Daniel 5
1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his noblemen, and he drank wine in front of all one thousand of them.
Baltasar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles: and every one drank according to his age.
2 While Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the containers made of gold or silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, from which he, his noblemen, and his wives and concubines could drink.
And being now drunk he commanded that they should bring the vessels of gold and silver which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought away out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, that the king and his nobles, and his wives and his concubines, might drink in them.
3 The servants brought the gold containers that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God, in Jerusalem. The king, his noblemen, and his wives and concubines drank from them.
Then were the golden and silver vessels brought, which he had brought away out of the temple that was in Jerusalem: and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, drank in them.
4 They drank the wine and praised their idols made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
They drank wine, and praised their gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, and of wood, and of stone.
5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared in front of the lampstand and wrote on the plaster wall in the king's palace. The king could see part of the hand as it wrote.
In the same hour there appeared fingers, as it were of the hand of a man, writing over against the candlestick upon the surface of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king beheld the joints of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king's face changed and his thoughts frightened him; his limbs could not support him, and his knees were knocking together.
Then was the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him: and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one against the other.
7 The king shouted a command to bring in those who claimed to speak with the dead, wise men, and astrologers. The king said to those known for their wisdom in Babylon, “Whoever explains this writing and its meaning will be clothed with purple and will have a gold chain around his neck. He will have the authority of the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
And the king cried out aloud to bring in the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon: Whosoever shall read this writing, and shall make known to me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and shall have a golden chain on his neck, and shall be the third man in my kingdom.
8 Then all the king's men who were known for their wisdom came in, but they could not read the writing or explain its meaning to the king.
Then came in all the king’s wise men, but they could neither read the writing, nor declare the interpretation to the king.
9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed and the look on his face changed. His noblemen were perplexed.
Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was changed: and his nobles also were troubled.
10 Now the queen came into the banquet house because of what the king and his nobles had said. The queen said, “King, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you. Do not let the look on your face change.
Then the queen, on occasion of what had happened to the king, and his nobles, came into the banquet house: and she spoke and said: O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, neither let thy countenance be changed.
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father the king, made him chief of the magicians, as well as chief of those who speak with the dead, of the wise men, and of the astrologers.
There is a man in thy kingdom that hath the spirit of the holy gods in him: and in the days of thy father knowledge and wisdom were found in him: for king Nabuchodonosor thy father appointed him prince of the wise men, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, thy father, I say, O king:
12 An excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, explaining riddles and solving problems—these qualities were found in this man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now call for Daniel and he will tell you the meaning of what has been written.”
Because a greater spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, and interpretation of dreams, and shewing of secrets, and resolving of difficult things, were found in him, that is, in Daniel: whom the king named Baltassar. Now therefore let Daniel be called for, and he will tell the interpretation.
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “You are that Daniel, one of the people of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Judah.
Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king spoke, and said to him: Art thou Daniel of the children of the captivity of Juda, whom my father the king brought out of Judea?
14 I have heard about you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
I have heard of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the gods, and excellent knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom are found in thee.
15 Now the men known for wisdom and those who claim to speak with the dead have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not make known the interpretation of it.
And now the wise men the magicians have come in before me, to read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof: and they could not declare to me the meaning of this writing.
16 I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and tell me its meaning, you will be clothed with purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will have the authority of the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
But I have heard of thee, that thou canst interpret obscure things, and resolve difficult things: now if thou art able to read the writing, and to shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and shalt have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third prince in my kingdom.
17 Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another person. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to you, king, and will tell you the meaning.
To which Daniel made answer, and said before the king: Thy rewards be to thyself, and the gifts of thy house give to another: but the writing I will read to thee, O king, and shew thee the interpretation thereof.
18 As for you, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty.
O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor thy father a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour.
19 Because of the greatness God gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared him. He put to death those he wanted to die, and he kept alive those he wished to live. He raised up those he wanted, and he humbled those he wished.
And for the greatness that he gave to him, all people, tribes, and languages trembled, and were afraid of him: whom he would, he slew: and whom he would, he destroyed: and whom he would, he set up: and whom he would, he brought down.
20 But when his heart was arrogant and his spirit was hardened so that he acted presumptuously, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and they took away his majesty.
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened unto pride, he was put down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory was taken away.
21 He was driven away from humanity, he had the mind of an animal, and he lived with the wild donkeys. He ate grass like an ox. His body was wet with the dew from the heavens until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of people and that he sets over them anyone he wishes.
And he was driven out from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses, and he did eat grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: till he knew that the most High ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he will set over it whomsoever it shall please him.
22 You his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.
Thou also his son, O Baltasar, hast not humbled thy heart, whereas thou knewest all these things:
23 You have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. From his house they brought you the containers that you, your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from, and you praised the idols made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—idols that do not see, hear, or know anything. You have not honored the God who holds your breath in his hand and who knows all your ways.
But hast lifted thyself up against the Lord of heaven: and the vessels of his house have been brought before thee: and thou, and thy nobles, and thy wives, and thy concubines have drunk wine in them: and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and of gold, and of brass, of iron, and of wood, and of stone, that neither see, nor hear, nor feel: but the God who hath thy breath in his hand, and all thy ways, thou hast not glorified.
24 Then God sent out a hand from his presence and this writing was done.
Wherefore he hath sent the part of the hand which hath written this that is set down.
25 This is the writing that was done: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Pharsin.'
And this is the writing that is written: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.
26 This is its meaning: 'Mene,' 'God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end.'
And this is the interpretation of the word. MANE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it.
27 'Tekel,' 'you are weighed in the scales and are found lacking.'
THECEL: thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting.
28 'Peres,' 'your kingdom is divided and is given to the Medes and Persians.'”
PHARES: thy kingdom is divided, and is given to the Medes and Persians.
29 Then Belshazzar gave a command, and they clothed Daniel with purple. A chain of gold was put around his neck, and the king made a proclamation about him that he would have the authority of the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
Then by the king’s command Daniel was clothed with purple, and a chain of gold was put about his neck: and it was proclaimed of him that he had power as the third man in the kingdom.
30 That night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed,
The same night Baltasar the Chaldean king was slain.
31 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.
And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being threescore and two years old.
