5:1King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles: and each one was drinking according to his age. 5:2So, already drunk, he ordered that the vessels of gold and silver 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 his concubines might drink from them. 5:3Then were brought the vessels of gold and of silver which he had carried away from the temple which had been in Jerusalem: and the king, and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 5:4They were drinking wine, and praising their gods of gold and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood and of stone.
5:5In the same hour there appeared fingers, as of the hand of a man writing, opposite the lampstand, on the surface of the wall of the royal hall: and the king was looking at the joints of the hand that was writing. 5:6Then the face of the king was changed, and his thoughts were troubling him: and the joints of his loins were being loosened, and his knees were knocking against each other. 5:7And so the king cried out mightily that they should bring in the magi, Chaldeans, and diviners. 5:7And speaking out, the king said to the wise men of Babylon: "Whoever reads this writing, and makes its interpretation plain to me, will be clothed in purple, and will have a golden chain on his neck, and will be third in my kingdom."
5:8Then all the king's wise men, having come in, could neither read the writing, nor make known the interpretation to the king. 5:9Whereupon King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed; 5:9but his nobles too were being disturbed. 5:10But the queen, on account of the thing which had happened to the king and his nobles, went into the house of the feast: and speaking out she said: "King, live for ever! 5:10Let your thoughts not trouble you, nor let your face be changed. 5:11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him, and in the days of your father knowledge and wisdom were found in him: for King Nebuchadnezzar your father also appointed him chief of the magi, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners, your father, I say, O king: because a greater spirit, and prudence, and understanding, and interpretation of dreams, and showing of secrets, and loosing of knots were found in him, that is, in Daniel: to whom the king gave the name Baltassar.
5:12Now therefore let Daniel be called, and he will relate the interpretation." 5:13So Daniel was brought in before the king: and to him the aforesaid king said: "Are you Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom my father the king brought out of Judea? 5:14I have heard of you, that you have the spirit of the gods, and that greater knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom have been found in you. 5:15And now the wise men, the magi, have come into my sight, to read this writing, and make known its interpretation to me: and they have not been able to declare the sense of this word. 5:16But I have heard of you, that you can interpret obscure things, and loose knotted things: if therefore you are able to read the writing, and make known its interpretation to me, you will be clothed in purple, and you will have a golden chain around your neck, and you will be the third prince in my kingdom."
5:17To which things Daniel, answering, said before the king: "Let your rewards be for yourself, and the gifts of your house give to another: but the writing I will read to you, king, and its interpretation I will show you. 5:18O king, the most high God gave a kingdom and magnificence, glory and honour to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 5:19And on account of the magnificence which he had given him, all peoples, tribes, and tongues were trembling, and fearing him: those whom he wished, he was killing: and those whom he wished, he was striking: and those whom he wished, he was exalting: and those whom he wished, he was humbling.
5:20But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened to pride, he was put down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory was taken away: and he was cast out from the sons of men, and his heart too was set with the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: hay also like an ox he was eating, and his body was soaked with the dew of heaven, until he recognised that the Most High had power in the kingdom of men, and whomever he wishes, he will raise up over it. 5:22You also, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things: but you have been lifted up against the Ruler of heaven: and the vessels of his house have been brought before you, and you, and your nobles, and your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them: the gods too of silver, and of gold, and of bronze, of iron, of wood and of stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor feel, you have praised: but the God who has your breath in his hand, and all your ways, you have not glorified.
5:24For that reason the joint of the hand was sent from him, which wrote this which has been inscribed. 5:25And this is the writing which has been set out: Mane, Thecel, Phares. 5:26And this is the interpretation of the word. 5:26Mane: God has numbered your kingdom, and has finished it. 5:27Thecel: you have been weighed in the balance, and have been found having less. 5:28Phares: your kingdom has been divided, and has been given to the Medes and the Persians." 5:29Then, the king ordering it, Daniel was clothed in purple, and a golden chain was put around his neck: and it was proclaimed about him that he had power as third in his kingdom.
5:30On the same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 5:31And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.