as well as understanding and wisdom, have been found in you.
I have heard concerning thee, that the Spirit of God is in thee, and [that] watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in thee.
15 And now the wise astrologers have entered into my presence, so as to read this writing and to reveal to me its interpretation. And they were not able to tell me the meaning of this writing.
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 Furthermore, I have heard about you that you can interpret obscure things and solve difficulties. So then, if you succeed in reading the writing, and in revealing its interpretation, you will be clothed with purple, and you will have a chain of gold around your neck, and you will be the third leader in my kingdom.”
And I have heard concerning thee, that thou art able to make interpretations: now then if thou shalt be able to read the writing, and to make known to me the interpretation of it, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and there shall be a golden chain upon thy neck, and thou shalt be third ruler in my kingdom.
17 To this Daniel responded by saying directly to the king, “Your rewards should be for yourself, and the gifts of your house you may give to another, but I will read to you the writing, O king, and I will reveal to you its interpretation.
And Daniel said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give the present of thine house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to thee the interpretation of it.
18 O king, the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your father, a kingdom and greatness, glory and honor.
O king, the most high God gave to thy father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty, and honour, and glory:
19 And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all peoples, tribes, and languages trembled and were afraid of him. Whomever he wished, he put to death; and whomever he wished, he destroyed; and whomever he wished, he exalted; and whomever he wished, he lowered.
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 slew; and whom he would he smote; and whom he would he exalted; and whom he would he abased.
20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened in arrogance, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and his glory was taken away.
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 expelled from the sons of men, and so his heart was placed with the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys, and he ate hay like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he realized that the Most High holds power over the kingdom of men, and that whoever he wishes, he will set over it.
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 whomsoever he shall please.
22 Likewise, you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things.
And thou accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, hast not humbled thine heart before God: knowest thou not all this?
23 But you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been presented before you. And you, and your nobles, and your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. Likewise, you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, and brass, iron, and wood and stone, who neither see, nor hear, nor feel, yet you have not glorified the God who holds your breath and all your ways in his hand.
And thou hast been exalted against the Lord God of heaven; and they have brought before thee the vessels of his house, and thou, and thy nobles, and thy mistresses, and thy concubines, have drunk wine out of them; and thou hast 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 thy breath and all thy ways hast thou not glorified.
24 Therefore, he has sent the part of the hand which has written this, which has been inscribed.
Therefore from his presence has been sent forth the knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered this writing.
25 But this is the writing that has been decreed: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.
And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares.
26 And this is the interpretation of the words. MANE: God has numbered your kingdom and has finished it.
This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mane; God has measured thy kingdom, and finished it.
27 THECEL: you have been weighed on the scales and found lacking.
Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found wanting.
28 PHARES: your kingdom has been divided and has been given to the Medes and the Persians.
Phares; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 Then, by the king’s command, Daniel was dressed with purple, and a chain of gold was placed around his neck, and it was proclaimed of him that he held power as the third 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 same night, king Belshazzar the Chaldean was killed.
In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain.
31 And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two years.
And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years [old].
