| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1King Belshazzar put on a great festival for a thousand of his officials. He joined all one thousand of them in getting drunk. | 1King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all. |
| 2Under the influence of wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in so the king, his officials, his wives, and his mistresses could 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. |
| 3As ordered, they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the sanctuary of God's Temple in Jerusalem, and the king, his officials, his wives, and mistresses 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. |
| 4As they drank the wine, they praised gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. | 4As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. |
| 5At that moment, humanlike fingers of a hand appeared near the lamp stand of the royal palace and wrote on the plaster of the wall. | 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. |
| 6While the king watched the back of the hand as it was writing, his facial expression changed. Utterly frightened, he lost control of his own bowels 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 cried out to bring in enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He announced to the advisors of Babylon, "Whoever can read this writing and tell me its meaning will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around his neck, and will become the third highest 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 advisors came in, but they were unable to read the writing or tell the king what it meant. | 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. |
| 9So King Belshazzar became even more frightened, and his facial expression showed it. His officials also were thrown into confusion. | 9Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. His nobles were completely dumbfounded. |
| 10Hearing the voices of the king and his officials, the queen entered the banquet hall. "Your majesty, live forever," the queen said. "Don't be frightened by your thoughts or allow your facial expression to show it. | 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's a man in your kingdom in whom dwells the spirit of the holy gods. During your grandfather's reign, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom, like that of the gods. Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar—your kingly predecessor—appointed him to be chief administrator over 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 he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding, along with an ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. His name is Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar. Call for Daniel, and he will reveal the meaning of the writing." | 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 before the king. The king spoke up and told Daniel, "So you are Daniel, one of the Judean exiles whom my grandfather the king 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've heard about you, that a spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. | 14I have heard about you, how there is a spirit of the gods in you, and how you have insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. |
| 15Take note that the advisors and enchanters were brought before me to read the writing and explain its meaning, but they were unable to do so. | 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. |
| 16However, I've heard that you can provide meaning and interpretation, and that you can solve difficult problems. If you are able to read the writing and report its meaning, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will become the third highest 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." |
| 17At this, Daniel answered, speaking directly to the king, "Let your gifts and rewards be given to someone else. However, I'll read the writing for the king and tell him its meaning. | 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. |
| 18Your majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor. | 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 revered and feared him. He executed those whom he desired to execute, he spared those whom he wished to spare, he promoted those whom he desired to promote, and he humbled those whom he wished to humble. | 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 he became arrogant and his spirit hardened, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away 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 away from human society and given the mind of an animal. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body was soaked with dew from the sky until he realized that the Most High God is sovereign over human kingdoms and places over them whomever he desires. | 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. |
| 22"But you, Belshazzar, his grandson, haven't humbled yourself, even though you knew all of this. | 22"But you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, although you knew all this. |
| 23"You've exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. "You've had the vessels from his Temple brought into your presence. "And you, your officials, and your wives and mistresses drank wine from them. "You praised gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can't see, hear, or demonstrate knowledge. "But you didn't honor God, who holds in his power your very life and all your ways. | 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"Therefore, the hand that wrote this inscription was sent from his presence. | 24Therefore the palm of a hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed. |
| 25This is the written inscription: MENE, MENE, TEKEL AND PARSIN | 25"This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEQEL, and PHARSIN. |
| 26These are the meanings of the words: MENE: God has audited your kingdom—and has ended it. | 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've been weighed on the scales—and you don't measure up. | 27As for teqel--you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. |
| 28PERES: Your kingdom has been divided—and will be given to the Medes and Persians." | 28As for peres--your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians." |
| 29Then Belshazzar gave orders to clothe Daniel in purple, to place a chain of gold around his neck, and to proclaim him the third highest ruler of 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 night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was killed, | 30And in that very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed. |
| 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62. | 31So Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old. |
|
