Daniel 5

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

2. When tasting the wine, Belshazzar commanded to bring the vessels of gold and silver which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, that the king and his rulers, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.

3. Then they brought the vessels of gold that were taken out of the temple of the house of God in Jerusalem. And the king and his rulers, his wives and his concubines drank from them.

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

5. At that moment fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace across from the lampstand. And the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

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

7. The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever shall read this writing, and declare to me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

8. Then all the king’s wise men came in. But they could not read the writing, nor make the interpretation known to the king.

9. Then King Belshazzar was greatly afraid, and his countenance changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

10. The queen came into the banquet house because of the king’s words, and his nobles. And the queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever. Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance be changed.

11. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And in the days of your father there was found in him light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. And the King Nebuchadnezzar, your father the king, I say, your father appointed him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers,

12. Because a surpassing spirit, and knowledge and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and revealing of hard riddles, and the solving of difficult problems, were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will reveal the interpretation.”

13. Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is of the exiled children of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

14. I have even heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and surpassing wisdom are found in you.

15. And now the wise men and the enchanters have been brought in before me, that they might read this writing and make the interpretation known to me. But they could not declare the interpretation of the thing.

16. And I have heard of you that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you can read the writing and reveal its interpretation to me, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

17. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Yet, I will read the writing to the king and make the interpretation known to him.

18. O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and greatness and glory and majesty.

19. And for the greatness that He gave him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He slew whom he would, and whom he would he kept alive. And whom he would, he raised up; and whom he would, he put down.

20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was put down from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.

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 donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that He appoints over it whomever He will.

22. And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this.

23. But you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And they have brought the vessels of His house before you; and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor know. And you have not glorified the God in Whose hand is your breath and all your ways.

24. Then the palm of the hand was sent from Him. And this writing was written.

25. And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

26. This is the interpretation of the thing. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end.

27. TEKEL: You are weighed in the balances and found wanting.

28. PERES: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

29. Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and a golden chain around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30. On that night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed.

31. And Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.