| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. | 1King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all. |
| 2Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. | 2While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels--the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father had confiscated from the temple in Jerusalem--so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them. |
| 3Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. | 3So they brought the gold and silver vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them. |
| 4They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. | 4As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. |
| 5Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. | 5At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the royal palace wall, opposite the lampstand. The king was watching the back of the hand that was writing. |
| 6Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. | 6Then all the color drained from the king's face and he became alarmed. The joints of his hips gave way, and his knees began knocking together. |
| 7The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” | 7The king called out loudly to summon the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple and have a golden collar placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom. |
| 8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. | 8So all the king's wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its interpretation to the king. |
| 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed. | 9Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. His nobles were completely dumbfounded. |
| 10The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. | 10Due to the noise caused by the king and his nobles, the queen mother then entered the banquet room. She said, "O king, live forever! Don't be alarmed! Don't be shaken! |
| 11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, | 11There is a man in your kingdom who has within him a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he proved to have insight, discernment, and wisdom like that of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him chief of the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners. |
| 12because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.” | 12Thus there was found in this man Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar, an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and skill to interpret dreams, solve riddles, and decipher knotty problems. Now summon Daniel, and he will disclose the interpretation." |
| 13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. | 13So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? |
| 14I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. | 14I have heard about you, how there is a spirit of the gods in you, and how you have insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. |
| 15Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. | 15Now the wise men and astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation. But they were unable to disclose the interpretation of the message. |
| 16But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” | 16However, I have heard that you are able to provide interpretations and to decipher knotty problems. Now if you are able to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you will wear purple and have a golden collar around your neck and be third ruler in the kingdom." |
| 17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. | 17But Daniel replied to the king, "Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else! However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its interpretation. |
| 18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. | 18As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty. |
| 19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. | 19Due to the greatness that he bestowed on him, all peoples, nations, and language groups were trembling with fear before him. He killed whom he wished, he spared whom he wished, he exalted whom he wished, and he brought low whom he wished. |
| 20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. | 20And when his mind became arrogant and his spirit filled with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and his honor was removed from him. |
| 21He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. | 21He was driven from human society, his mind was changed to that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until he came to understand that the most high God rules over human kingdoms, and he appoints over them whomever he wishes. |
| 22And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, | 22"But you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, although you knew all this. |
| 23but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. | 23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone--gods that cannot see or hear or comprehend! But you have not glorified the God who has in his control your very breath and all your ways! |
| 24“Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. | 24Therefore the palm of a hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed. |
| 25And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. | 25"This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEQEL, and PHARSIN. |
| 26This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; | 26This is the interpretation of the words: As for mene--God has numbered your kingdom's days and brought it to an end. |
| 27Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; | 27As for teqel--you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. |
| 28Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” | 28As for peres--your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians." |
| 29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. | 29Then, on Belshazzar's orders, Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom. |
| 30That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. | 30And in that very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed. |
| 31And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. | 31So Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old. |
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