Daniel 5

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

King Belshazzar threw a grand party for his thousand lords, joyfully drinking wine in their presence.

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.

As Belshazzar sipped his wine, he demanded the golden and silver cups his father Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from the Jerusalem temple. He wanted to share a toast with his royal court and his women, using these sacred vessels.

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.

They presented the sacred golden items, stolen from God's temple in Jerusalem. The king, his advisors, wives, and mistresses, all drank from these holy vessels, showing no respect for their divine origin.

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

They joyfully sipped wine, celebrating the deities of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone.

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.

Suddenly, in that very moment, a human hand appeared, its fingers writing a message on the palace wall, right next to the candlestick. The king watched in awe and fear as the hand penned its mysterious message.

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.

Suddenly, the king's face turned pale, his mind filled with fear. He was so scared that his legs gave way, knocking against each other.

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.

In desperation, the king called for the stargazers, the Chaldeans, and the fortune tellers. He promised to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever can decipher this message and explain its meaning will be honored with a scarlet robe, a golden necklace, and will become the third most powerful person in the kingdom."

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.

All the king's advisors arrived, yet they were unable to decipher the writing or explain its meaning to the king, leaving them all in a state of confusion and frustration.

Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

King Belshazzar was deeply shaken, his face turned pale with fear, and his lords were utterly stunned.

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:

The queen, moved by the king's words and his lords, entered the banquet hall. She spoke gently, "Dear king, may you live forever. Don't let your thoughts worry you, nor let your face show any change."

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;

In your kingdom, there's a man touched by the divine spirit. Your father's era saw him shine with wisdom and understanding, a wisdom akin to the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, recognized this and made him the leader of all seers and wise men.

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.

Daniel, known as Belteshazzar by the king, was blessed with a remarkable spirit. He was gifted with knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams and solve complex problems. Call upon Daniel, and he will provide clarity.

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?

Daniel was then led to the king. The king looked at him and asked, "Are you Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, whom my father brought here from the land of Judah?"

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.

I've heard about you, that you carry a divine spirit within you, radiating light, insight, and exceptional wisdom.

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:

I've called upon the wise men and astrologers to decipher this message, to reveal its meaning to me. But they were unable to explain it.

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.

I've heard you're good at solving mysteries and clearing confusion. If you can decipher this message for me, you'll be rewarded with a scarlet robe, a golden necklace, and a high-ranking position in the kingdom.

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.

Daniel bravely spoke to the king, "Keep your gifts and rewards for someone else. Still, I will decipher the message for you and explain its meaning."

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

Hey king, the supreme God blessed your father, Nebuchadnezzar, with a grand kingdom, immense respect, and unparalleled honor.

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.

In the awe-inspiring power he possessed, everyone, from every nation and language, shivered in fear before him. He held the power of life and death, deciding who would live and who would die. He chose who would rise and who would fall.

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:

When his heart swelled with arrogance and his mind became stubborn with pride, he was stripped of his royal power and his glory was snatched away.

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.

He was cast out by his fellow men, and his mind became like that of an animal. He lived among the wild donkeys, eating grass like cattle, his body drenched in the morning dew. This continued until he realized that the supreme God governs mankind and chooses their leaders.

And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

Despite knowing all this, Belshazzar, you, his son, have not humbled your heart.

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:

You've arrogantly defied the Lord of heaven, using His sacred vessels for your parties, drinking wine from them with your nobles, wives, and mistresses. You've praised idols made of silver, gold, brass, iron, wood, and stone—idols that can't see, hear, or understand. Yet, you've ignored the true God who gives you life and guides your path.

Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

A piece of his hand was sent forth, and thus, the message was inscribed.

And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

The message that was inscribed read, "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN."

This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

Here's the meaning: MENE; God has counted the days of your reign and now it's over.

TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

TEKEL; You've been measured on life's scale and sadly, you fall short.

PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

PERES; Your reign is split, handed over to the Medes and Persians.

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.

Belshazzar ordered Daniel to be dressed in royal scarlet, adorned with a golden chain, and publicly declared him as the third most powerful ruler in the kingdom.

In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

That very night, Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed.

And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Darius the Median, at the ripe age of sixty-two, passionately seized control of the kingdom.