Daniel, 5

1. Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

1. King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for his nobles, a thousand of them attended and he drank wine with them.

2. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which [was] in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

2. Under the influence of wine, he ordered that the gold and silver vessels his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem be brought in so that he and his nobles, his wives and concubines might drink from them.

3. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which [was] at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

3. The gold and silver vessels taken from God's temple were brought in, and 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, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

4. While they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone.

5. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

5. Suddenly a man's fingers appeared opposite the lampstand and wrote on the plastered wall of the king's palace. Watching the hand as it wrote, the king turned pale.

6. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

6. So terrified was he that his knees knocked and his legs gave way.

7. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. [And] the king spake, and said to the wise [men] of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

7. He shouted, calling for his enchanters and Chaldean diviners. "Whoever reads this writing and tells me its meaning," said he to the wise men of Babylon, "will be clothed in purple, wear a gold chain around his neck, and be made the third highest ruler in my kingdom."

8. Then came in all the king's wise [men]: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

8. All the king's wise men came, but none could read the writing or tell its meaning.

9. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

9. King Belshazzar became very frightened and his face grew even more pale. His nobles were likewise terrified and confused.

10. [Now] the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: [and] the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

10. Hearing the troubled voices of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall and said, "Live forever, O king! Do not be alarmed and become pale.

11. 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, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, [I say], thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers;

11. In your kingdom is a man who has the spirit of the holy gods. He was found to have discernment and god-like wisdom during your father's lifetime. He was in fact appointed chief of the magicians, enchanters and diviners by your father King Nebuchadnezzar.

12. Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

12. This man Daniel, whom the king called Beltheshazzar, knew how to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel and he will tell you what the writing means."

13. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. [And] the king spake and said unto Daniel, [Art] thou that Daniel, which [art] of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

13. Daniel was brought in and questioned by the king, "Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father brought from Judah?

14. I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods [is] in thee, and [that] light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

14. I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods, that you have insight and extraordinary wisdom.

15. And now the wise [men], the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:

15. Wise men and enchanters were brought here, but none of them could read this writing and tell its meaning.

16. And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

16. I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple, wear a gold chain around your neck, and be appointed third in rank in my kingdom."

17. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

17. Daniel replied, "You may keep your gifts or give them to someone else. Just the same I will read and interpret the writing for you.

18. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

18. God the Most High gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and a great kingdom.

19. And for the majesty that 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; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

19. Because of the greatness given him by God, he was feared by nations and peoples of every language. He had the power of life and death over everyone. He exalted or humbled whomsoever he wished.

20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

20. But when he became arrogant and insolent, he was deposed and stripped of his glory.

21. And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling [was] with the wild asses: they fed him 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 kingdom of men, and [that] he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

21. He became an outcast and as senseless as a beast. He lived with wild asses, ate grass like cattle and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that God the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and appoints whom he pleases to govern it.

22. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

22. But you his son Belshazzar, although you knew all this, have not humbled yourself.

23. But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house 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 thy breath [is], and whose [are] all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

23. You have defied the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels from his temple brought to you, and together with your nobles, your wives and concubines, you drank wine from them. You praised the idols made of silver and gold, of bronze, iron and stones, which neither see, nor hear, nor understand; but you never glorified God who has power over your life and all your fortunes.

24. Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

24. So he sent the hand that wrote the inscription

25. And this [is] the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

25. which read MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. And these words mean:

26. This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

26. MENE, God has numbered the days of your reign and put an end to it;

27. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

27. TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;

28. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

28. PARSIN, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians."

29. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and [put] a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

29. On Belshazzar's order, Daniel was clothed in purple, given a gold chain to wear around his neck, and proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

30. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

30. That very night, however, the Chaldean king Belshazzar was slain.

31. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, [being] about threescore and two years old.

31.