Belshazzar’s Feast 2 DRA And 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. BSB BSB: Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
3 DRA Then 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. BSB BSB: Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
4 DRA They drank wine, and praised their gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, and of wood, and of stone. BSB BSB: As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
The Handwriting on the Wall 5 DRA In 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. BSB BSB: At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing,
6 DRA Then 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. BSB BSB: his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
7 DRA And 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. BSB BSB: The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 DRA Then came in all the king’s wise men, but they could neither read the writing, nor declare the interpretation to the king. BSB BSB: So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.
9 DRA Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was changed: and his nobles also were troubled. BSB BSB: Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.
10 DRA Then 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. BSB BSB: Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.
11 DRA There 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: BSB BSB: There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
12 DRA Because 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. BSB BSB: did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting 13 DRA Then 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? BSB BSB: So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
14 DRA I have heard of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the gods, and excellent knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom are found in thee. BSB BSB: I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
15 DRA And 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. BSB BSB: Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.
16 DRA But 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. BSB BSB: But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17 DRA To 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. BSB BSB: In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.
18 DRA O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor thy father a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour. BSB BSB: As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
19 DRA And 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. BSB BSB: Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.
20 DRA But 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. BSB BSB: But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.
21 DRA And 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. BSB BSB: He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
22 DRA Thou also his son, O Baltasar, hast not humbled thy heart, whereas thou knewest all these things: BSB BSB: But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.
23 DRA 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 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. BSB BSB: Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
24 DRA Wherefore he hath sent the part of the hand which hath written this that is set down. BSB BSB: Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
25 DRA And this is the writing that is written: MANE, THECEL, PHARES. BSB BSB: Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
26 DRA And this is the interpretation of the word. MANE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it. BSB BSB: And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 DRA THECEL: thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting. BSB BSB: TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
28 DRA PHARES: thy kingdom is divided, and is given to the Medes and Persians. BSB BSB: PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
31 DRA And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being threescore and two years old. BSB BSB: and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.