Daniel 5
1 King Belshazzar made a great feast to a thousand of his princes, and dranke wine before the thousand.
King Belshazzar held a great feast for one thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine with them.
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.
Under the wine's influence Belshazzar ordered his servants to bring in the cups and bowls of gold and silver his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem so that he and his nobles, his wives and concubines, could 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.
So they brought in the gold cups and bowls that had been taken from the Temple of God in Jerusalem. The king and his nobles, his 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.
As they drank wine they praised their gods—idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, 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.
Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared, writing on the plaster wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. The king watched the hand as it 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.
His face turned pale, and he became very frightened. His legs gave way and his knees knocked together.
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.
The king shouted, “Bring in the enchanters and astrologers and diviners!” He told these wise men of Babylon, “Anyone who can read this writing and explain it to me will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 Then came all the Kings wise men, but they could neither reade the writing, nor shewe the King the interpretation.
However, after all the king's wise men had come in, they could not read the writing or explain to him what it meant.
9 Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonied.
This made King Belshazzar even more frightened and his face grew even paler. His nobles also were in panic.
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.
When the queen mother heard the noise the king and the nobles were making she went to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “May Your Majesty the king live forever! Don't be frightened! Don't look so pale!
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's a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In your father's time he was found to have understanding and insight, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your Majesty's father, King Nebuchadnezzar put him in charge of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your father did this
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.
because Daniel, (called Belteshazzar by the king) was found to have an excellent mind, full of understanding and insight, and also able to interpret dreams, explain mysteries, and solve difficult problems. Call Daniel in and let him explain what this means to you.”
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?
So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the prisoners my father the king brought from Judah?
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 about you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you were found to have understanding, insight, and great wisdom.
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.
Just now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and explain it to me, but they weren't able to do so—they couldn't tell me what it meant.
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.
However, I'm told that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and explain it to me, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will become the third highest ruler in the 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.
Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts and give your rewards to another. Even so I will read the writing to Your Majesty and explain to you what it means.
18 O King, heare thou, The most high God gaue vnto Nebuchad-nezzar thy father a kingdome, and maiestie, and honour and glory.
Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar this kingdom, and power, glory, and majesty.
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.
Because of the power he gave him, people of every nation and language trembled with fear before him. Those he wished to kill were killed, and those he wished to live were allowed to live. Those he wanted to honor were honored, and those he wanted to humble were humbled.
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 he became arrogant and hard-hearted, acting proudly, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him.
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.
He was driven away from human society and his mind became like that of an animal. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle, and he was soaked with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High rules over human kingdoms, and that he gives them to whoever he chooses.
22 And thou his sonne, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all these things,
But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, even though you knew all this.
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.
You have arrogantly defied the Lord of heaven and you had the cups and bowls of his Temple brought to you. You and your nobles, your wives and concubines, drank wine from them as you praised gods made of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone that can't see or hear or know anything. But you have not honored God who holds in his hand your very breath and everything you do.
24 Then was the palme of the hand sent from him, and hath written this writing.
That's why he sent the hand to write this message.
25 And this is the writing that he hath written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN.
What was written on the wall was this: ‘Number, number, weigh, divide.’
26 This is the interpretation of the thing, MENE, God hath nombred thy kingdome, and hath finished it.
Here is the meaning: Number—God has numbered your reign and brought it to an end.
27 TEKEL, thou art wayed in the balance, and art found too light.
Weighed—you have been weighed on the balances and you were found lacking.
28 PERES, thy kingdome is deuided, and giuen to the Medes and Persians.
Divided—your kingdom has been divided and 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 Belshazzar gave the order and Daniel was clothed in purple and had a gold chain placed around his neck. He was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 The same night was Belshazzar the King of the Caldeans slaine.
On that very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was killed
31 And Darius of the Medes tooke the kingdome, being threescore and two yeere olde.
and Darius the Mede was given the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
