Daniel 5
1 Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and [there was] 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 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.
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 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.
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 drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of iron, and of wood, and of stone.
As they drank wine they praised their gods—idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and 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.
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 king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one another.
His face turned pale, and he became very frightened. His legs gave way and his knees knocked together.
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.
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 in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known the interpretation to the king.
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 And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.
This made King Belshazzar even more frightened and his face grew even paler. His nobles also were in panic.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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?
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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, the most high God gave to your father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty, and honor, and glory:
Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar this kingdom, and power, glory, and majesty.
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.
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 lifted up, and his spirit was emboldened to act proudly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and [his] honor was taken 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 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.
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 you accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, has not humbled your heart before God: know you not all this?
But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, even though you knew 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.
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 Therefore from his presence has been sent forth the knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered the writing.
That's why he sent the hand to write this message.
25 And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares.
What was written on the wall was this: ‘Number, number, weigh, divide.’
26 This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mane; God has measured your kingdom, and finished it.
Here is the meaning: Number—God has numbered your reign and brought it to an end.
27 Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found lacking.
Weighed—you have been weighed on the balances and you were found lacking.
28 Phares; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Divided—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the 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.
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 In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain.
On that very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was killed
31 And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years [old].
and Darius the Mede was given the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
