Danihelis Prophetæ 5
1 Baltassar rex fecit grande convivium optimatibus suis mille: et unusquisque secundum suam bibebat aetatem.
Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.
2 Praecepit ergo iam temulentus ut afferrentur vasa aurea et argentea, quae asportaverat Nabuchodonosor pater eius de templo, quod fuit in Ierusalem, ut biberent in eis rex, et optimates eius, uxoresque eius, et concubinae.
Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
3 Tunc allata sunt vasa aurea, et argentea, quae asportaverat de templo, quod fuerat in Ierusalem: et biberunt in eis rex, et optimates eius, uxores et concubinae illius.
Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
4 Bibebant vinum, et laudabant deos suos aureos, et argenteos, aereos, ferreos, ligneosque et lapideos.
As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5 In eadem hora apparuerunt digiti, quasi manus hominis scribentis contra candelabrum in superficie parietis aulae regiae: et rex aspiciebat articulos manus scribentis.
At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing,
6 Tunc facies regis commutata est, et cogitationes eius conturbabant eum: et compages renum eius solvebantur, et genua eius ad se invicem collidebantur.
his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
7 Exclamavit itaque rex fortiter ut introducerent magos, Chaldaeos, et aruspices. Et proloquens rex ait sapientibus Babylonis: Quicumque legerit scripturam hanc, et interpretationem eius manifestam mihi fecerit, purpura vestietur, et torquem auream habebit in collo, et tertius in regno meo erit.
The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 Tunc ingressi omnes sapientes regis non potuerunt nec scripturam legere, nec interpretationem indicare regi.
So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.
9 Unde rex Baltassar satis conturbatus est, et vultus illius immutatus est. sed et optimates eius turbabantur.
Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.
10 Regina autem pro re, quae acciderat regi, et optimatibus eius, domum convivii ingressa est: et proloquens ait: Rex in aeternum vive: non te conturbent cogitationes tuae, neque facies tua immutetur.
Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.
11 Est vir in regno tuo, qui spiritum deorum sanctorum habet in se: et in diebus patris tui scientia et sapientiae inventae sunt in eo: nam et rex Nabuchodonosor pater tuus principem magorum, incantatorum, Chaldaeorum, et aruspicum constituit eum, pater, inquam, tuus, o rex:
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
12 quia spiritus amplior, et prudentia, intelligentiaque et interpretatio somniorum, et ostensio secretorum, ac solutio ligatorum inventae sunt in eo, hoc est in Daniele: cui rex posuit nomen Baltassar. nunc itaque Daniel vocetur, et interpretationem narrabit.
did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”
13 Igitur introductus est Daniel coram rege. Ad quem praefatus rex ait: Tu es Daniel de filiis captivitatis Iuda, quem adduxit pater meus rex de Iudaea?
So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
14 Audivi de te quoniam spiritum deorum habeas: et scientia, intelligentiaque ac sapientia ampliores inventae sunt in te.
I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
15 Et nunc introgressi sunt in conspectu meo sapientes magi, ut scripturam hanc legerent, et interpretationem eius indicarent mihi: et nequiverunt sensum huius sermonis edicere.
Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.
16 Porro ego audivi de te, quod possis obscura interpretari, et ligata dissolvere: si ergo vales scripturam legere, et interpretationem eius indicare mihi, purpura vestieris, et torquem auream circa collum tuum habebis, et tertius in regno meo princeps eris.
But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Ad quae respondens Daniel, ait coram rege: Munera tua sint tibi, et dona domus tuae alteri da: scripturam autem legam tibi, rex, et interpretationem eius ostendam tibi.
In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.
18 O rex, Deus altissimus regnum, et magnificentiam, gloriam, et honorem dedit Nabuchodonosor patri tuo.
As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
19 Et propter magnificentiam, quam dederat ei, universi populi, tribus, et linguae tremebant, et metuebant eum: quos volebat, interficiebat: et quos volebat, percutiebat: et quos volebat, exaltabat: et quos volebat, humiliabat.
Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.
20 Quando autem elevatum est cor eius, et spiritus illius obfirmatus est ad superbiam, depositus est de solio regni sui, et gloria eius ablata est:
But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.
21 et a filiis hominum eiectus est, sed et cor eius cum bestiis positum est, et cum onagris erat habitatio eius: foenum quoque ut bos comedebat, et rore caeli corpus eius infectum est, donec cognosceret quod potestatem haberet Altissimus in regno hominum: et quemcumque voluerit, suscitabit super illud.
He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
22 Tu quoque filius eius Baltassar, non humiliasti cor tuum, cum scires haec omnia:
But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.
23 sed adversum Dominatorem caeli elevatus es: et vasa domus eius allata sunt coram te: et tu, et optimates tui, et uxores tuae, et concubinae tuae vinum bibistis in eis: deos quoque argenteos, et aureos, et aereos, ferreos, ligneosque et lapideos, qui non vident, neque audiunt, neque sentiunt, laudasti: porro Deum, qui habet flatum tuum in manu sua, et omnes vias tuas, non glorificasti.
Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
24 Idcirco ab eo missus est articulus manus, quae scripsit hoc, quod exaratum est.
Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
25 Haec est autem scriptura, quae digesta est: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.
Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
26 Et haec est interpretatio sermonis. MANE: numeravit Deus regnum tuum, et complevit illud.
And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 THECEL: appensus es in statera, et inventus es minus habens.
TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
28 PHARES: divisum est regnum tuum, et datum est Medis, et Persis.
PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Tunc iubente rege indutus est Daniel purpura, et circumdata est torques aurea collo eius: et praedicatum est de eo quod haberet potestatem tertius in regno suo.
Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 Eadem nocte interfectus est Baltassar rex Chaldaeus.
That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain,
31 Et Darius Medus successit in regnum annos natus sexagintaduos.
and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
