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伯沙撒王大宴群臣

伯沙撒王為他的一千大臣大擺筵席,他和他們一同喝酒。 伯沙撒喝酒歡暢的時候,下令把他先祖尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷聖殿裡掠取的金銀器皿拿來,好讓他和他的大臣、妻妾、妃嬪用這些器皿來喝酒。 於是人把從耶路撒冷聖殿裡,就是 神的殿裡,掠來的金器皿拿來;王和他的大臣、妻妾、妃嬪就用這些器皿來喝酒。 他們喝酒,讚美那些用金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石所做的神。

指頭在牆上寫字

當時,忽然有人手的指頭出現,在王宮裡燈臺對面的粉牆上寫字;王看見了那隻正在寫字的手掌, 就臉色大變,心意驚惶,兩腳無力,雙膝彼此相碰。 王大聲呼叫,吩咐人把那些用法術的和迦勒底人,以及占星家都領進來;王對巴比倫的智慧人說:“誰能讀這文字,又能向我解釋它的意思,他必身穿紫袍,頸戴金鍊,在國中掌權,位列第三。” 於是王所有的智慧人都進來,卻不能讀那文字,也不能把意思向王說明。 伯沙撒王就非常驚惶,臉色大變;他的大臣也都不知所措。

太后舉薦但以理

10 太后因王和他的大臣所說的話,就進入宴會的大廳,對王說:“願王萬歲!你的心意不要驚惶,也不要臉色大變。 11 在你國中有一個人,他裡面有聖神的靈;你先祖在世的日子,發現這人有灼見,有聰明,有智慧,好像神的智慧一樣。你先祖尼布甲尼撒王,就是王的先祖,曾立他為術士、用法術的,以及迦勒底人和占星家的領袖。 12 這都因為在這但以理裡面有美好的靈性,有知識,有聰明,能解夢,釋謎語,能解答難題;這人尼布甲尼撒王曾給他起名叫伯提沙撒。現在可以把但以理召來,他必能解釋牆上文字的意思。”

13 於是但以理被帶到王面前,王問但以理說:“你就是我先王從猶大擄來的猶大人但以理嗎? 14 我聽說你裡面有神的靈,有灼見,有聰明,有高超的智慧。 15 現在智慧人和用法術的都被帶到我面前了,我要他們讀這文字,把文字的意思向我說明,可是他們都不能解釋這文字的意思。 16 我聽說你能解釋異夢,也能解答難題。現在你若能讀這文字,把它的意思向我說明,就必身穿紫袍,頸戴金鍊,在國中掌權,位列第三。”

但以理直言責王

17 但以理在王面前回答說:“你的禮物可以歸你自己,你的賞賜可以歸給別人;我卻要為王讀這文字,也要把意思向王說明。 18 王啊!至高的 神曾把國位、權勢、光榮和威嚴賜給你先祖尼布甲尼撒。 19 因 神所賜給他的權勢,各國、各族和說各種語言的人,都在他面前戰兢恐懼;他要殺誰,就殺誰;要誰活著,誰就可以活著;要提升誰,就提升誰;要貶低誰,就貶低誰。 20 但他心高氣傲、妄自尊大的時候,就從國位上被趕下來,他的尊榮也被奪去。 21 他被趕逐,離開人群,他的心變如獸心,他和野驢同住,像牛一樣吃草,身體被天露滴濕;等到他承認至高的 神在世人的國中掌權,他喜歡誰,就立誰執掌國權。 22 伯沙撒啊!你是他的子孫,你雖然知道這一切,你的心仍不謙卑, 23 竟高抬自己,敵對天上的主,使人把他殿中的器皿拿到你面前來,你和你的大臣、妻妾、妃嬪用這些器皿喝酒;你又讚美那些不能看見、不能聽見、甚麼都不能知道,用金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石所做的神,卻沒有把榮耀歸給那手中有你的氣息,和那掌管你一切命途的 神。 24 因此,有手從 神那裡伸出來,寫了這文字。

解釋牆上文字的意義

25 “所寫的文字是:‘彌尼,彌尼,提客勒,烏法珥新。’ 26 這文字的意思是這樣:‘彌尼’就是 神已數算了你國度的年日,使國終止; 27 ‘提客勒’就是你被稱在天平上,顯出你的缺欠; 28 ‘毘勒斯’(“毘勒斯”即“烏法珥新”的單數式)就是你的國要分裂,歸給瑪代人和波斯人。”

29 於是伯沙撒下令,人就把紫袍給但以理穿上,把金鍊戴在他的頸上,又宣告他在國中掌權,位列第三。

伯沙撒王被殺而亡國

30 當夜,迦勒底人的王伯沙撒被殺。 31 瑪代人大利烏奪取了迦勒底國;那時他六十二歲。(本節在《馬索拉文本》為6:1)

The Mysterious Writing on the Wall

Belshazzar the king made a great festival for a thousand of his lords,[a] and in the presence of[b] the thousand lords he was drinking wine.[c] When he tasted the wine,[d] Belshazzar commanded that they bring the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his predecessor[e] had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords,[f] his wives and his concubines may drink from them. Then they brought in the vessels of gold that they took from the temple, the house of God that was in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords,[g] his wives and his concubines drank from them. They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.[h]

Immediately[i] human fingers[j] appeared and they wrote opposite[k] the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the palace of the king, and the king was watching[l] the palm of the hand that was writing. Then his face changed and his thoughts terrified him, and his hip joints gave way[m] and his knees knocked together.[n] The king cried aloud[o] to bring in the conjurers,[p] the astrologers[q] and the diviners; the king spoke[r] and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed in purple and will have a necklace of gold hung around his neck and he will rule as third in authority in the kingdom.” Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known its explanation.[s] Then the king, Belshazzar, became greatly terrified, and his facial features[t] changed upon him, and his lords[u] were perplexed.

10 Because of the words of the king and his lords,[v] the queen came into the banqueting hall[w] and the queen spoke up[x] and said, “O king, live forever,[y] and let not your thoughts terrify you and do not let your facial expressions grow pale.[z] 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him.[aa] And in the days of your predecessor,[ab] enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him; and, O king, Nebuchadnezzar your predecessor[ac] appointed him as chief of the magicians,[ad] the conjurers,[ae] the astrologers,[af] and the diviners. Your predecessor[ag] the king did this 12 because[ah] there was found in him an excellent spirit and understanding and insight for interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving riddles; that is, in Daniel whom the king named[ai] Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called and he will tell the explanation.”[aj]

Daniel Deciphers and Interprets the Writing

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king, and the king spoke[ak] and said to Daniel, “You are Daniel who are one of the exiles[al] of Judah[am] whom my predecessor,[an] the king, brought from Judah.[ao] 14 And I have heard that a spirit of the gods is in you and enlightenment and insight and excellent wisdom was found in you. 15 And now the wise men and the conjurers[ap] were brought in before me so that they could read this writing in order to make its explanation[aq] known to me, but they were not able to disclose the explanation[ar] of the matter. 16 But I have heard concerning you that you are able to produce interpretations[as] and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation[at] to me, you will be clothed in purple and a necklace of gold will be placed around your neck and you will rule as third in command in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself or your rewards give to another; nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and I will make known to him the explanation.[au] 18 O king,[av] the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your predecessor.[aw] 19 And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all the peoples, the nations and languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wanted he killed, and whomever he wanted he let live, and whomever he wanted he honored, and whomever he wanted he humbled. 20 But when[ax] his heart became arrogant and his spirit became hard so as to act proudly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and the[ay] glory was taken away from him.[az] 21 And he was driven away from human society[ba] and his mind was made like the animals[bb] and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and he was given[bc] grass like oxen to eat, and with[bd] the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and whoever[be] he wants he sets over it.

22 “But you his successor,[bf] Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart even though[bg] you knew all this. 23 And now you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords,[bh] your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from[bi] them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone[bj] that do not see and do not hear and do not know, but the God who holds your life in his hand[bk] and all of your ways come from him,[bl] you have not honored. 24 So then the palm of the hand was sent out from his presence and this writing was inscribed.

25 “Now this was the writing that was inscribed: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.’

26 “This is the explanation of the matter:[bm] ‘Mene’—God has numbered your kingdom and brought an end to it.

27 “‘Tekel’—you have been weighed on scales and you have been found wanting.[bn]

28 “‘Peres’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’”

29 Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be the third ruler in authority in the kingdom. 30 That same night[bo] Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. 31 [bp] And Darius the Mede received the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.[bq]

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:1 Or “nobles”
  2. Daniel 5:1 Literally “to over against”
  3. Daniel 5:1 Or “the wine”
  4. Daniel 5:2 Literally “At the taste of the wine”
  5. Daniel 5:2 Literally “father”
  6. Daniel 5:2 Or “nobles”
  7. Daniel 5:3 Or “nobles”
  8. Daniel 5:4 All these metals have the definite article that does not have to be translated into English to retain the meaning
  9. Daniel 5:5 Literally “In its the hour”
  10. Daniel 5:5 Literally “fingers of the hand of a man”
  11. Daniel 5:5 Literally “to over against”
  12. Daniel 5:5 Or “gazing at”
  13. Daniel 5:6 Literally “the limbs of his hip became loose”
  14. Daniel 5:6 Literally “his knees this to this they knocked together”
  15. Daniel 5:7 Literally “with strength”
  16. Daniel 5:7 Or “enchanters”
  17. Daniel 5:7 Literally “Chaldeans”
  18. Daniel 5:7 Literally “answered”
  19. Daniel 5:8 Aramaic “the explanation/ interpretation”
  20. Daniel 5:9 Literally “shining of his face”
  21. Daniel 5:9 Or “nobles”
  22. Daniel 5:10 Or “nobles”
  23. Daniel 5:10 Literally “the house of the drinking”
  24. Daniel 5:10 Literally “answered”
  25. Daniel 5:10 Literally “to eternity”
  26. Daniel 5:10 Literally “change”
  27. Daniel 5:11 Literally “who the spirit of holy gods is in him”
  28. Daniel 5:11 Literally “father”
  29. Daniel 5:11 Literally “father”
  30. Daniel 5:11 Or “soothsayer-priests”
  31. Daniel 5:11 Or “enchanters”
  32. Daniel 5:11 Literally “Chaldeans”
  33. Daniel 5:11 Literally “father”
  34. Daniel 5:12 Literally “all of because that”
  35. Daniel 5:12 Literally “whom the king gave his name”
  36. Daniel 5:12 Or “interpretation”
  37. Daniel 5:13 Literally “answered”
  38. Daniel 5:13 Literally “who from sons of the exile”
  39. Daniel 5:13 Aramaic “Jehud”
  40. Daniel 5:13 Literally “father”
  41. Daniel 5:13 Aramaic “Jehud”
  42. Daniel 5:15 Or “enchanters”
  43. Daniel 5:15 Or “interpretation”
  44. Daniel 5:15 Or “interpretation”
  45. Daniel 5:16 Literally “to interpret interpretations”
  46. Daniel 5:16 Or “interpretation”
  47. Daniel 5:17 Or “interpretation”
  48. Daniel 5:18 Literally “You, O king”
  49. Daniel 5:18 Literally “father”
  50. Daniel 5:20 Literally “as that”
  51. Daniel 5:20 Or “his”
  52. Daniel 5:20 Literally “they took away”
  53. Daniel 5:21 Literally “from the sons of the humankind”
  54. Daniel 5:21 Aramaic “with the animals”
  55. Daniel 5:21 Literally “they gave him”
  56. Daniel 5:21 Aramaic “from”
  57. Daniel 5:21 Literally “to from that”
  58. Daniel 5:22 Literally “son”
  59. Daniel 5:22 Literally “all of because that”
  60. Daniel 5:23 Or “nobles”
  61. Daniel 5:23 Aramaic “with”
  62. Daniel 5:23 All the materials in this list have the definite article that does not have to be translated into English
  63. Daniel 5:23 Literally “who your breath is in his hand”
  64. Daniel 5:23 Literally “belong to him”
  65. Daniel 5:26 Or “word, message”
  66. Daniel 5:27 Or “deficient”
  67. Daniel 5:30 Literally “In it, in the night”
  68. Daniel 5:31 Daniel 5:31–6:28 in the English Bible is 6:1–29 in the Hebrew Bible
  69. Daniel 5:31 Literally “when a son of sixty and two years”