1 Belshazzar the king {malka: sovereign ruler} made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and before the thousand he drank wine {khamra: fermented beverage}.
2 Belshazzar said, at the tasting {bitʿēm: ceremonial sampling} of the wine, to bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had brought out from the temple in Jerusalem, that the king {malka: sovereign} and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
3 Then they brought the golden vessels that had been taken from the temple of God {elaha: divine title} in Jerusalem, and the king and his officials, his wives, and his concubines drank from them {ma’nei: sacred utensils}.
4 They drank wine {khamra: fermented drink} and praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone {avnā: stone idols}.
5 In that very hour, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand {nevrashtha: ceremonial lamp} on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing {pas: palm surface}.
6 Then the king’s appearance changed, and his thoughts alarmed him {yevahălunnēh: sudden panic}; the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees {arkubateh: seat of strength} knocked one against the other
7 The king {malka: royal authority} cried out powerfully to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. Then the king answered and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and shows me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple {argevana: royal color} and have a chain of gold upon his neck, and shall rule as third in the kingdom.”
8 Then all the king’s wise men entered, but they were not able to read the writing {ketava: royal message} or to make known its interpretation to the king {malka: royal sovereign}.
9 Then King Belshazzar {belsha’tsar: Babylonian ruler} was greatly troubled, and his countenance {ziv: brightness} changed upon him, and his nobles were perplexed.
10 The queen {malkətha: royal consort} entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles. She responded and said, “O king, live forever! Let your thoughts {raʿyonakh: inner deliberations} not trouble you, and let your countenance not be changed.”
11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods {elahin: Babylonian deities}; and in the days of your father light {nahiru: spiritual illumination} and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.
12 Because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding, along with the ability to interpret dreams {chelmin: visions received in sleep} and solve riddles, were found in him—in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar {belteshazzar: Babylonian title}—now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king, and the king answered and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel who is from among the sons {bənê: exiled descendants} of the captivity {galutā: forced displacement} of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?"
14 And I have heard about you that the spirit of the gods {ruakh elahin: supernatural presence} is in you, and illumination {nahiru: radiant clarity}, insight, and surpassing wisdom are found in you.
15 And now the wise men and the enchanters {ashpeiya: ritual enchanters} have been brought in before me, so that they might read this writing {ketava: document} and make its interpretation known to me, but they have not been able to show the interpretation of the matter.
16 And I have heard concerning you that you are able to render interpretations and untie knots {kitrin: difficult problems}; now if you can read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple {argvana: royal garment}, and a chain of gold shall rest on your neck, and you shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
17 Then Daniel {Daniyyel, God-Is-Judge} 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 {pishra: significance}.”
18 You, yes you, O king, the Most High God {Eloah Illa'a: Supreme Ruler} gave your father Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom and greatness and honor and splendor {hadar: majestic display}.
19 And because of the majesty {rebuta: majestic authority} he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he chose, he killed; whomever he chose, he let live; whomever he chose, he lifted up; and whomever he chose, he humbled {mashpil: brought low}.
20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened to act in pride {lahazada: arrogant intent}, he was brought down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory {viyaqarah: royal dignity} was removed from him.
21 And he was driven away from the sons of men, and his mind was made like that of the beasts {cheiveta: wild animals}, and with the wild donkeys was his dwelling. They would feed him grass like oxen, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God {Elaha Illa'a, Supreme Ruler} rules the kingdom of men and appoints over it whomever He wills.
22 Yet you, his son {bereh: royal successor} Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this {kol-dena: preceding events}.
23 You have exalted yourself against the Lord of Heaven {Mare’ Šemayya, Heavenly Sovereign}, and the vessels of His house were brought before you; and you and your nobles, your wives, and your concubines drank wine from them. Then you praised the gods of silver and gold and bronze and iron and wood and stone, which do not see, hear, or know. But the God {Elaha, Giver of Breath} in Whose hand your breath is and to whom all your ways belong, Him you have not glorified {hadartā: give due honor}.
24 Then from before him the palm {passa: part of the hand} of the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed {reshim: marked or engraved}.
25 And this is the writing {khetava: inscription} that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin {parsin: divisions}.
26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene—God {Elaha, Righteous Judge} has numbered the days of your kingdom and has completed it {hashlemah: brought to its end}.
27 Tekel {tekel: interpretive symbol}—you have been weighed in the balances and have been found lacking {khasir: moral deficiency}.
28 Peres {peres: divided wordplay}—your kingdom {malkhutakh: dominion} is divided, and it is given to the Medes and the Persians.
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel {daniyyel: devoted interpreter} in purple and placed a gold chain on his neck, and they proclaimed that he would be the third ruler in the kingdom {malkuta: royal dominion}.
30 In that night {be-lel-ya: appointed period} Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans {kash-di-ya: Babylonian rulers} was killed.
31 And Darius the Mede{mada'ah: Median identity} received the kingdom{malkhuta: royal dominion} when he was about sixty-two years old.