¹⁷ Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else.^(A) Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

¹⁸ “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar^(B) sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.^{(C) 19} Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death;^(D) those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled.^{(E) 20} But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride,^(F) he was deposed from his royal throne^(G) and stripped^(H) of his glory.^{(I) 21} He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign^(J) over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.^(K)

²² “But you, Belshazzar, his son,^[a] have not humbled^(L) yourself, though you knew all this. ²³ Instead, you have set yourself up against^(M) the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives^(N) and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand.^(O) But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life^(P) and all your ways.^(Q)