墙上写字

伯沙撒王盛宴款待一千大臣,与他们一同饮酒。 王畅饮的时候,命人将先王尼布甲尼撒从耶路撒冷圣殿中掳来的金银器皿拿来,供他与大臣、王后和妃嫔用来饮酒。 于是,他们把从耶路撒冷上帝殿中掳来的金器拿来,王与大臣、王后和妃嫔便用这些器皿饮酒。 他们一边饮酒,一边颂赞金、银、铜、铁、木、石所造的神明。

突然,有人手的指头出现,在灯台对面王宫的粉墙上写字。王看见那只手在写字, 脸色骤变,惊恐万分,两腿发软,双膝颤抖。 他大声传令,召来巫师、占星家和占卜者,对这些巴比伦的智者说:“谁能读墙上的字,把意思告诉我,他必身穿紫袍,颈戴金链,在国中位居第三。” 王所有的智者进来后,竟无人能读懂或把意思告诉王。 伯沙撒王愈发恐惧,脸色苍白,他的大臣都不知所措。

10 太后听到王和大臣的喊声,便来到宴会厅,对王说:“愿王万岁!不要惊慌失色。 11 你国中有一个人,他有圣洁神明的灵。先王在世时,曾发现他有神明一样的灼见、悟性和智慧。先王尼布甲尼撒立他为术士、巫师、占星家和占卜者的首领。 12 他有非凡的心智、知识和悟性,能解梦、释谜、解惑。他叫但以理,先王给他取名叫伯提沙撒。现在可以把他召来,他必能解释这些字的意思。”

13 于是,但以理被带到王面前。王问他:“你就是先王从犹大掳来的但以理吗? 14 我听说你有神明的灵,有灼见、悟性和非凡的智慧。 15 我召智者和巫师来读这些字,为我解释字的意思,但他们都不能解释。 16 我听说你能释梦、解惑。你若能读出墙上的字,把意思告诉我,你必身穿紫袍、颈戴金链,在我的国中位居第三。”

17 但以理回答说:“你的礼物自己留着,你的赏赐可以给别人,不过我会为你读这些字,解释意思。 18 王啊,至高的上帝曾将国位、权力、尊荣、威严赐给你的先王尼布甲尼撒, 19 因为他有上帝所赐的大权,各族、各邦、各语种的人都在他面前战抖,充满恐惧。他操生杀大权,可随意擢升、罢黜。 20 但他变得心高气傲、刚愎自用、狂妄自大,因而被革除王位、剥去尊荣。 21 他从人群中被赶走,他的心变成兽心,他与野驴同住,像牛一样吃草,被天上的露水浸湿,直到他知道至高的上帝主宰世上万国,祂要把国赐给谁就赐给谁。

22 “伯沙撒啊,你是他的后裔,你虽然知道这一切事,仍不谦卑, 23 竟在天上的主面前自大,命人拿来祂殿里的器皿,供你和大臣、王后、妃嫔用来饮酒,并颂赞不能看、不能听、一无所知、用金、银、铜、铁、木、石所造的神明,却不尊崇赐你生命气息、掌管你一举一动的上帝。

24 “因此,上帝使指头出现,写下这些字, 25 就是‘弥尼,弥尼,提客勒,乌法珥新’。 26 这些字的意思是这样,弥尼——指上帝已经数算你国度的年日,使之到此为止; 27 提客勒——指你已经被放在秤上称了,发现分量不够; 28 乌法珥新[a]——指你的国要分裂,归给玛代人和波斯人。”

29 于是,伯沙撒下令给但以理穿上紫袍,戴上金项链,又宣告他在国中位居第三。 30 当夜,迦勒底王伯沙撒被杀。 31 玛代人大流士六十二岁时夺取了王权。

Footnotes

  1. 5:28 乌法珥新”亚兰文是“毗勒斯”,即“乌法珥新”的单数格式。

¶ Yon jou, wa Bèlchaza bay yon gwo resepsyon pou mil moun nan gwo zotobre peyi a. Yo t'ap bwè diven ansanm.

Antan yo t'ap bwè konsa, Bèlchaza bay lòd pou y' al pran gwo gode fèt an lò ak gode fèt an ajan papa l', Nèbikadneza, te pran nan tanp lavil Jerizalèm lan. Li te fè chache yo pou l' te bwè ladan yo ansanm ak chèf li yo, madanm li yo ak fanm kay li yo.

Lamenm, yo pote gode an lò ak gode an ajan yo, epi yo tout yo tanmen bwè ladan yo.

Yo t'ap bwè diven, yo t'ap fè lwanj bondye pa yo ki fèt an lò, an ajan, an kwiv, an bwa, an fè ak an wòch.

Yo rete konsa, yo wè yon men moun parèt. Li pran ekri sou miray palè a, kote limyè lanp lan te pi klere a. Wa a wè bout men ki t'ap ekri a.

Li chanje koulè, li vin pè. Li santi tout kò l' aprale, jenou l' yo pran tranble.

Li rele byen fò, li mande pou fè chache tout divinò, tout moun ki li zetwal ak tout nèg save ki rete lavil Babilòn yo. Lè yo vini, wa a di yo konsa: -Nenpòt moun ki ka li sa ki ekri la a, lèfini ki ka fè m' konnen sa li vle di, m'ap mete gwo manto wouj la sou li, m'ap pase yon chenn an lò nan kou l'. Apre sa, m'ap ba li twazyèm plas apre m' nan gouvènman m' lan.

Tout nèg save wa yo vanse. Men, pa t' gen yonn ladan yo ki te ka li sa ki ekri a, ale wè pou yo ta fè l' konnen sa li vle di.

Wa a vin pi pè toujou, figi l' pèdi koulè. Tout chèf yo menm pa t' konn sa pou yo fè.

10 ¶ Larenn lan, manman wa a, tande tout pale fò wa a t'ap fè ansanm ak chèf li yo. Li antre nan sal resepsyon an. Li di konsa: -Monwa, mwen mande pou bondye yo ba ou lavi pou lontan ankò! Ou pa bezwen pèdi tèt ou, ou pa bezwen pè.

11 Gen yon moun nan peyi ou la ki gen lespri bondye nan syèl yo nan li. Lè papa ou te la, nèg sa a te moutre jan li gen anpil lespri, anpil konesans ak anpil bon konprann sou li tankou bondye yo. Lè sa a, papa ou, wa Nèbikadneza, te nonmen l' chèf sou tout divinò, tout majisyen, tout moun ki li zetwal ak tout nèg save yo.

12 Danyèl sa a, papa ou te rele l' Beltechaza. Li te gen yon gwo lespri nan li, anpil konesans ak anpil konprann kifè li te konn esplike rèv ak tout bagay moun pa konprann. Li te jwenn solisyon pou tout pwoblèm. Fè chache Danyèl sa a, l'a fè ou konnen sa tout bagay sa yo vle di.

13 Yo mennen Danyèl devan wa a. Wa a di li: -Se ou menm Danyèl, yonn nan jwif wa Nèbikadneza, papa m', te depòte soti nan peyi Jida mennen isit la?

14 Mwen tande ou gen bondye yo avè ou. Ou se yon nonm ki gen anpil lespri, anpil konesans ak anpil bon konprann.

15 Yo mennen nèg save ak moun ki li zetwal pou yo li sa ki ekri la a, lèfini pou yo fè m' konnen sa li vle di. Men yo pa t' kapab.

16 Koulye a, mwen tande ou ka bay esplikasyon pou tout bagay moun pa konprann, ou jwenn solisyon pou tout pwoblèm. Si ou ka li sa ki ekri la a, si ou fè m' konnen sa li vle di, m'ap mete gwo manto wouj la sou ou, m'ap pase yon chenn an lò nan kou ou. Lèfini, m'ap ba ou twazyèm plas apre m' nan gouvènman m' lan.

17 Danyèl reponn wa a: -Ou mèt kenbe kado ou yo pou ou, osinon bay lòt moun yo. Men tout jan, monwa, m'ap li sa ki ekri a pou ou, lèfini m'ap fè ou konnen sa li vle di.

18 Monwa, Bondye ki anwo nan syèl la te fè papa ou, Nèbikadneza, wa. Li te ba li pouvwa, otorite ak anpil bèl bagay.

19 Bondye te sitèlman ba li pouvwa, tout pèp, moun tout ras, moun ki pale tout kalite lang te pè l'. Yo te tranble devan l'. Li te touye moun li vle, li te kite moun li vle viv. Li moute moun grad, li desann moun grad jan li vle.

20 Men, li kite lògèy vire tèt li, li vin mechan anpil, li santi li pa kanmarad pesonn. Se konsa yo wete l' sou fotèy wa a, li pèdi bèl plas sa a.

21 Yo mete l' deyò, yo voye l' byen lwen, yo pa kite l' mache sou moun. Lespri li tounen tankou lespri yon bèt. Li rete menm kote avèk bourik mawon, li manje zèb tankou bèf, lawouze bat li kou bèt seren. Lèfini, li rekonèt se Bondye ki anwo nan syèl la ki kontwole tout chèf sou latè, se li menm ki bay moun li vle dwa pou yo gouvènen.

22 Men, ou menm Bèlchaza, pitit li, ou pa t' soumèt devan l', atout ou te konnen tout bagay sa yo.

23 Ou menm tou, ou kenbe tèt ak Seyè ki nan syèl la, ou fè yo pote veso yo te pran nan tanp li a ba ou. Epi ou menm, chèf ou yo, madanm ou yo ak fanm kay ou yo, nou bwè diven ladan yo. Nou fè lwanj pou bondye fèt an lò, an ajan, an kwiv, an fè, an bwa, an wòch, bondye ki pa ka wè, ki pa ka tande, ki pa konn anyen. Men, monwa, Bondye ki kenbe lavi ou nan men l' lan, li menm ki kontwole tou sa w'ap fè yo, ou pa fè lwanj li.

24 Se poutèt sa Bondye voye bout men sa a ekri pawòl sa yo.

25 Men sa ki ekri: Konte. Konte. Peze. Separe.

26 Men sa sa vle di: Konte: Bondye konte konbe jou depi ou wa, li pral mete yon bout nan sa.

27 Peze: Li mete ou nan balans, li jwenn ou manke pèz.

28 Separe: yo pral separe peyi ki sou lòd ou a bay moun Medi yo ak moun Pès yo.

29 Lamenm, wa Bèlchaza bay lòd pou yo mete gwo manto wouj la sou Danyèl, pou yo pase yon chenn an lò nan kou li, lèfini pou yo fè tout moun konnen Danyèl se twazyèm chèf apre li nan gouvènman peyi kote l' wa a.

30 ¶ Menm jou lannwit sa a, yo touye Bèlchaza, wa lavil Babilòn lan.

31 Epi, Dariyis, moun peyi Medi a, pran pouvwa a. Dariyis te gen swasanndezan sou tèt li lè sa a.

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.