< Daniel 5 >

1 [Several years later, ] Belshazzar [became the] king [of Babylon. One day] he invited 1,000 of his officers to a big feast, and he drank [a lot of] wine with them.
貝耳沙匝王為大員千人擺設了盛筵,並與千人宴飲。
2 While he was drinking, he commanded [his servants] bring to him the gold and silver cups that the previous king, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. [He did that] because he wanted himself and his officials, his wives, and [even] his (concubines/slave wives) to drink from them, [making fun of the god that we Israelis worshiped].
貝耳沙匝乘著酒興,命人將他父親拿步高從耶路撒冷殿中劫掠的金銀器皿取來,給君王和他的大員並自己的妻妾用來飲酒。
3 So his servants brought in [all] those gold cups, that had been taken [many years previously] from the temple of [the true] God in Jerusalem. Then the king and his officials and his wives and his slave wives drank [wine] from those cups.
於是人把從耶路撒冷天主殿宇聖所內劫掠的金銀器皿取來,給君王和他的大員並妻妾用來飲酒;
4 They drank to praise/honor their idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and [even] wood and stone.
大家一面飲酒,一面讚揚自己用金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石製的神像。
5 Suddenly they saw a man’s hand writing on the plaster of the wall opposite the lampstand. The king also saw the hand as it was writing.
正在此時,忽然出現了一個人的手指,在燈台後面王宮的粉牆上寫字,君王也看見了那寫字的手掌。
6 He became very frightened, and his face became pale/white. His knees started shaking, and his legs became very weak, with the result that he could not stand up.
當時君王的面色立即改變,心意煩亂,兩腰關節鬆弛,兩膝互相碰擊,
7 [Then] he shouted to summon the men who worked magic, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers. He said, “I will [greatly honor] any one of them who can read this writing and tell me what it means. I will give him a purple [robe like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around his neck. He will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than he will be.”
君王遂大聲喊叫,命召術士、占星者和占卜者來;君王就向巴比倫的智者說:不論誰,如能閱讀這些字,給我解說其中的意義,就必身被絳袍,帶上金項鏈,位居全國第三。
8 But when all those wise men came in, none of them could read the writing, or tell him what it meant.
巴比倫所有的智者都來了,卻沒有一個人能閱讀那些文字,也不能給君王說明所含有的意義。
9 So King Belshazzar became more afraid. His face became [even] paler/whiter. And [all] his officials [who were there at the feast] did not know what to do.
因此貝耳沙匝王極其驚慌,面色大變,他的大臣也都不知所措。
10 But when the mother of the king (OR, of the previous king) heard the king and his officials talking [loudly about what had happened], she entered the room where they were having the feast. She said [to Belshazzar], “(Your majesty/O King), I hope you will live for a long time! But do not be pale and afraid about this.
太后聽到了君王和大臣們的喧嘩聲,遂進入坐席的大廳,啟奏說:「大王萬歲! 你不要心慌意亂,面容也不必改變;
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. When Nebuchadnezzar was ruling, they discovered that this man understood many things and was wise, just like the gods. The man who was king previously, Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him to be in charge of all the men [in Babylon] who worked magic, the men who worked sorcery, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers.
你國內現有一個人,具有至聖神明的精神,你父親在日,已發見他具有真知灼見,智慧如神。你父親拿步高王,曾立他為所有巫師、術士、占星者和占卜者的首領,
12 That man’s name is Daniel; the king gave him a [new] name, Belteshazzar. He is very intelligent and is able to know and understand many things. He is [even] able to tell the meaning of dreams, and explain riddles, and explain things that are very difficult to understand. Summon him, and he will tell you what [this writing] means.”
就因為在他身上具有一種卓越的精神、學識和聰敏,能詳解夢境,釋謎破惑;君王就將他達尼爾的名字改作貝耳特沙匝。現在就召達尼爾前來,他必能說出其中的意義。」
13 So they [went and] brought me in. The king asked me, “You [must] be Daniel [RHQ]! [They told me that you are] one of those who was brought [here] from Judah by the previous king.
於是達尼爾被引到王前,問達尼爾說:「你就是我父王昔日由猶大擄來的猶大俘虜中的達尼爾嗎﹖
14 I have [also] heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you are very wise and understand many things.
我聽說你有神的精神,具有真知灼見,和卓越的智慧。
15 My wise men and men who work magic have tried to read the writing on this wall and tell me what it means, but they are not able to do it.
方纔智者和術士被引至我前,要他們念這些文字,給我說明其中的意義,但是他們卻都不能給我解釋這些文字的意義。
16 [Someone] told me that you can tell what dreams mean and explain things that are very difficult to understand. If you can read these words and tell me what they mean, [I] give you a purple robe [like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around your neck. You will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than you will be.”
我聽說你能解釋疑難,現在你若能念這些文字,給我說明其中的意義,你就要身披絳袍,帶上金項鏈,位居全國第三。」
17 I replied, “[I do not want] your gifts; keep them, or give them to someone else. But I will read for you the writing [on the wall], and I will tell you what it means.
達尼爾回答君王說:「你的禮物仍歸你所有,你的酬報可賞給他人,至於我,我仍要給大王念這些文字,使大王得知其中的含義。
18 (Your Majesty/O king), the Supreme God caused the man who was king before you, Nebuchadnezzar, to become a great ruler, who was greatly praised and honored.
大王! 至高者天主曾將國家、威權、光榮和尊嚴賞賜了你的父親拿步高;
19 Because God caused him to become [very] great, people of many [HYP] people-groups and nations and who spoke many different languages were very much afraid of him. He [commanded his soldiers to] kill those whom he wanted to be killed, and he (spared/allowed to live) those whom he wanted to spare. He honored those whom he wanted to honor, and he caused to be disgraced those whom he wanted to be disgraced.
由於天主賞賜了他這樣大的威權,各民族,各邦國,各異語人民,在他面前無不震驚害怕;他願意殺的就殺,他願意活的就活,他願意升的就升,他願意貶的就貶。
20 But when he became very proud and stubborn [IDM], he was removed from being king [MTY]. People did not consider him to be glorious/great any more.
但在他心高氣傲,目空一切的時候,便從王位上被推下來,喪失了自己的光榮,
21 [His officials] sent him away in order that he would not be near [other] people. [God] caused him to have a mind like animals have. He lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cows do, and dew from the sky caused his body to be damp/wet [each morning]. [He was like that] until he learned that the Supreme God is [really the one who] rules the kingdoms of this world, and that he appoints whomever he chooses to rule those kingdoms.
由人間被驅逐,他的心相似獸心,與野驢為為伍,吃草如同牛一樣;他的身體為露水浸濕,直到他承認至高者天主統治世人的國度,他願意給誰統治,就給誰。
22 Now, Belshazzar, you have become the king. You [also] knew all those things, but you have not made yourself humble.
貝耳沙匝! 你是他的兒子,雖然你知道這一切,但是你仍不低首下心,
23 You have considered yourself to be greater than [God], the Lord of heaven. [So you have commanded your servants to] bring to you these sacred cups, [which were dedicated to the Supreme God, and which were taken] from his temple [in Jerusalem]. You and your officials and your wives and your (concubines/slave wives) have been drinking wine from these cups, while you have been praising [your own] gods—gods which are made of gold and silver and bronze and iron and wood and stone. [Those are gods] that cannot see, that cannot hear, and that do not know anything! You have not honored the God who gives you breath and who controls everything that happens to you.
反而自高自大,抵抗上天的大主,命人將他殿宇的器皿給你拿來,供你和你的大臣並你的妻妾用來飲酒,並且你讚美那些不能看,不能聽,不能知的金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石製的神像,卻不知尊崇那掌握你的氣息,註定你一切命途的天主。
24 So God sent that hand to write a message [for you].
為此,他使一隻手掌出現,寫了這些字。
25 This is the message that it wrote: ‘Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’
寫出來的這些字是:「默乃,默乃,特刻耳,培勒斯。」
26 This is what those words mean: Mene [means] ‘numbered/counted’. [That means that] God has been counting the days that you will rule, and he has [now] decided that you will not rule any more.
這些字的含義是:「默乃:」天主數了你的國祚,使它完結;「
27 Tekel [means ‘weighed’. It is as though God] has weighed you on a scale, and you do not weigh what you should, [which means that you have not been doing what you should; you are not fit to be a king] [MET].
特刻耳:」你在天秤上被衡量了,不夠分量;「
28 Parsin [means ‘divided’. That means that God] has divided your kingdom. Some of it will be ruled by people from Media and some will be ruled by people from Persia.”
培勒斯:」你的國被瓜分了,給了瑪待人和波斯人。」
29 Then Belshazzar [did what he had promised]. He put on me a purple robe [like the one he himself wore. He] put a gold chain around my neck. And he proclaimed that there would be only two others who would be more important than me in his kingdom.
於是貝耳沙匝下令,給達尼爾披上絳袍,帶上金項鏈,並宣布他位居全國第三。
30 But that same night [soldiers from Media entered the city and] killed Belshazzar, the King of Babylonia.
當夜加色丁王貝耳沙匝即為人所殺。
31 Darius, the King of Media, became the King [of Babylonia] when he was 62 years old.
瑪待人達理阿承受了王位,那時他約六十二歲。

< Daniel 5 >