| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard 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 held a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles and drank wine in their presence. |
| 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. | 2Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and 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 in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. |
| 4As they drank the wine, they praised gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. | 4They drank the wine and praised their gods made 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 moment the fingers of a man's hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king's palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched 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. | 6his face turned pale, and his thoughts so terrified him that his hip joints shook and his knees knocked 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 to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He said to these wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck, and have the third highest position 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 none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him. |
| 9So King Belshazzar became even more frightened, and his facial expression showed it. His officials also were thrown into confusion. | 9Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale, and his nobles were bewildered. |
| 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. | 10Because of the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen came to the banquet hall. "May the king live forever," she said. "Don't let your thoughts terrify you or your face be pale. |
| 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 the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your predecessor he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the diviners, mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers. Your own predecessor, the king, |
| 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." | 12did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and perception, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems. Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give 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! | 13Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, "Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor 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've heard that you have the spirit of the gods in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, 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 mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation. |
| 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 about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position 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. | 17Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him. |
| 18Your majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor. | 18Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar. |
| 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. | 19Because of the greatness He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted. |
| 20But when he became arrogant and his spirit hardened, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. | 20But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken 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 away from people, his mind was like an animal's, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over the kingdom of men and sets anyone He wants over it." |
| 22"But you, Belshazzar, his grandson, haven't humbled yourself, even though you knew all of this. | 22But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though 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. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them, you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand. But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in His hand and who controls the whole course of your life. |
| 24"Therefore, the hand that wrote this inscription was sent from his presence. | 24Therefore, He sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed." |
| 25This is the written inscription: MENE, MENE, TEKEL AND PARSIN | 25This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. |
| 26These are the meanings of the words: MENE: God has audited your kingdom—and has ended it. | 26This is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. |
| 27TEKEL: You've been weighed on the scales—and you don't measure up. | 27TEKEL means that you have been weighed in the balance and found deficient. |
| 28PERES: Your kingdom has been divided—and will be given to the Medes and Persians." | 28PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given 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 Belshazzar gave an order, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. |
| 30That night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was killed, | 30That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed, |
| 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62. | 31and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of 62. |
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