Daniel 5
La Palabra (España)
El banquete de Baltasar
5 El rey Baltasar ofreció un gran festín a mil de sus dignatarios, y todos fueron testigos de la cantidad de vino que bebió. 2 Cuando estaba aturdido por el vino, mandó traer las copas de oro y plata que su padre Nabucodonosor se había llevado del Templo de Jerusalén, para beber en ellas el propio rey, sus dignatarios, sus mujeres y sus concubinas. 3 En seguida trajeron las copas de oro y plata del Templo de Jerusalén, de la casa de Dios, y bebieron en ellas el propio rey, sus dignatarios, sus mujeres y sus concubinas. 4 Y, mientras bebían, alababan a sus dioses de oro y de plata, de bronce y de hierro, de leño y de piedra.
5 En aquel momento apareció una mano humana que, con sus dedos, se puso a escribir, a la luz del candelabro, en la cal de la pared del palacio real. Cuando el rey vio la mano que escribía, 6 palideció y quedó aturdido, incapaz de sostenerse, con las rodillas temblando. 7 Se puso entonces a gritar desesperado y mandó llamar a los adivinos, magos y astrólogos. Después dijo a los sabios de Babilonia:
— Quien sepa leer esa inscripción y pueda interpretar su significado será vestido de púrpura, llevará un collar de oro y ocupará el tercer puesto en mi reino.
8 Acudieron todos los sabios que estaban al servicio del rey, pero ninguno fue capaz de leer la inscripción e interpretarla. 9 El rey Baltasar se sintió turbado sobremanera y palideció todavía más; sus dignatarios estaban desconcertados.
10 Cuando llegó a oídos de la reina lo que decían el rey y sus dignatarios, se presentó en la sala del banquete y dijo:
— ¡Larga vida al rey! No te alarmes ni palidezcas, 11 pues tienes en tu reino a un hombre que participa del espíritu de los dioses santos. En vida de tu padre demostró tener una clarividencia, una inteligencia y una sabiduría propias de los dioses. El rey Nabucodonosor, tu padre, lo nombró jefe de los magos, adivinos, hechiceros y astrólogos. 12 Se llama Daniel, aunque el rey le puso por nombre Baltasar. Parece estar dotado de un saber y de una inteligencia superiores, capaces de interpretar sueños, descifrar enigmas y resolver complicados problemas. Que llamen, pues, a Daniel para que te interprete la inscripción.
13 Daniel fue traído de inmediato a la presencia del rey, que le preguntó:
— ¿Eres tú Daniel, uno de aquellos deportados que mi padre, el rey, trajo de Judá? 14 He oído decir que participas del espíritu de los dioses y que sobrepasas a todos en clarividencia, inteligencia y sabiduría. 15 Hace un momento han traído a mi presencia a los sabios y adivinos para que leyeran este escrito y me lo interpretaran, pero no han sido capaces de dar con su significado. 16 Además he oído decir que sabes interpretar y resolver complicados problemas. Pues bien, si eres capaz de leer e interpretarme esta inscripción, te haré vestir de púrpura, llevarás un collar de oro y ocuparás el tercer puesto en mi reino.
17 Daniel le respondió:
— Puedes quedarte con tus regalos y ofrecer tus obsequios a otros. De todos modos, voy a leer la inscripción y ofreceré a su majestad la interpretación. 18 El Dios Altísimo, majestad, concedió a tu padre Nabucodonosor soberanía, poder, fama y honor. 19 A causa de aquel poder que el Dios Altísimo le había concedido, la gente de todos los pueblos, naciones y lenguas temblaban de miedo ante él. Ejecutaba o dejaba con vida a quien quería; a unos engrandecía y a otros humillaba. 20 Pero, al volverse soberbio, orgulloso y arrogante, fue desposeído del trono y despojado de su gloria. 21 Dejó de vivir entre personas, su entendimiento quedó reducido al de las bestias, vivía entre los asnos salvajes, comía hierba como los toros y el rocío empapaba su cuerpo; hasta que reconoció que el Dios Altísimo controla los reinos humanos y se los da a quien quiere.
22 Tú, Baltasar, que eres hijo suyo, sabías bien todo esto. Sin embargo, no has sido humilde, 23 te has rebelado contra el Señor del cielo haciendo traer las copas de su Templo para beber en ellas en compañía de tus dignatarios, tus mujeres y tus concubinas, al tiempo que alababas a tus dioses de plata y de oro, de bronce y de hierro, de leño y de piedra, que ni ven, ni oyen ni entienden. Además no has glorificado al Dios que tiene tu vida en sus manos y de quien depende todo lo que hagas. 24 Por eso ha enviado la mano que ha dejado esa inscripción. 25 La inscripción dice así: “mené, téquel, fares”. 26 Su interpretación es la siguiente: “mené” quiere decir “contado”, es decir: Dios ha contado los días de tu reinado y ha determinado su fin; 27 “téquel” quiere decir “pesado”, es decir: has sido pesado en la balanza y te falta peso; 28 y “fares” quiere decir “dividido”, es decir: tu reino ha sido dividido y entregado a medos y persas.
29 Baltasar ordenó entonces que vistieran de púrpura a Daniel, que le pusieran un collar de oro y que pasara a ocupar el tercer puesto en su reino. 30 Aquella misma noche, Baltasar, rey de los caldeos, fue asesinado.
Daniel 5
New Living Translation
The Writing on the Wall
5 Many years later King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. 2 While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor,[a] Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. 3 So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, 6 and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him.
7 The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers,[b] and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”
8 But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant. 9 So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.
10 But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. 12 This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”
Daniel Explains the Writing
13 So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar? 14 I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. 15 My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it. 16 I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means. 18 Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. 19 He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace. 20 But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.
22 “You are his successor,[c] O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. 23 For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! 24 So God has sent this hand to write this message.
25 “This is the message that was written: Mene, mene, tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is what these words mean:
Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.
27 Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.
28 Parsin[d] means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian[e] king, was killed.[f]
31 [g]And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
Daniel 5
EasyEnglish Bible
Belshazzar's big party[a]
5 King Belshazzar gave a big party for 1,000 important people in his country. He drank wine with all of them. 2 When he had drunk a lot of wine, he spoke to his servants. He commanded them to bring the valuable gold and silver cups, so that the people could drink from them. His father, King Nebuchadnezzar, had taken those cups from God's temple in Jerusalem. King Belshazzar wanted to drink from them, as well as his important friends, his wives and his other women. 3 So his servants brought the gold and silver cups that had come from God's temple in Jerusalem. Then the king, his wives, his other women and all the important people drank wine from those cups. 4 While they drank the wine, they praised their gods. Their gods were idols that were made from gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.
A hand writes on the wall
5 While they were doing that, the fingers of a human hand appeared. They wrote on the wall of the king's palace, near the light that stood in the room. The king watched the hand while it wrote. 6 When he saw it, his face became white. He was very afraid. His knees shook and his legs became weak.
7 The king called for his enchanters, his wise men and his diviners to come.[b] When they arrived, the king said to them, ‘Who can read these words? Who can tell me what they mean? Whoever can do that, I will make him great. I will put valuable purple clothes on him and he will have a gold chain around his neck. I will make him the third ruler in the kingdom.’[c]
8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the words. They could not tell the king what the words meant. 9 So King Belshazzar became even more afraid. His face became even whiter. His officers did not know what to do.
The queen tells Belshazzar about Daniel[d]
10 The king's mother heard the voices of the king and his officers. So she came into the room where they were having the party. She said to the king, ‘King, live for ever! Do not be afraid. Do not shake with fear! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. When your father was alive, this man showed that he was very wise, like the gods. He could understand secret things. Your father, Nebuchadnezzar, made him the leader of all the magicians, wise men, enchanters and diviners. 12 His name was Daniel, but the king called him Belteshazzar. He was very clever and he knew many things. He could explain what dreams mean. He could find the answer to difficult problems. Send somebody to bring Daniel here. He will tell you what these words mean.’
Belshazzar asks Daniel to explain the message
13 So they brought Daniel to stand in front of the king. The king said to him, ‘Are you one of the men that my father, the king, brought here from Judah? Is your name Daniel? 14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you. You are very wise and clever. I have heard that you understand many things. 15 I told my wise men and enchanters to read these words. I asked them to tell me what the words mean. But they could not explain the message to me. 16 I have heard that you can tell people what their dreams mean. And I have heard that you can find the answer to difficult problems. So can you read these words? Can you tell me what they mean? If you can do that, then I will put valuable purple clothes on you. You will have a gold chain around your neck. You will become the third ruler in the kingdom.’
Daniel warns the king
17 Then Daniel answered the king, ‘You can keep your gifts for yourself. You can make someone else important. But I will read the words for the king, and I will tell him what they mean. 18 I tell you this, King Belshazzar. The powerful God who rules over everything gave authority to your father, Nebuchadnezzar, to rule as king. God made him very great and very famous, so that he ruled with power. People respected him as a great king. 19 Because God made him so great, the people in every nation, who spoke every language, were very afraid of him. If he wanted to kill someone, he could kill them. And if he wanted to save someone, he could let them live. If he wanted to make someone important, he did that. And if he wanted to make someone poor, he did that too. 20 But he became very proud and he boasted about his power. So God took away his kingdom. People did not respect him any longer as king. 21 They chased him away from his home. His mind became like an animal's mind. He lived with the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cows do. Dew from the sky made his body wet. He lived in that way until he understood that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. God gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses.
22 King Belshazzar, you are Nebuchadnezzar's son, and you knew all that. But you did not become humble. 23 You thought that you were greater than the Lord of heaven. So you told your servants to bring the valuable cups that belong to God's temple. You yourself, your wives, your other women and your important friends drank wine from those cups. You praised your gods that were made from silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone. Those are idols that cannot see or hear. They cannot understand anything. But you worshipped them instead of the true God. He is the God who gives life to you. He has power over everything that you do. 24 Because of that, God sent the hand that wrote this message.
25 These are the words:
Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.
26 This is what the words mean:
Mene means “counted”. It shows that God has counted the days of your kingdom. Now these days are finished. Your kingdom has come to an end.
27 Tekel means “weighed”. It shows that God has weighed you. But the scales show that you are too light.
28 Peres means “separate”.[e] It shows that God has cut your kingdom into two separate parts. He has given it to the people from Media and Persia.’
29 When Belshazzar heard that, he caused his servants to put purple clothes on Daniel. They put a gold chain round his neck to show that he was an important person. The king told everyone that Daniel had become the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That same night, Belshazzar, the king of the Babylonians, died. His enemies killed him. 31 Then Darius from Media received power as king. He was 62 years old.
Footnotes
- 5:1 Nebuchadnezzar had died. Now Belshazzar was the king. He ruled under the authority of Nabonidus, but Nabonidus did not live in Babylon.
- 5:7 An enchanter tries to make things happen by speaking magic words.
- 5:7 Belshazzar was probably the second ruler, under the authority of Nabonidus.
- 5:10 This queen was probably Belshazzar's mother, or Nabonidus's wife. She knew things about Daniel that the king did not know.
- 5:28 Parsin and Peres are the same word. Peres is for one (singular) and Parsin is for many (plural). Peres also sounds like Persia. Persia was the country that we call Iran today.
La Palabra, (versión española) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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