1BELSHAZZAR the king made a great feast to a thousand of his princes, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 2And Belshazzar, while 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 out of them. 3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of God which was at Jerusalem, and the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines drank out of them. 4They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5In that very hour there appeared the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote opposite the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the palm of the man's hand that wrote. 6Then the king's countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him and the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees struck one against another. 7Then the king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, the soothsayers, and the wise men. And the king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall rule over a third of the kingdom. 8Then came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled and his countenance changed and his princes were bewildered.

10Now the queen, because of the conversation of the king and his princes, came into the banquet house, and she spoke and said to the king, O king, live for ever; let not your thoughts trouble you nor let your countenance be changed; 11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him; so that King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him master of the magicians, astrologers, soothsayers, and the Chaldeans 12Because of his spiritual power, knowledge, and understanding which he possesses, to interpret the dreams, devise proverbs, and solve riddles, even Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

13Then Daniel came in before the king. And the king spoke and said to Daniel, Are you the Daniel of the exiles of Judah whom the king my father brought from Judea? 14I have heard of you, that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15And now the magicians and the astrologers have been brought in before me, that they might read this writing and make known to me the interpretation thereof; but they could not show me the interpretation of the thing; 16And I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations and solve riddles. Now if you can read this writing and make known to me the interpretation thereof, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall rule over a third of the kingdom.

17Then Daniel answered and said to the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give the honor of your house to others; but the writing I will read to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty and honor and glory. 19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him; for whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive, and whom he would he promoted, and whom he would he humbled. 20But when his heart was lifted up and his pride increased, he was deposed from his kingly throne and his glory passed away from him; 21And he was driven from among men; and his heart became like that of the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; they fed him with grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair grew like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men and that he gives it to whom he pleases and he appoints over it the weakest among men. 22And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all these things; 23But have lifted up yourself against the LORD of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your princes, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine out of them; and you have praised the gods of gold and silver, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which neither see nor hear nor know; and the God in whose hands is your breath and all your ways, you have not glorified nor honored. 24Then the palm of the hand was sent from his presence; and this writing was written.

25And this is the writing that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26This is the interpretation of the words: MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end. 27TEKEL, You are weighed in the balances and found wanting. 28PERES, Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

29Then commanded King Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold about his neck and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be a ruler over a third of the kingdom.

30In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. 31And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.