Daniel 5

1Baltasar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles: and every one drank according to his age.

2And 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.

3Then 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.

4They drank wine, and praised their gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, and of wood, and of stone.

5In 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.

6Then 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.

7And 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.

8Then came in all the king’s wise men, but they could neither read the writing, nor declare the interpretation to the king.

9Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was changed: and his nobles also were troubled.

10Then 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.

11There 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:

12Because 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.

13Then 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?

14I have heard of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the gods, and excellent knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom are found in thee.

15And 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.

16But 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.

17To 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.

18O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor thy father a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour.

19And 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.

20But 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.

21And 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.

22Thou also his son, O Baltasar, hast not humbled thy heart, whereas thou knewest all these things:

23But 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.

24Wherefore he hath sent the part of the hand which hath written this that is set down.

25And this is the writing that is written: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.

26And this is the interpretation of the word. MANE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it.

27THECEL: thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting.

28PHARES: thy kingdom is divided, and is given to the Medes and Persians.

29Then 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.

30The same night Baltasar the Chaldean king was slain.

31And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being threescore and two years old.

1Baltassar rex fecit grande convivium optimatibus suis mille: et unusquisque secundum suam bibebat ætatem.

2Præcepit ergo jam temulentus ut afferrentur vasa aurea et argentea, quæ asportaverat Nabuchodonosor pater ejus de templo, quod fuit in Ierusalem, ut biberent in eis rex, et optimates ejus, uxoresque ejus, et concubinæ.

3Tunc allata sunt vasa aurea, et argentea, quæ asportaverat de templo, quod fuerat in Ierusalem: et biberunt in eis rex, et optimates ejus, uxores et concubinæ illius.

4Bibebant vinum, et laudabant deos suos aureos et argenteos, æreos, ferreos, ligneosque et lapideos.

5In eadem hora apparuerunt digiti, quasi manus hominis scribentis contra candelabrum in superficie parietis aulæ regiæ: et rex aspiciebat articulos manus scribentis.

6Tunc facies regis commutata est, et cogitationes ejus conturbabant eum: et compages renum ejus solvebantur, et genua ejus ad se invicem collidebantur.

7Exclamavit itaque rex fortiter ut introducerent magos, Chaldæos, et aruspices. Et proloquens rex ait sapientibus Babylonis: Quicumque legerit scripturam hanc, et interpretationem ejus manifestam mihi fecerit, purpura vestietur, et torquem auream habebit in collo, et tertius in regno meo erit.

8Tunc ingressi omnes sapientes regis non potuerunt nec scripturam legere, nec interpretationem indicare regi.

9Unde rex Baltassar satis conturbatus est, et vultus illius immutatus est; sed et optimates ejus turbabantur.

10Regina autem pro re, quæ acciderat regi et optimatibus ejus, domum convivii ingressa est: et proloquens ait: Rex, in æternum vive ! non te conturbent cogitationes tuæ, neque facies tua immutetur.

11Est vir in regno tuo, qui spiritum deorum sanctorum habet in se, et in diebus patris tui scientia et sapientia inventæ sunt in eo: nam et rex Nabuchodonosor pater tuus principem magorum, incantatorum, Chaldæorum, et aruspicum constituit eum, pater, inquam, tuus, o rex:

12quia spiritus amplior, et prudentia, intelligentiaque et interpretatio somniorum, et ostensio secretorum, ac solutio ligatorum inventæ sunt in eo, hoc est in Daniele: cui rex posuit nomen Baltassar. Nunc itaque Daniel vocetur, et interpretationem narrabit.

13Igitur introductus est Daniel coram rege: ad quem præfatus rex ait: Tu es Daniel de filiis captivitatis Judæ, quem adduxit pater meus rex de Judæa?

14audivi de te, quoniam spiritum deorum habeas, et scientia, intelligentiaque ac sapientia ampliores inventæ sunt in te.

15Et nunc introgressi sunt in conspectu meo sapientes magi, ut scripturam hanc legerent, et interpretationem ejus indicarent mihi: et nequiverunt sensum hujus sermonis edicere.

16Porro ego audivi de te, quod possis obscura interpretari, et ligata dissolvere: si ergo vales scripturam legere, et interpretationem ejus indicare mihi, purpura vestieris, et torquem auream circa collum tuum habebis, et tertius in regno meo princeps eris.

17Ad quæ respondens Daniel, ait coram rege: Munera tua sint tibi, et dona domus tuæ alteri da: scripturam autem legam tibi, rex, et interpretationem ejus ostendam tibi.

18O rex, Deus altissimus regnum et magnificentiam, gloriam et honorem dedit Nabuchodonosor patri tuo.

19Et propter magnificentiam, quam dederat ei, universi populi, tribus, et linguæ tremebant, et metuebant eum: quos volebat, interficiebat: et quos volebat, percutiebat: et quos volebat, exaltabat: et quos volebat, humiliabat.

20Quando autem elevatum est cor ejus, et spiritus illius obfirmatus est ad superbiam, depositus est de solio regni sui, et gloria ejus ablata est:

21et a filiis hominum ejectus est, sed et cor ejus cum bestiis positum est, et cum onagris erat habitatio ejus: fœnum quoque ut bos comedebat, et rore cæli corpus ejus infectum est, donec cognosceret quod potestatem haberet Altissimus in regno hominum, et quemcumque voluerit, suscitabit super illud.

22Tu quoque, filius ejus Baltassar, non humiliasti cor tuum, cum scires hæc omnia:

23sed adversum Dominatorem cæli elevatus es: et vasa domus ejus allata sunt coram te, et tu, et optimates tui, et uxores tuæ, et concubinæ tuæ vinum bibistis in eis: deos quoque argenteos, et aureos, et æreos, 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.

24Idcirco ab eo missus est articulus manus, quæ scripsit hoc quod exaratum est.

25Hæc est autem scriptura, quæ digesta est: Mane, Thecel, Phares.

26Et hæc est interpretatio sermonis. Mane: numeravit Deus regnum tuum, et complevit illud.

27Thecel: appensus es in statera, et inventus es minus habens.

28Phares: divisum est regnum tuum, et datum est Medis, et Persis.

29Tunc, jubente rege, indutus est Daniel purpura, et circumdata est torques aurea collo ejus: et prædicatum est de eo quod haberet potestatem tertius in regno suo.

30Eadem nocte interfectus est Baltassar rex Chaldæus.

31Et Darius Medus successit in regnum, annos natus sexaginta duos.

1Belshazzar, the king, made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and each one of them drank according to his age.

2And 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.

3Then 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.

4They drank wine, and they praised their gods of gold, and silver, brass, iron, and wood and stone.

5In 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.

6Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts disturbed him, and he lost his self-control, and his knees knocked against one other.

7And 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.”

8Then, in came all the wise men of the king, but they could neither read the writing, nor reveal the interpretation to the king.

9Therefore, king Belshazzar was quite confused, and his face was altered, and even his nobles were disturbed.

10But 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.

11There 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.

12For 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.”

13Then 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?

14I 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.

15And 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.

16Furthermore, 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.”

17To 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.

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

19And 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.

20But 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.

21And 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.

22Likewise, you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things.

23But 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.

24Therefore, he has sent the part of the hand which has written this, which has been inscribed.

25But this is the writing that has been decreed: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.

26And this is the interpretation of the words. MANE: God has numbered your kingdom and has finished it.

27THECEL: you have been weighed on the scales and found lacking.

28PHARES: your kingdom has been divided and has been given to the Medes and the Persians.

29Then, 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.

30That same night, king Belshazzar the Chaldean was killed.

31And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two years.