Daniel Deciphers and Interprets the Writing

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king, and the king spoke[fn] and said to Daniel, “You are Daniel who are one of the exiles[fn] of Judah[fn] whom my predecessor,[fn] the king, brought from Judah.[fn] 14 And I have heard that a spirit of the gods is in you and enlightenment and insight and excellent wisdom was found in you. 15 And now the wise men and the conjurers[fn] were brought in before me so that they could read this writing in order to make its explanation[fn] known to me, but they were not able to disclose the explanation[fn] of the matter. 16 But I have heard concerning you that you are able to produce interpretations[fn] and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation[fn] to me, you will be clothed in purple and a necklace of gold will be placed around your neck and you will rule as third in command in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself or your rewards give to another; nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and I will make known to him the explanation.[fn] 18 O king,[fn] the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your predecessor.[fn] 19 And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all the peoples, the nations and languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wanted he killed, and whomever he wanted he let live, and whomever he wanted he honored, and whomever he wanted he humbled. 20 But when[fn] his heart became arrogant and his spirit became hard so as to act proudly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and the[fn] glory was taken away from him.[fn] 21 And he was driven away from human society[fn] and his mind was made like the animals[fn] and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and he was given[fn] grass like oxen to eat, and with[fn] the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and whoever[fn] he wants he sets over it.

22 “But you his successor,[fn] Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart even though[fn] you knew all this. 23 And now you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords,[fn] your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from[fn] them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone[fn] that do not see and do not hear and do not know, but the God who holds your life in his hand[fn] and all of your ways come from him,[fn] you have not honored. 24 So then the palm of the hand was sent out from his presence and this writing was inscribed.

25 “Now this was the writing that was inscribed: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.’

26 “This is the explanation of the matter:[fn] ‘Mene’—God has numbered your kingdom and brought an end to it.

27 “ ‘Tekel’—you have been weighed on scales and you have been found wanting.[fn]

28 “ ‘Peres’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’ ”

29 Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be the third ruler in authority in the kingdom. 30 That same night[fn] Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. [fn] And Darius the Mede received the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.[fn]