The Writing on the Wall

5 King Belshazzar^(A) gave a great banquet^(B) for a thousand of his nobles^(C) and drank wine with them. ² 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) 3} 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. ⁴ As they drank the wine, they praised the gods^(H) of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.^(I)

⁵ 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. ⁶ His face turned pale^(J) and he was so frightened^(K) that his legs became weak^(L) and his knees were knocking.^(M)

¹⁰ The queen,^[a] hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!”^(A) 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^(B) in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom^(C) like that of the gods.^(D) Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.^{(E) 12} He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar,^(F) was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles^(G) and solve difficult problems.^(H) Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.^(I)”

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?^{(J) 14} I have heard that the spirit of the gods^(K) is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom.^{(L) 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.^{(M) 16} Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems.^(N) 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,^(O) and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”^(P)

²² “But you, Belshazzar, his son,^[a] have not humbled^(A) yourself, though you knew all this. ²³ Instead, you have set yourself up against^(B) the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives^(C) 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.^(D) But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life^(E) and all your ways.^{(F) 24} Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

²⁵ “This is the inscription that was written:

²⁶ “Here is what these words mean: