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Belsassar y brenin a wnaeth wledd fawr i fil o’i dywysogion, ac a yfodd win yng ngŵydd y mil. Wrth flas y gwin y dywedodd Belsassar am ddwyn y llestri aur ac arian, a ddygasai Nebuchodonosor ei dad ef o’r deml yr hon oedd yn Jerwsalem, fel yr yfai y brenin a’i dywysogion, ei wragedd a’i ordderchadon, ynddynt. Yna y dygwyd y llestri aur a ddygasid o deml tŷ Dduw, yr hwn oedd yn Jerwsalem: a’r brenin a’i dywysogion, ei wragedd a’i ordderchadon, a yfasant ynddynt. Yfasant win, a molianasant y duwiau o aur, ac o arian, o bres, o haearn, o goed, ac o faen.

Yr awr honno bysedd llaw dyn a ddaethant allan, ac a ysgrifenasant ar gyfer y canhwyllbren ar galchiad pared llys y brenin; a gwelodd y brenin ddarn y llaw a ysgrifennodd. Yna y newidiodd lliw y brenin, a’i feddyliau a’i cyffroesant ef, fel y datododd rhwymau ei lwynau ef, ac y curodd ei liniau ef y naill wrth y llall. Gwaeddodd y brenin yn groch am ddwyn i mewn yr astronomyddion, y Caldeaid, a’r brudwyr: a llefarodd y brenin, a dywedodd wrth ddoethion Babilon, Pa ddyn bynnag a ddarlleno yr ysgrifen hon, ac a ddangoso i mi ei dehongliad, efe a wisgir â phorffor, ac a gaiff gadwyn aur am ei wddf, a chaiff lywodraethu yn drydydd yn y deyrnas. Yna holl ddoethion y brenin a ddaethant i mewn; ond ni fedrent ddarllen yr ysgrifen, na mynegi i’r brenin ei dehongliad. Yna y mawr gyffrôdd y brenin Belsassar, a’i wedd a ymnewidiodd ynddo, a’i dywysogion a synasant.

10 Y frenhines, oherwydd geiriau y brenin a’i dywysogion, a ddaeth i dŷ y wledd: a llefarodd y frenhines, a dywedodd, Bydd fyw byth, frenin; na chyffroed dy feddyliau di, ac na newidied dy wedd. 11 Y mae gŵr yn dy deyrnas, yr hwn y mae ysbryd y duwiau sanctaidd ynddo; ac yn nyddiau dy dad y caed ynddo ef oleuni, a deall, a doethineb fel doethineb y duwiau: a’r brenin Nebuchodonosor dy dad a’i gosododd ef yn bennaeth y dewiniaid, astronomyddion, Caldeaid, a brudwyr, sef y brenin dy dad di. 12 Oherwydd cael yn y Daniel hwnnw, yr hwn y rhoddes y brenin iddo enw Beltesassar, ysbryd rhagorol, a gwybodaeth a deall, deongl breuddwydion, ac egluro damhegion, a datod clymau: galwer Daniel yr awron, ac efe a ddengys y dehongliad. 13 Yna y ducpwyd Daniel o flaen y brenin: a llefarodd y brenin, a dywedodd wrth Daniel, Ai tydi yw Daniel, yr hwn wyt o feibion caethglud Jwda, y rhai a ddug y brenin fy nhad i o Jwda? 14 Myfi a glywais sôn amdanat, fod ysbryd y duwiau ynot, a chael ynot ti oleuni, a deall, a doethineb rhagorol. 15 Ac yr awr hon dygwyd y doethion, yr astronomyddion, o’m blaen, i ddarllen yr ysgrifen hon, ac i fynegi i mi ei dehongliad: ond ni fedrent ddangos dehongliad y peth. 16 Ac mi a glywais amdanat ti, y medri ddeongl deongliadau, a datod clymau; yr awr hon os medri ddarllen yr ysgrifen, a hysbysu i mi ei dehongliad, tydi a wisgir â phorffor, ac a gei gadwyn aur am dy wddf, ac a gei lywodraethu yn drydydd yn y deyrnas.

17 Yna yr atebodd Daniel, ac y dywedodd o flaen y brenin, Bydded dy roddion i ti, a dod dy anrhegion i arall; er hynny yr ysgrifen a ddarllenaf i’r brenin, a’r dehongliad a hysbysaf iddo. 18 O frenin, y Duw goruchaf a roddes i Nebuchodonosor dy dad di frenhiniaeth, a mawredd, a gogoniant, ac anrhydedd. 19 Ac oherwydd y mawredd a roddasai efe iddo, y bobloedd, y cenhedloedd, a’r ieithoedd oll, oedd yn crynu ac yn ofni rhagddo ef: yr hwn a fynnai a laddai, a’r hwn a fynnai a gadwai yn fyw; hefyd y neb a fynnai a gyfodai, a’r neb a fynnai a ostyngai. 20 Eithr pan ymgododd ei galon ef, a chaledu o’i ysbryd ef mewn balchder, efe a ddisgynnwyd o orseddfa ei frenhiniaeth, a’i ogoniant a dynasant oddi wrtho: 21 Gyrrwyd ef hefyd oddi wrth feibion dynion, a gwnaethpwyd ei galon fel bwystfil, a chyda’r asynnod gwylltion yr oedd ei drigfa: â gwellt y porthasant ef fel eidion, a’i gorff a wlychwyd gan wlith y nefoedd, hyd oni wybu mai y Duw goruchaf oedd yn llywodraethu ym mrenhiniaeth dynion, ac yn gosod arni y neb a fynno. 22 A thithau, Belsassar ei fab ef, ni ddarostyngaist dy galon, er gwybod ohonot hyn oll; 23 Eithr ymddyrchefaist yn erbyn Arglwydd y nefoedd, a llestri ei dŷ ef a ddygasant ger dy fron di, a thithau a’th dywysogion, dy wragedd a’th ordderchadon, a yfasoch win ynddynt; a thi a foliennaist dduwiau o arian, ac o aur, o bres, haearn, pren, a maen, y rhai ni welant, ac ni chlywant, ac ni wyddant ddim: ac nid anrhydeddaist y Duw y mae dy anadl di yn ei law, a’th holl ffyrdd yn eiddo. 24 Yna yr anfonwyd darn y llaw oddi ger ei fron ef, ac yr ysgrifennwyd yr ysgrifen hon.

25 A dyma yr ysgrifen a ysgrifennwyd: MENE, MENE, TECEL, UFFARSIN. 26 Dyma ddehongliad y peth: MENE; Duw a rifodd dy frenhiniaeth, ac a’i gorffennodd. 27 TECEL; Ti a bwyswyd yn y cloriannau, ac a’th gaed yn brin. 28 PERES: Rhannwyd dy frenhiniaeth, a rhoddwyd hi i’r Mediaid a’r Persiaid. 29 Yna y gorchmynnodd Belsassar, a hwy a wisgasant Daniel â phorffor, ac â chadwyn aur am ei wddf; a chyhoeddwyd amdano, y byddai efe yn drydydd yn llywodraethu yn y frenhiniaeth.

30 Y noson honno y lladdwyd Belsassar brenin y Caldeaid. 31 A Dareius y Mediad a gymerodd y frenhiniaeth, ac efe yn ddwy flwydd a thrigain oed.

The Writing on the Wall

King Belshazzar(A) gave a great banquet(B) for a thousand of his nobles(C) and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking(D) his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets(E) that Nebuchadnezzar his father[a] had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines(F) might drink from them.(G) So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods(H) of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.(I)

Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale(J) and he was so frightened(K) that his legs became weak(L) and his knees were knocking.(M)

The king summoned the enchanters,(N) astrologers[b](O) and diviners.(P) Then he said to these wise(Q) men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck,(R) and he will be made the third(S) highest ruler in the kingdom.”(T)

Then all the king’s wise men(U) came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.(V) So King Belshazzar became even more terrified(W) and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.

10 The queen,[c] hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!”(X) she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods(Y) in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom(Z) like that of the gods.(AA) Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.(AB) 12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar,(AC) was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles(AD) and solve difficult problems.(AE) Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.(AF)

13 So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?(AG) 14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods(AH) is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom.(AI) 15 The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it.(AJ) 16 Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems.(AK) If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck,(AL) and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”(AM)

17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else.(AN) 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(AO) sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.(AP) 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;(AQ) those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled.(AR) 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride,(AS) he was deposed from his royal throne(AT) and stripped(AU) of his glory.(AV) 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(AW) over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.(AX)

22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son,[d] have not humbled(AY) yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against(AZ) the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives(BA) 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.(BB) But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life(BC) and all your ways.(BD) 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

25 “This is the inscription that was written:

mene, mene, tekel, parsin

26 “Here is what these words mean:

Mene[e]: God has numbered the days(BE) of your reign and brought it to an end.(BF)

27 Tekel[f]: You have been weighed on the scales(BG) and found wanting.(BH)

28 Peres[g]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes(BI) and Persians.”(BJ)

29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck,(BK) and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.(BL)

30 That very night Belshazzar,(BM) king(BN) of the Babylonians,[h] was slain,(BO) 31 and Darius(BP) the Mede(BQ) took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.[i]

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:2 Or ancestor; or predecessor; also in verses 11, 13 and 18
  2. Daniel 5:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 11
  3. Daniel 5:10 Or queen mother
  4. Daniel 5:22 Or descendant; or successor
  5. Daniel 5:26 Mene can mean numbered or mina (a unit of money).
  6. Daniel 5:27 Tekel can mean weighed or shekel.
  7. Daniel 5:28 Peres (the singular of Parsin) can mean divided or Persia or a half mina or a half shekel.
  8. Daniel 5:30 Or Chaldeans
  9. Daniel 5:31 In Aramaic texts this verse (5:31) is numbered 6:1.