Belshazzarthe kingmadea greatfeastto a thousandof his lords, and drankwinebeforethe thousand. Belshazzar, while he tastedthe wine, commandedto bringthe goldenand silvervesselswhichhis fatherNebuchadnezzarhad taken outofthe templewhich was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drinktherein. Thenthey broughtthe goldenvesselsthatwere taken outofthe templeofthe houseof Godwhich was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drankin them. They drankwine, and praisedthe godsof gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hourcame forthfingersofa man's hand, and wroteover againstthe candlestickuponthe plasterofthe wallofthe king's palace: and the kingsawthe partof the handthatwrote. Thenthe king's countenancewas changed, and his thoughtstroubledhim, so that the jointsof his loinswere loosed, and his kneessmoteoneagainst another. The kingcriedaloudto bring inthe astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the kingspoke, and saidto the wise men of Babylon, Whosoevershall readthiswriting, and showme the interpretationthereof, shall be clothedwith scarlet, and have a chainofgoldabouthis neck, and shall be the third rulerin the kingdom. Thencame inallthe king's wise men : but they couldnotreadthe writing, nor make knownto the kingthe interpretationthereof. Thenwas kingBelshazzargreatlytroubled, and his countenancewas changedinhim, and his lordswere astonished. Now the queen, by reason ofthe wordsof the kingand his lords, cameinto the banquethouse: and the queenspokeand said, O king, liveforever: let notthy thoughtstroublethee, norlet thy countenancebe changed: There isa manin thy kingdom, in whom is the spiritof the holygods; and in the daysof thy fatherlightand understandingand wisdom, like the wisdomof the gods, was foundin him; whom the kingNebuchadnezzarthy father, the king, I say , thy father, mademasterof the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch asan excellentspirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpretingof dreams, and showingof hard sentences, and dissolvingof doubts, were foundin the same Daniel, whomthe kingnamedBelteshazzar: nowlet Danielbe called, and he will showthe interpretation. Thenwas Danielbrought inbeforethe king. And the kingspokeand saidunto Daniel, Art thouthatDaniel, which art ofthe childrenof the captivityofJudah, whomthe kingmy fatherbrought outofJewry? I have even heardofthee, thatthe spiritof the gods is in thee, and that lightand understandingand excellentwisdomis foundin thee. And nowthe wise men , the astrologers, have been brought inbeforeme, thatthey should readthiswriting, and make knownunto me the interpretationthereof: but they couldnotshowthe interpretationof the thing: And Ihave heardofthee, thatthou canstmakeinterpretations, and dissolvedoubts: nowifthou canstreadthe writing, and make knownto me the interpretationthereof, thou shalt be clothedwith scarlet, and have a chainofgoldaboutthy neck, and shalt be the third rulerin the kingdom. ThenDanielansweredand saidbeforethe king, Let thy giftsbeto thyself, and givethy rewardsto another; yetI will readthe writingunto the king, and make knownto him the interpretation. O thouking, the most highGodgaveNebuchadnezzarthy fathera kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor: And forthe majestythathe gavehim, allpeople, nations, and languages, trembledand fearedbeforehim: whomhe wouldhe slew; and whomhe wouldhe kept alive; and whomhe wouldhe set up; and whomhe wouldhe put down. But whenhis heartwas lifted up, and his mindhardenedin pride, he was deposedfromhis kinglythrone, and they tookhis gloryfromhim: And he was drivenfromthe sonsof men; and his heartwas madelikethe beasts, and his dwelling was withthe wild asses: they fedhim with grasslike oxen, and his bodywas wetwith the dewof heaven; tillhe knewthatthe most highGodruledin the kingdomof men, and that he appointethoverit whomsoeverhe will. And thouhis son, O Belshazzar, hast nothumbledthine heart, thoughthou knewestallthis; But hast lifted up thyselfagainstthe Lordof heaven; and they have broughtthe vesselsofhis housebeforethee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunkwinein them; and thou hast praisedthe godsof silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, whichseenot, norhear, norknow: and the Godin whosehandthy breath is , and whose are allthy ways, hast thou notglorified: Thenwas the partofthe handsentfromhim; and thiswritingwas written. And this is the writingthatwas written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretationof the thing: MENE; Godhath numberedthy kingdom, and finishedit. TEKEL; Thou art weighedin the balances, and art foundwanting. PERES; Thy kingdomis divided, and givento the Medesand Persians. ThencommandedBelshazzar, and they clothedDanielwith scarlet, and put a chainofgoldabouthis neck, and made a proclamationconcerninghim, thathe should bethe thirdrulerin the kingdom. In that nightwas Belshazzarthe kingof the Chaldeansslain. And Dariusthe Mediantookthe kingdom, being about threescoreand twoyearsold.