BA`ALSHA'TSTSAR the king made a great feast to a thousand of his princes, and drank wine before the thousand.
Ba`alsha'tstsar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nevukadne'tstsar had taken out of the Temple which was in Yerushalayim; that the king, and his princes, his women, and his concubines, might drink therein.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the house of Eloah which was at Yerushalayim; and the king, and his princes, his women, and his concubines, drank in them.
They drank wine, and praised the elohiym of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the menorah upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Kasdiym, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babel, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
Then was King Ba`alsha'tstsar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonished.
Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his princes, came into the banquet house: and the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever: let not your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance be changed:
There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the holy Ruach Eloah; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of Eloah, was found in him; whom the king Nevukadne'tstsar your father, the king, I say, your father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Kasdiym, and soothsayers;
Forasmuch as an excellent ruach, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniy'el, whom the king named Ba`altesha'tstsar: now let Daniy'el be called, and he will show the interpretation.
Then was Daniy'el brought in before the king. And the king spoke and said unto Daniy'el, Are you that Daniy'el, which are of the children of the captivity of Yahudah, whom the king my father brought out of Yahudah?
I have even heard of you, that the Ruach Eloah is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in you.
And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not show the interpretation of the thing:
And I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if you can read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, you shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Then Daniy'el answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
O king, the Most High Eloah gave Nevukadne'tstsar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor:
And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the Most High Eloah ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it whomsoever he will.
And you his son, O Ba`alsha'tstsar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this;
But have lifted up yourself against the Adonai of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you, and your princes, your women, and your concubines, have drunk wine in them; and you have praised the elohiym of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and Eloah in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, have you not glorified:
Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
And this is the writing that was written, MENA, MENA, SHAQAL, PARAC.
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENA; Eloah has numbered your kingdom, and finished it.
SHAQAL; You are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.
PARAC; Your kingdom is divided, and given to the Madai and Persians.
Then commanded Ba`alsha'tstsar, and they clothed Daniy'el with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
In that night was Ba`alsha'tstsar the king of the Kasdiym slain.
And Dareyavesh the Madaya took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.