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 King James Version
Belshazzar’s Feast
5 Belshazzar the king (A)made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels (B)which his [a]father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold (C)vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine, (D)and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5 (E)In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his (F)knees knocked against each other. 7 (G)The king cried [b]aloud to bring in (H)the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; (I)and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Now all the king’s wise men came, (J)but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly (K)troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were [c]astonished.
10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 11 (L)There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your [d]father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your [e]father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and [f]explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, (M)whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”
The Writing on the Wall Explained
13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel [g]who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my [h]father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that (N)the [i]Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now (O)the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. 16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and [j]explain enigmas. (P)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, (Q)the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your [k]father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, (R)all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he (S)executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 (T)But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was (U)driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, (V)till he [l]knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, (W)have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 (X)And you have [m]lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the (Y)vessels of [n]His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, (Z)which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand (AA)and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then the [o]fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
25 “And this is the inscription that was written:
[p]MENE, MENE, [q]TEKEL, [r]UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL: (AB)You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the (AC)Medes and (AD)Persians.”[s] 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him (AE)that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Belshazzar’s Fall
30 (AF)That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 (AG)And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Footnotes
- Daniel 5:2 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:7 Lit. with strength
- Daniel 5:9 perplexed
- Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:11 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:12 Lit. untying knots
- Daniel 5:13 Lit. who is of the sons of the captivity
- Daniel 5:13 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:14 Or spirit of the gods
- Daniel 5:16 Lit. untie knots
- Daniel 5:18 Or ancestor
- Daniel 5:21 Recognized
- Daniel 5:23 Exalted
- Daniel 5:23 The temple
- Daniel 5:24 Lit. palm
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. a mina (50 shekels) from the verb “to number”
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. a shekel from the verb “to weigh”
- Daniel 5:25 Lit. and half-shekels from the verb “to divide”; pl. of Peres, v. 28
- Daniel 5:28 Aram. Paras, consonant with Peres
La Palabra, (versión española) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
