Daniel 5
1 King Belshazzar made a great feast to a thousand of his princes, and dranke wine before the thousand.
Belshazzar, the king, made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and each one of them drank according to his age.
2 And Belshazzar whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring him the golden and siluer vessels, which his father Nebuchad-nezzar had brought from the Temple in Ierusalem, that the King and his princes, his wiues, and his concubines might drinke therein.
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.
3 Then were brought the golden vessels, that were taken out of the Temple of the Lords house at Ierusalem, and the King and his princes, his wiues and his concubines dranke in them.
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.
4 They drunke wine and praysed the gods of golde, and of siluer, of brasse, of yron, of wood and of stone.
They drank wine, and they praised their gods of gold, and silver, brass, iron, and wood and stone.
5 At the same houre appeared fingers of a mans hand, which wrote ouer against the candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall of ye Kings palace, and the King sawe the palme of the hand that wrote.
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.
6 Then the Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughtes troubled him, so that the ioynts of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other.
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.
7 Wherefore the King cryed loude, that they should bring the astrologians, the Caldeans and the soothsayers. And the King spake, and sayd to the wise men of Babel, Whosoeuer can reade this writing, and declare me the interpretation thereof, shalbe clothed with purple, and shall haue a chaine of golde about his necke, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdome.
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.”
8 Then came all the Kings wise men, but they could neither reade the writing, nor shewe the King the interpretation.
Then, in came all the wise men of the king, but they could neither read the writing, nor reveal the interpretation to the king.
9 Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonied.
Therefore, king Belshazzar was quite confused, and his face was altered, and even his nobles were disturbed.
10 Now the Queene by reason of the talke of the King, and his princes came into the banket house, and the Queene spake, and sayd, O King, liue for euer: let not thy thoughtes trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.
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.
11 There is a man in thy kingdome, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, and in the dayes of thy father light and vnderstanding and wisdome like the wisdome of the gods, was found in him: whom the King Nebuchad-nezzar thy father, the King, I say, thy father, made chiefe of the enchanters, astrologians, Caldeans, and soothsayers,
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.
12 Because a more excellent spirit, and knowledge, and vnderstanding (for hee did expound dreames, and declare hard sentences, and dissolued doubtes) were founde in him, euen in Daniel, whome the King named Belteshazzar: nowe let Daniel be called, and hee will declare the interpretation.
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.”
13 Then was Daniel brought before the King, and the King spake and sayd vnto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captiuitie of Iudah, whom my father the King brought out of Iewrie?
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?
14 Now I haue heard of thee, that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and that light and vnderstanding and excellent wisdome is found in thee.
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.
15 Now therefore, wisemen and astrologians haue bene brought before me, that they should reade this writing, and shewe me the interpretation thereof: but they could not declare the interpretation of the thing.
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.
16 Then heard I of thee, that thou couldest shewe interpretations, and dissolue doutes: nowe if thou canst reade the writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and shalt haue a chaine of golde about thy necke, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdome.
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.”
17 Then Daniel answered, and sayd before the King, Keepe thy rewards to thy selfe, and giue thy giftes to another: yet I will reade the writing vnto the King, and shew him the interpretation.
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.
18 O King, heare thou, The most high God gaue vnto Nebuchad-nezzar thy father a kingdome, and maiestie, and honour and glory.
O king, the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your father, a kingdom and greatness, glory and honor.
19 And for the maiestie that he gaue him, all people, nations, and languages trembled, and feared before him: he put to death whom he would: he smote whome he would: whome he would he set vp, and whome he would he put downe.
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.
20 But when his heart was puft vp, and his minde hardened in pride, hee was deposed from his kingly throne, and they tooke his honour from him.
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.
21 And hee was driuen from the sonnes of men, and his heart was made like the beastes, and his dwelling was with the wilde asses: they fed him with grasse like oxen, and his body was wet with the dewe of the heauen, till he knewe, that the most high God bare rule ouer the kingdome of men, and that he appointeth ouer it, whomsoeuer he pleaseth.
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.
22 And thou his sonne, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all these things,
Likewise, you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things.
23 But hast lift thy selfe vp against the Lord of heauen, and they haue brought the vessels of his House before thee, and thou and thy princes, thy wiues and thy concubines haue drunke wine in them, and thou hast praysed the gods of siluer and golde, of brasse, yron, wood and stone, which neither see, neither heare, nor vnderstand: and the God in whose hand thy breath is and all thy wayes, him hast thou not glorified.
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.
24 Then was the palme of the hand sent from him, and hath written this writing.
Therefore, he has sent the part of the hand which has written this, which has been inscribed.
25 And this is the writing that he hath written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN.
But this is the writing that has been decreed: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.
26 This is the interpretation of the thing, MENE, God hath nombred thy kingdome, and hath finished it.
And this is the interpretation of the words. MANE: God has numbered your kingdom and has finished it.
27 TEKEL, thou art wayed in the balance, and art found too light.
THECEL: you have been weighed on the scales and found lacking.
28 PERES, thy kingdome is deuided, and giuen to the Medes and Persians.
PHARES: your kingdom has been divided and has been given to the Medes and the Persians.
29 Then at the commandement of Belshazzar they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chaine of golde about his necke, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdome.
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.
30 The same night was Belshazzar the King of the Caldeans slaine.
That same night, king Belshazzar the Chaldean was killed.
31 And Darius of the Medes tooke the kingdome, being threescore and two yeere olde.
And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two years.
