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
Daniel 5
Ang Biblia (1978)
Ang handaan ni Belsasar, at ang sulat sa dingding.
5 (A)Si Belsasar na hari ay gumawa ng malaking piging sa isang libo na kaniyang mga mahal na tao, at uminom ng alak sa harap ng sanglibo.
2 Samantalang nilalasap ni Belsasar ang alak, ay nagutos na (B)dalhin doon ang mga ginto at pilak na sisidlan na kinuha ni (C)Nabucodonosor na kaniyang ama sa templo na nasa Jerusalem; upang mainuman ng hari, ng kaniyang mga mahal na tao, ng kaniyang mga asawa, at ng kaniyang mga babae.
3 Nang magkagayo'y dinala nila ang mga gintong sisidlan na kinuha sa templo ng bahay ng Dios na nasa Jerusalem; at ininuman ng hari at ng kaniyang mga mahal na tao, at ng kaniyang mga asawa at ng kaniyang mga babae.
4 Sila'y nangaginuman ng alak, (D)at nagsipuri sa mga dios na ginto, at pilak, tanso, bakal, kahoy, at bato.
5 Nang oras ding yaon ay may lumabas na mga daliri ng kamay ng isang tao at sumulat sa tapat ng kandelero sa panig na may palitada ng palacio: at nakita ng hari ang bahagi ng kamay na sumulat.
6 Nang magkagayo'y nagbago ang pagmumukha ng hari, at binagabag siya ng kaniyang mga pagiisip; at (E)ang pagkakasugpong ng kaniyang mga (F)balakang ay nakalag, at ang (G)kaniyang mga tuhod ay nagkaumpugan.
7 Ang hari ay sumigaw ng malakas, (H)na papasukin ang mga enkantador, mga Caldeo, at mga manghuhula. Ang hari ay nagsalita, at nagsabi sa (I)mga pantas sa Babilonia, (J)Sinomang makababasa ng sulat na ito, at makapagpapaaninaw sa akin ng kahulugan niyan, magdadamit ng kulay morado, at magkakaroon ng kuwintas na ginto sa palibot ng kaniyang leeg, at magiging ikatlong puno (K)sa kaharian.
8 Nang magkagayo'y nagsipasok ang lahat na pantas ng hari; nguni't hindi nila nabasa ang sulat, o naipaaninaw man sa hari ang kahulugan niyaon.
9 Nang magkagayo'y nabagabag na mainam ang haring Belsasar, at ang kaniyang pagmumukha ay nabago, at ang kaniyang mga mahal na tao ay nangatitigilan.
10 Ang reina, dahil sa mga salita ng hari at ng kaniyang mga mahal na tao ay pumasok sa bahay na pinagpigingan: ang reina ay nagsalita, at nagsabi, Oh hari, mabuhay ka magpakailan man; huwag kang bagabagin ng iyong mga pagiisip, o mabago man ang iyong pagmumukha.
11 May isang lalake sa iyong kaharian (L)na kinaroroonan ng espiritu ng mga banal na dios; at sa mga kaarawan ng iyong ama, ay nasumpungan sa kaniya ang liwanag at unawa at karunungan, na gaya ng karunungan ng mga dios; at ang haring Nabucodonosor, na (M)iyong ama, ang hari, sinasabi ko, ang iyong ama, ay ginawa niya siyang (N)panginoon ng mga mago, ng mga enkantador, ng mga Caldeo, at ng mga manghuhula;
12 Palibhasa'y isang marilag na espiritu, at kaalaman, at unawa, pagpapaaninaw ng mga panaginip, at pagpapakilala ng mga malabong salita, at pagpapaliwanag ng pagaalinlangan, ay nangasumpungan sa Daniel na iyan, (O)na pinanganlan ng hari na Beltsasar. Tawagin nga si Daniel, at kaniyang ipaaaninaw ang kahulugan.
Si Daniel ay ipinatawag.
13 Nang magkagayo'y dinala si Daniel sa harap ng hari. Ang hari ay nagsalita, at nagsabi kay Daniel, Ikaw baga'y si Daniel na (P)sa mga anak ng pagkabihag sa Juda, na kinuha sa Juda ng haring aking ama?
14 Nabalitaan kita, na ang espiritu ng mga dios ay sumasa iyo, at ang liwanag at unawa at marilag na karunungan ay masusumpungan sa iyo.
15 At ang mga pantas nga, ang mga enkantador, dinala sa harap ko, upang kanilang basahin ang sulat na ito, at ipaaninaw sa akin ang kahulugan; nguni't hindi nila naipaaninaw ang kahulugan ng bagay.
16 Nguni't nabalitaan kita, na ikaw ay makapagpapaaninaw ng mga kahulugan, at makapagpapaliwanag ng alinlangan: (Q)kung iyo ngang mabasa ang sulat, at maipaaninaw sa akin ang kahulugan, mananamit ka ng kulay morado, at magkakaroon ng kuwintas na ginto sa palibot ng iyong leeg, at ikaw ay magiging ikatlong puno sa kaharian.
17 Nang magkagayo'y sumagot, at nagsabi si Daniel sa harap ng hari, Iyo na (R)ang iyong mga kaloob, at ibigay mo ang iyong mga ganting pala sa iba; gayon ma'y aking babasahin sa hari ang sulat, at ipaaninaw ko sa kaniya ang kahulugan.
18 Oh ikaw na hari, ang Kataastaasang Dios, (S)nagbigay kay Nabucodonosor na iyong ama ng kaharian, at kadakilaan, at kaluwalhatian, at kamahalan:
19 At dahil sa kadakilaan na ibinigay niya sa kaniya, (T)nanginig at natakot sa harap niya lahat ng mga bayan, bansa, at wika: ang kaniyang ibiging patayin ay kaniyang pinapatay, at ang kaniyang ibiging buhayin ay kaniyang binubuhay; at ang ibiging itaas ay kaniyang itinataas, at ang ibiging ibaba ay kaniyang ibinababa.
20 Nguni't nang ang kaniyang puso (U)ay magpakataas, at ang kaniyang espiritu ay magmatigas na siya'y gumawang may kapalaluan, siya'y ibinaba sa kaniyang luklukang pagkahari, at inalis nila ang kaniyang kaluwalhatian:
21 At siya'y (V)pinalayas sa mga anak ng mga tao, at ang kaniyang puso ay naging gaya ng sa mga hayop, at ang kaniyang tahanan ay napasama sa maiilap na mga asno; siya'y pinakain ng damo na gaya ng mga baka, at ang (W)kaniyang katawan ay nabasa ng hamog ng langit; hanggang sa kaniyang naalaman na ang Kataastaasang Dios ay nagpupuno sa kaharian ng mga tao, at iniluklok niya roon ang sinomang kaniyang ibigin.
22 At ikaw na kaniyang anak, Oh Belsasar, hindi mo pinapagpakumbaba ang iyong puso, bagaman iyong nalalaman ang lahat na ito,
23 Kundi ikaw ay nagpakataas laban (X)sa Panginoon ng langit; at (Y)kanilang dinala ang mga kasangkapan ng kaniyang bahay sa harap mo, at ikaw, at ang iyong mga mahal na tao, ang iyong mga asawa at ang iyong mga babae, ay nagsiinom ng alak sa mga yaon; at (Z)iyong pinuri ang mga dios na pilak, at ginto, tanso, bakal, kahoy at bato, na hindi nangakakakita, o nangakakarinig man, o nakakaalam man; at ang Dios na kinaroroonan ng iyong hininga, at kinaroroonan ng lahat na iyong lakad, hindi mo niluwalhati.
24 Nang magkagayo'y ang bahagi (AA)nga ng kamay ay sinugo mula sa harap niya, at ang sulat na ito'y nalagda.
Ipinaliwanag ni Daniel ang kahulugan ng sulat.
25 At ito ang sulat na nalagda, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26 Ito ang kahulugan ng bagay: MENE; binilang ng Dios ang iyong kaharian, at niwakasan.
27 TEKEL; ikaw ay (AB)tinimbang sa timbangan, at ikaw ay nasumpungang kulang.
28 PERES; ang iyong kaharian ay hinati at ibinigay sa mga (AC)taga Media at (AD)taga Persia.
29 Nang magkagayo'y nagutos si Belsasar, at (AE)pinanamit nila si Daniel ng kulay morado, at nilagyan ng kuwintas na ginto sa palibot ng leeg niya, at nagtanyag tungkol sa kaniya, na siya'y ikatlong puno sa kaharian.
30 Nang gabing yaon ay (AF)napatay si Belsasar na hari ng mga taga Caldea.
31 At (AG)tinanggap ni Dario na taga Media ang kaharian, na noo'y anim na pu't dalawang taon ang gulang niya.
Daniel 5
New International Version
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)
7 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)
8 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) 9 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
- Daniel 5:2 Or ancestor; or predecessor; also in verses 11, 13 and 18
- Daniel 5:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 11
- Daniel 5:10 Or queen mother
- Daniel 5:22 Or descendant; or successor
- Daniel 5:26 Mene can mean numbered or mina (a unit of money).
- Daniel 5:27 Tekel can mean weighed or shekel.
- Daniel 5:28 Peres (the singular of Parsin) can mean divided or Persia or a half mina or a half shekel.
- Daniel 5:30 Or Chaldeans
- Daniel 5:31 In Aramaic texts this verse (5:31) is numbered 6:1.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Ang Biblia Copyright © Philippine Bible Society 1905, 1915, 1933, 1978
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.


