牆上寫字

伯沙撒王盛宴款待一千大臣,與他們一同飲酒。 王暢飲的時候,命人將先王尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷聖殿中擄來的金銀器皿拿來,供他與大臣、王后和妃嬪用來飲酒。 於是,他們把從耶路撒冷上帝殿中擄來的金器拿來,王與大臣、王后和妃嬪便用這些器皿飲酒。 他們一邊飲酒,一邊頌讚金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石所造的神明。

突然,有人手的指頭出現,在燈臺對面王宮的粉牆上寫字。王看見那隻手在寫字, 臉色驟變,驚恐萬分,兩腿發軟,雙膝顫抖。 他大聲傳令,召來巫師、占星家和占卜者,對這些巴比倫的智者說:「誰能讀牆上的字,把意思告訴我,他必身穿紫袍,頸戴金鏈,在國中位居第三。」 王所有的智者進來後,竟無人能讀懂或把意思告訴王。 伯沙撒王愈發恐懼,臉色蒼白,他的大臣都不知所措。

10 太后聽到王和大臣的喊聲,便來到宴會廳,對王說:「願王萬歲!不要驚慌失色。 11 你國中有一個人,他有聖潔神明的靈。先王在世時,曾發現他有神明一樣的灼見、悟性和智慧。先王尼布甲尼撒立他為術士、巫師、占星家和占卜者的首領。 12 他有非凡的心智、知識和悟性,能解夢、釋謎、解惑。他叫但以理,先王給他取名叫伯提沙撒。現在可以把他召來,他必能解釋這些字的意思。」

13 於是,但以理被帶到王面前。王問他:「你就是先王從猶大擄來的但以理嗎? 14 我聽說你有神明的靈,有灼見、悟性和非凡的智慧。 15 我召智者和巫師來讀這些字,為我解釋字的意思,但他們都不能解釋。 16 我聽說你能釋夢、解惑。你若能讀出牆上的字,把意思告訴我,你必身穿紫袍、頸戴金鏈,在我的國中位居第三。」

17 但以理回答說:「你的禮物自己留著,你的賞賜可以給別人,不過我會為你讀這些字,解釋意思。 18 王啊,至高的上帝曾將國位、權力、尊榮、威嚴賜給你的先王尼布甲尼撒, 19 因為他有上帝所賜的大權,各族、各邦、各語種的人都在他面前戰抖,充滿恐懼。他操生殺大權,可隨意擢升、罷黜。 20 但他變得心高氣傲、剛愎自用、狂妄自大,因而被革除王位、剝去尊榮。 21 他從人群中被趕走,他的心變成獸心,他與野驢同住,像牛一樣吃草,被天上的露水浸濕,直到他知道至高的上帝主宰世上萬國,祂要把國賜給誰就賜給誰。

22 「伯沙撒啊,你是他的後裔,你雖然知道這一切事,仍不謙卑, 23 竟在天上的主面前自大,命人拿來祂殿裡的器皿,供你和大臣、王后、妃嬪用來飲酒,並頌讚不能看、不能聽、一無所知、用金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石所造的神明,卻不尊崇賜你生命氣息、掌管你一舉一動的上帝。

24 「因此,上帝使指頭出現,寫下這些字, 25 就是『彌尼,彌尼,提客勒,烏法珥新』。 26 這些字的意思是這樣,彌尼——指上帝已經數算你國度的年日,使之到此為止; 27 提客勒——指你已經被放在秤上稱了,發現分量不夠; 28 烏法珥新[a]——指你的國要分裂,歸給瑪代人和波斯人。」

29 於是,伯沙撒下令給但以理穿上紫袍,戴上金項鏈,又宣告他在國中位居第三。 30 當夜,迦勒底王伯沙撒被殺。 31 瑪代人大流士六十二歲時奪取了王權。

Footnotes

  1. 5·28 烏法珥新」亞蘭文是「毗勒斯」,即「烏法珥新」的單數格式。

Belshazzar’s Feast

Belshazzar the king [a]held a great (A)feast for one thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he said to bring the gold and silver (B)vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his [b]father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. They (C)drank the wine and praised the gods of (D)gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand came out and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the [c]back of the hand that did the writing. Then the [d](E)splendor of the king’s face changed, and his thoughts alarmed him, and his (F)hip joints [e]went slack, and his (G)knees were knocking against each other. The king called out loudly to bring in the (H)conjurers, the [f]Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king answered and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this writing and declare its interpretation to me shall be (I)clothed with purple and have a (J)necklace of gold around his neck and rule with power as [g](K)third ruler in the kingdom.” Then all the king’s wise men came in, but (L)they could not read the writing or make known its interpretation to the king. Then King Belshazzar was greatly (M)alarmed, and the [h](N)splendor of his face changed further, and his nobles were perplexed.

10 The queen entered the banquet [i]hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen answered and said, “(O)O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or the [j]splendor of your face be changed. 11 There is a (P)man in your kingdom in whom is [k]a (Q)spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father [l](R)the king, set him as chief of the [m]magicians, conjurers, [n]Chaldeans, and diviners. 12 This was because an (S)extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas, and [o]solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named (T)Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned, and he will declare the interpretation.”

Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the [p](U)exiles from Judah, whom my father the king (V)brought from Judah? 14 Now I have heard about you that [q]a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15 Just now the (W)wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this writing and make its interpretation known to me, but they (X)could not declare the interpretation of the [r]message. 16 But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and [s]solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and make its (Y)interpretation known to me, you will be (Z)clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will rule with power as the [t]third ruler in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your (AA)gifts remain with you or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the writing to the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18 [u]O king, the (AB)Most High God (AC)granted the kingdom, (AD)grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19 And because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue feared and were in dread before him; (AE)whomever he wished he killed, and whomever he wished he kept alive, and whomever he wished he raised up, and whomever he wished he made low. 20 But when his heart was (AF)raised up and his spirit became so (AG)strong that he behaved arrogantly, he was (AH)deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him. 21 He was also (AI)driven away from the sons of [v]men, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his place of habitation was with the (AJ)wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of the sky until he knew that the (AK)Most High God is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and that He sets up over it whomever He wishes. 22 Yet you, his [w]son, Belshazzar, have (AL)not made your heart lowly, [x]even though you knew all this, 23 but you have (AM)raised yourself up against the (AN)Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the (AO)gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear, or know. But the God (AP)in whose hand are your life-breath and all your (AQ)ways, you have not honored. 24 Then the [y](AR)hand was sent from Him, and this writing was [z]inscribed.

25 “Now this is the writing that was [aa]inscribed: ‘[ab]MENĒ, [ac]MENĒ, [ad]TEKĒL, [ae]UPHARSIN.’ 26 This is the interpretation of the [af]message: ‘MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and (AS)put an end to it. 27 ‘TEKĒL’—you have been (AT)weighed on the scales and found lacking. 28 ‘PERĒS’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the (AU)Medes and [ag]Persians.”

29 Then Belshazzar said the word, and they (AV)clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now would be the [ah]third powerful ruler in the kingdom.

30 That same night (AW)Belshazzar the Chaldean king was (AX)killed.

31 [ai]So (AY)Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:1 Lit made
  2. Daniel 5:2 Or forefather, so in ch
  3. Daniel 5:5 Or palm
  4. Daniel 5:6 Lit brightness changed for him
  5. Daniel 5:6 Lit became loosened
  6. Daniel 5:7 Or master astrologers
  7. Daniel 5:7 Or a triumvir
  8. Daniel 5:9 Lit brightness was changing upon him
  9. Daniel 5:10 Lit house
  10. Daniel 5:10 Lit brightness be changed
  11. Daniel 5:11 Or the Spirit of the holy God
  12. Daniel 5:11 Or O king
  13. Daniel 5:11 Or soothsayer priests
  14. Daniel 5:11 Or master astrologers
  15. Daniel 5:12 Lit loosening
  16. Daniel 5:13 Lit sons of the exile
  17. Daniel 5:14 Or possibly the Spirit of God
  18. Daniel 5:15 Lit word
  19. Daniel 5:16 Lit loosen
  20. Daniel 5:16 Or triumvir
  21. Daniel 5:18 Lit You, O king
  22. Daniel 5:21 Lit man
  23. Daniel 5:22 Or descendant
  24. Daniel 5:22 Lit inasmuch as you
  25. Daniel 5:24 Lit palm of the hand
  26. Daniel 5:24 Or signed, cf. 6:9-14
  27. Daniel 5:25 Or signed, cf. 6:9-14
  28. Daniel 5:25 Or a mina (50 shekels), from verb “to number”
  29. Daniel 5:25 Or a mina (50 shekels), from verb “to number”
  30. Daniel 5:25 Or a shekel, from verb “to weigh”
  31. Daniel 5:25 Or and half-shekels (sing: perēs), from verb “to divide”
  32. Daniel 5:26 Lit word
  33. Daniel 5:28 Aram: Pāras
  34. Daniel 5:29 Or triumvir
  35. Daniel 5:31 Ch 6:1 in Aram