1Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and there was wine before the thousand.

2And Baltasar drinking gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the gold and silver vessels, which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought forth from the temple in Jerusalem; that the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, should drink out of them.

3So the gold and silver vessels were brought which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple of God in Jerusalem; and the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, drank out of them.

4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of iron, and of wood, and of stone.

5In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote in front of the lamp on the plaster of the wall of the king's house: and the king saw the knuckles of the hand that wrote.

6Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one another.

7And the king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; and he said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and make known to me the interpretation, shall be clothed with scarlet, and there shall be a golden chain upon his neck, and he shall be the third ruler in my kingdom.

8Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known the interpretation to the king.

9And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.

10Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not your thoughts trouble you, and let not your countenance be changed.

11There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of your father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor your father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.

12For there is an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding in him, interpreting dreams as he does, and answering hard questions, and solving difficulties: it is Daniel, and the king gave him the name of Baltasar: now then let him be called, and he shall tell you the interpretation of the writing.

13Then Daniel was brought in before the king: and the king said to Daniel, Are you Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judea, which the king my father brought?

14I have heard concerning you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in you.

15And now, the wise men, magicians, and soothsayers, have come in before me, to read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation: but they could not tell it me.

16And I have heard concerning you, that you are able to make interpretations: now then if you shall be able to read the writing, and to make known to me the interpretation of it, you shall be clothed with purple, and there shall be a golden chain upon your neck, and you shall be third ruler in my kingdom.

17And Daniel said, before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give the present of your house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to you the interpretation of it.

18O king, the most high God gave to your father Nabuchodonosor a kingdom, and majesty, and honor, and glory:

19and by reason of the majesty which he gave to him, all nations, tribes, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he killed; and whom he would he struck; and whom he would he exalted; and whom he would he abased.

20But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was emboldened to act proudly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his honor was taken from him.

21And he was driven forth from men; and his heart was given him after the nature of wild beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and they fed him with grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the most high God is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whoever he shall please.

22And you accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, has not humbled your heart before God: know you not all this?

23And you have been exalted against the Lord God of heaven; and they have brought before you the vessels of his house, and you, and your nobles, and your mistresses, and your concubines, have drunk wine out of them; and you have praised the gods of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and wood, and stone, which see not, and which hear not, and know not: and the God in whose hand are your breath, and all your ways has you not glorified.

24Therefore from his presence has been sent forth the knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered the writing.

25And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares.

26This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mane; God has measured your kingdom, and finished it.

27Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found lacking.

28Phares; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29Then Baltasar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put the golden chain about his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he was the third ruler in the kingdom.

30In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain.

31And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years old.