5 Belshazzar
the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine
before the thousand. 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. 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. 4 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 9 Then
was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed
in him, and his lords were astonied. 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: 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; 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. 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? 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.
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: 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. 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. 18 O thou
king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty,
and glory, and honour: 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. 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: 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. 22 And
thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest
all this; 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: 24 Then
was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. 25 And
this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This
is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom,
and finished it. 27 TEKEL;
Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES;
Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and 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. 30 In
that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And
Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years
old.