Daniel 5
1 Belshazzar, the king, made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and each one of them drank according to his age.
Belshazzar, the king gave a great feast to his thousands lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
2 And so, when they were drunk, he instructed that the vessels of gold and silver should be brought, which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had carried away from the temple, which was in Jerusalem, so that the king, and his nobles, and his wives, and the concubines, might drink from them.
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple at Jerusalem; that the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, might drink therein.
3 Then the gold and silver vessels were presented, which he had carried away from the temple and which had been in Jerusalem, and the king, and his nobles, wives, and concubines, drank from them.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God at Jerusalem; and the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, drank in them.
4 They drank wine, and they praised their gods of gold, and silver, brass, iron, and wood and stone.
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 In the same hour, there appeared fingers, as of the hand of a man, writing on the surface of the wall, opposite the candlestick, in the king’s palace. And the king observed the part of the hand that wrote.
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the chandelier upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts disturbed him, and he lost his self-control, and his knees knocked against one other.
Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees smote one against the other.
7 And the king cried out loudly for them to bring in the astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. And the king proclaimed to the wise men of Babylon, saying, “Whoever will read this writing and make known to me its interpretation will be clothed with purple, and will have a golden chain on his neck, and will be third in my kingdom.”
The king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, the Chaldaeans, and the astrologers. And the king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall rule as the third in the kingdom.
8 Then, in came all the wise men of the king, but they could neither read the writing, nor reveal the interpretation to the king.
Then all the king's wise men came in; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king its signification.
9 Therefore, king Belshazzar was quite confused, and his face was altered, and even his nobles were disturbed.
Then was King Belshazzar in great consternation, and his countenance was changed, and his lords were amazed.
10 But the queen, because of what had happened to the king and his nobles, entered the banquet house. And she spoke out, saying, “O king, live forever. Do not let your thoughts confuse you, neither should your face be altered.
Then the queen, on account of this affair of the king and his lords, came into the banquet-house; and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever! Let not thy thoughts terrify thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.
11 There is a man in your kingdom, who has the spirit of the holy gods within himself, and in the days of your father, knowledge and wisdom were found in him. For king Nebuchadnezzar, your father, appointed him leader of the astrologers, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, even your father, I say to you, O king.
There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, made him chief of the scribes, the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers, thy father, O king!
12 For a greater spirit, and foresight, and understanding, and interpretation of dreams, and the revealing of secrets, and the solution to difficulties were found in him, that is, in Daniel, to whom the king gave the name Belteshazzar. Now, therefore, let Daniel be summoned, and he will explain the interpretation.”
forasmuch as an excellent spirit and knowledge and understanding to interpret dreams, and to explain hard sentences, and solve difficult questions were found in him, in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar; now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king spoke to him, saying, “Are you Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom my father the king led out of Judea?
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said to Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, of the captives of Judah, whom the king, my father, brought out of Judaea?
14 I have heard of you, that you have the spirit of the gods, and that greater knowledge, as well as understanding and wisdom, have been found in you.
I have heard concerning thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in thee.
15 And now the wise astrologers have entered into my presence, so as to read this writing and to reveal to me its interpretation. And they were not able to tell me the meaning of this writing.
And now the wise men and the magicians have been brought in before me, that they might read this writing, and make known to me its signification; but they could not show the signification of the thing.
16 Furthermore, I have heard about you that you can interpret obscure things and solve difficulties. So then, if you succeed in reading the writing, and in revealing its interpretation, you will be clothed with purple, and you will have a chain of gold around your neck, and you will be the third leader in my kingdom.”
But I have heard of thee that thou canst give interpretations, and solve difficult questions. Now if thou canst read the writing and make known to me its signification, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt rule as the third in the kingdom.
17 To this Daniel responded by saying directly to the king, “Your rewards should be for yourself, and the gifts of your house you may give to another, but I will read to you the writing, O king, and I will reveal to you its interpretation.
Then answered Daniel and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another: yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the signification.
18 O king, the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, your father, a kingdom and greatness, glory and honor.
O king, the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor.
19 And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all peoples, tribes, and languages trembled and were afraid of him. Whomever he wished, he put to death; and whomever he wished, he destroyed; and whomever he wished, he exalted; and whomever he wished, he lowered.
And by reason of the majesty which he gave him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him; whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down.
20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened in arrogance, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and his glory was taken away.
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened in pride, he was thrust down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.
21 And he was expelled from the sons of men, and so his heart was placed with the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys, and he ate hay like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he realized that the Most High holds power over the kingdom of men, and that whoever he wishes, he will set over it.
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart became like the beasts, and his dwelling was with wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the Most High God ruled in the kingdoms of men, and set up over them whomsoever he would.
22 Likewise, you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things.
And thou, his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this;
23 But you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been presented before you. And you, and your nobles, and your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. Likewise, you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, and brass, iron, and wood and stone, who neither see, nor hear, nor feel, yet you have not glorified the God who holds your breath and all your ways in his hand.
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 lords, thy wives, and thy concubines have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand is thy breath, and whose are all thy ways, thou hast not honored.
24 Therefore, he has sent the part of the hand which has written this, which has been inscribed.
Then was sent from him the hand, and this writing was written.
25 But this is the writing that has been decreed: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.
And this is the writing which was written: Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, and To be Divided.
26 And this is the interpretation of the words. MANE: God has numbered your kingdom and has finished it.
And this is the interpretation of it. Numbered: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and made an end of it.
27 THECEL: you have been weighed on the scales and found lacking.
Weighed: Thou art weighed in the balances, and found wanting.
28 PHARES: your kingdom has been divided and has been given to the Medes and the Persians.
Divided: Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29 Then, by the king’s command, Daniel was dressed with purple, and a chain of gold was placed around his neck, and it was proclaimed of him that he held power as the third in the kingdom.
Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That same night, king Belshazzar the Chaldean was killed.
In the same night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldaeans, slain;
31 And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two years.
and Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
