בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר מַלְכָּא עֲבַד לְחֶם רַב לְרַבְרְבָנוֹהִי אֲלַף וְלָקֳבֵל אַלְפָּא חַמְרָא שָׁתֵה

King Belshatzar made a great banquet for one thousand of his noblemen, and before the thousand he drank wine, or he drank the amount imbibed by a thousand men.

בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר אֲמַר בִּטְעֵם חַמְרָא לְהַיְתָיָה לְמָאנֵי דַּהֲבָא וְכַסְפָּא דִּי הַנְפֵּק נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר אֲבוּהִי מִן־הֵיכְלָא דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם וְיִשְׁתּוֹן בְּהוֹן מַלְכָּא וְרַבְרְבָנוֹהִי שֵׁגְלָתֵהּ וּלְחֵנָתֵהּ

Belshatzar said, as he tasted the wine, or while he was under the influence of the wine, to bring the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father, one of his ancestors, had removed from the Sanctuary that was in Jerusalem, so that the king, his noblemen, his consorts, and his concubines could drink from them. For some reason the drunk king decided to use the Temple vessels for his feast, despite the fact that most of them were very large. Typically, captured vessels of this kind were melted down, or preserved solely to commemorate the occasion of the capture; acts of desecration of this kind were generally considered unacceptable.

בֵּאדַיִן הַיְתִיו מָאנֵי דַהֲבָא דִּי הַנְפִּקוּ מִן־הֵיכְלָא דִּי־בֵית אֱלָהָא דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם וְאִשְׁתִּיו בְּהוֹן מַלְכָּא וְרַבְרְבָנוֹהִי שֵׁגְלָתֵהּ וּלְחֵנָתֵהּ

Then they brought the gold vessels that had been removed from the Sanctuary of the House of God that was in Jerusalem, and the king, his noblemen, his consorts, and his concubines drank from them.

אִשְׁתִּיו חַמְרָא וְשַׁבַּחוּ לֵאלָהֵי דַהֲבָא וְכַסְפָּא נְחָשָׁא פַרְזְלָא אָעָא וְאַבְנָא

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone while they were sitting, drunk, during the feast at which they used the sacred vessels.

בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָה נְפַקָה אֶצְבְּעָן דִּי יַד־אֱנָשׁ וְכָתְבָן לָקֳבֵל נֶבְרַשְׁתָּא עַל־גִּירָא דִּי־כְתַל הֵיכְלָא דִּי מַלְכָּא וּמַלְכָּא חָזֵה פַּס יְדָא דִּי כָתְבָה

At that time, fingers of a human hand emerged, and wrote opposite the large candelabrum on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the hand that was writing. An image of the palm of a hand suddenly appeared before the king, and it wrote a message on the wall of its own accord.

אֱדַיִן מַלְכָּא זִיוֹהִי שְׁנוֹהִי וְרַעְיֹנֹהִי יְבַהֲלוּנֵּהּ וְקִטְרֵי חַרְצֵהּ מִשְׁתָּרַיִן וְאַרְכֻבָּתֵהּ דָּא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן

Then the king’s demeanor changed for the worse, and his thoughts terrified him; the joints of his hips, or his loins, went slack, lost their stability, as his body was weakened, and his knees knocked one against another.

קָרֵא מַלְכָּא בְּחַיִל לְהֶעָלָה לְאָשְׁפַיָּא כַּשְׂדָּאֵי וְגָזְרַיָּא עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר לְחַכִּימֵי בָבֶל דִּי כָל־אֱנָשׁ דִּי־יִקְרֵה כְּתָבָה דְנָה וּפִשְׁרֵהּ יְחַוִּנַּנִי אַרְגְּוָנָא יִלְבַּשׁ וְהַמְנִיכָא דִי־דַהֲבָא עַל־צַוְּארֵהּ וְתַלְתִּי בְמַלְכוּתָא יִשְׁלַט

The king cried loudly, or forcefully, to bring in the enchanters, the chaldeans, and the oracles, who were the experts in interpreting dreams and revealing secrets, to come and give their opinion. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylonia: Whoever can read this script, and tell me its interpretation, will wear purple. In many places the color purple was set aside for the sole use of kings and outstanding individuals. The donning of a garment entirely made of purple was considered a royal honor. And he will have a chain of gold placed around his neck, and will rule as one among three, a senior position, perhaps one of the three highest ministers in the kingdom. The drunk Belshatzar issued lavish promises and assurances of great honor for whoever would solve the riddle.

אֱדַיִן עָלִּין כֹּל חַכִּימֵי מַלְכָּא וְלָא־כָהֲלִין כְּתָבָא לְמִקְרֵא וּפִשְׁרֵהּ לְהוֹדָעָה לְמַלְכָּא

Then all the king’s wise men entered, but they could not read the script and make the interpretation known to the king.

אֱדַיִן מַלְכָּא בֵלְשַׁאצַּר שַׂגִּיא מִתְבָּהַל וְזִיוֹהִי שָׁנַיִן עֲלוֹהִי וְרַבְרְבָנוֹהִי מִשְׁתַּבְּשִׁין

Then King Belshatzar was extremely terrified, and his demeanor changed upon him, and his noblemen were confused. After they became sober following the frightening sight of the disembodied hand writing something apparently incomprehensible on the wall, a great commotion ensued.

מַלְכְּתָא לָקֳבֵל מִלֵּי מַלְכָּא וְרַבְרְבָנוֹהִי לְבֵית מִשְׁתְּיָא עַלַּת עֲנָת מַלְכְּתָא וַאֲמֶרֶת מַלְכָּא לְעָלְמִין חֱיִי אַל־יְבַהֲלוּךְ רַעְיוֹנָךְ וְזִיוָךְ אַל־יִשְׁתַּנּוֹ

The queen, due to the words of the king and his noblemen, when she heard of their comments and saw their panicky behavior, she entered the banquet hall; it seems that the banquet was mainly for men, and the queen spoke, saying: O king, live forever. May your thoughts not terrify you and may your demeanor not be changed; calm down, as I have an idea:

אִיתַי גְּבַר בְּמַלְכוּתָךְ דִּי רוּחַ אֱלָהִין קַדִּישִׁין בֵּהּ וּבְיוֹמֵי אֲבוּךְ נַהִירוּ וְשָׂכְלְתָנוּ וְחָכְמָה כְּחָכְמַת־אֱלָהִין הִשְׁתְּכַחַת בֵּהּ וּמַלְכָּא נְבֻכַדְנֶצַּר אֲבוּךְ רַב חַרְטֻמִּין אָשְׁפִין כַּשְׂדָּאִין גָּזְרִין הֲקִימֵהּ אֲבוּךְ מַלְכָּא

There is a man in your kingdom that the spirit of the holy God is in him. You are surrounded by wise and learned men who are familiar with their own specific rituals, but this is a very different individual, a special man, as the spirit of God rests upon him. And in the days of your father, enlightenment, sense, and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him, in this man. King Nebuchadnezzar your father, ancestor, set him as chief of the magicians, enchanters, chaldeans, and oracles for your father the king.

כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי רוּחַ יַתִּירָה וּמַנְדַּע וְשָׂכְלְתָנוּ מְפַשַּׁר חֶלְמִין וְאַחֲוָיַת אֲחִידָן וּמְשָׁרֵא קִטְרִין הִשְׁתְּכַחַת בֵּהּ בְּדָנִיֵּאל דִּי־מַלְכָּא שָׂם־שְׁמֵהּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר כְּעַן דָּנִיֵּאל יִתְקְרֵי וּפִשְׁרָה יְהַחֲוֵה

Since extraordinary spirit, knowledge, sense, interpretation of dreams, solving riddles, and unraveling conundrums were found in Daniel, whom the king, Nebuchadnezzar, named Beltshatzar, therefore now let Daniel be called, and he will tell the interpretation. It can be assumed that Daniel was no longer widely known. Perhaps he did not visit the palace as often as he had in his early years, or he might have at this point preferred a private life. The queen, who was a daughter of royalty and who was probably not drunk, like the other people present, remembered this interpreter of dreams and revealer of secrets, and suggested that he be summoned.

בֵּאדַיִן דָּנִיֵּאל הֻעַל קֳדָם מַלְכָּא עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר לְדָנִיֵּאל אַנְתְּ־הוּא דָנִיֵּאל דִּי־מִן־בְּנֵי גָלוּתָא דִּי יְהוּד דִּי הַיְתִי מַלְכָּא אַבִי מִן־יְהוּד

Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, saying to Daniel: You are Daniel, who is of the members of the exile of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah.

וְשִׁמְעֵת עֲלָךְ דִּי רוּחַ אֱלָהִין בָּךְ וְנַהִירוּ וְשָׂכְלְתָנוּ וְחָכְמָה יַתִּירָה הִשְׁתְּכַחַת בָּךְ

I have heard about you that the spirit of God is in you, and that enlightenment, and sense, and exceeding wisdom is found in you.

וּכְעַן הֻעַלּוּ קָדָמַי חַכִּימַיָּא אָשְׁפַיָּא דִּי־כְתָבָה דְנָה יִקְרוֹן וּפִשְׁרֵהּ לְהוֹדָעֻתַנִי וְלָא־כָהֲלִין פְּשַׁר־מִלְּתָא לְהַחֲוָיָה

Now, the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, so that they would read this script in order to make known to me its interpretation; but they were unable to tell me the interpretation of the matter.

וַאֲנָה שִׁמְעֵת עֲלָךְ דִּי־תִכֻּל פִּשְׁרִין לְמִפְשַׁר וְקִטְרִין לְמִשְׁרֵא כְּעַן הֵן תִּכֻּל כְּתָבָא לְמִקְרֵא וּפִשְׁרֵהּ לְהוֹדָעוּתַנִי אַרְגְּוָנָא תִלְבַּשׁ וְהַמְנִיכָא דִי־דַהֲבָא עַל־צַוְּארָךְ וְתַלְתָּא בְמַלְכוּתָא תִּשְׁלַט

I have heard about you that you are able to expound interpretations and unravel conundrums. Now, if you are able to read the script, and make known to me its interpretation, you will wear purple, and have a chain of gold placed around your neck, and you will rule as one among three in the kingdom.

בֵּאדַיִן עָנֵה דָנִיֵּאל וְאָמַר קֳדָם מַלְכָּא מַתְּנָתָךְ לָךְ לֶהֶוְיָן וּנְבָזְבְּיָתָךְ לְאָחֳרָן הַב בְּרַם כְּתָבָא אֶקְרֵא לְמַלְכָּא וּפִשְׁרָא אֲהוֹדְעִנֵּהּ

Then Daniel spoke, saying before the king: Let your gifts be for you, and your generous grants give to another; however, I will read the script to the king, and I will make known to him the interpretation. Daniel declares that he is not interested in gifts; his reason will become apparent below.

אַנְתְּ מַלְכָּא אֱלָהָא עִלָּאָה מַלְכוּתָא וּרְבוּתָא וִיקָרָא וְהַדְרָא יְהַב לִנְבֻכַדְנֶצַּר אֲבוּךְ

You, O king, God Most High gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, greatness, honor, and glory;

וּמִן־רְבוּתָא דִּי יְהַב־לֵהּ כֹּל עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא הֲווֹ זָיְעִין וְדָחֲלִין מִן־קֳדָמוֹהִי דִּי־הֲוָא צָבֵא הֲוָה קָטֵל וְדִי־הֲוָה צָבֵא הֲוָה מַחֵא וְדִי־הֲוָה צָבֵא הֲוָה מָרִים וְדִי־הֲוָא צָבֵא הֲוָא מַשְׁפִּל

due to the greatness that He gave him, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, groups that speak the same language or dialect, trembled and were afraid before him. Those whom he wished to kill, he killed, and those whom he wished, he smote; alternatively, he kept alive; and those whom he wished, he elevated, and those whom he wished, he lowered. He held all the power in his hands.

וּכְדִי רִם לִבְבֵהּ וְרוּחֵהּ תִּקְפַת לַהֲזָדָה הָנְחַת מִן־כָּרְסֵא מַלְכוּתֵהּ וִיקָרָה הֶעְדִּיו מִנֵּהּ

But when his heart was haughty, and his spirit was hardened to perform evil, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom, and they removed his honor from him.

וּמִן־בְּנֵי אֲנָשָׁא טְרִיד וְלִבְבֵהּ עִם־חֵיוְתָא שַׁוִּיו וְעִם־עֲרָדַיָּא מְדוֹרֵהּ עִשְׂבָּא כְתוֹרִין יְטַעֲמוּנֵּהּ וּמִטַּל שְׁמַיָּא גִּשְׁמֵהּ יִצְטַבַּע עַד דִּי־יְדַע דִּי־שַׁלִּיט אֱלָהָא עִלָּאָה בְּמַלְכוּת אֲנָשָׁא וּלְמַן־דִּי יִצְבֵּא יְהָקֵים עֲלַהּ

He was driven away from the sons of man; his heart was placed with the beasts, and his dwelling place was with the onagers; he was fed grass like oxen, and his body was soaked with the dew of the heavens. As related in the previous section, Nebuchadnezzar had to leave the company of humans, as he lost his sanity and became like an animal, living with the beasts; until he knew that God Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and that whomever He wishes, He sets over it.

וְאַנְתְּ בְּרֵהּ בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר לָא הַשְׁפֵּלְתְּ לִבְבָךְ כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי כָל־דְּנָה יְדַעְתָּ

And you his son, descendant, Belshatzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. Your ancestor learned his lesson, and yet you have learned nothing from his example.

וְעַל מָרֵא־שְׁמַיָּא הִתְרוֹמַמְתָּ וּלְמָאנַיָּא דִי־בַיְתֵהּ הַיְתִיו קָדָמָךְ וְאַנְתְּ וְרַבְרְבָנָךְ שֵׁגְלָתָךְ וּלְחֵנָתָךְ חַמְרָא שָׁתַיִן בְּהוֹן וְלֵאלָהֵי כַסְפָּא־וְדַהֲבָא נְחָשָׁא פַרְזְלָא אָעָא וְאַבְנָא דִּי לָא־חָזַיִן וְלָא־שָׁמְעִין וְלָא יָדְעִין שַׁבַּחְתָּ וְלֵאלָהָא דִּי־נִשְׁמְתָךְ בִּידֵהּ וְכָל־אֹרְחָתָךְ לֵהּ לָא הַדַּרְתָּ

But you have been haughty toward, raised yourself up against, the Lord of heaven: They brought vessels of His House before you, and you, your noblemen, your consorts, and your concubines drank wine from them, and you praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, do not hear, and do not know. You did not glorify the God that your breath is by His hand, and all your ways are His. He is the God who gives you life, and yet you have turned in the opposite direction from Him.

בֵּאדַיִן מִן־קֳדָמוֹהִי שְׁלִיחַ פַּסָּא דִי־יְדָא וּכְתָבָא דְנָה רְשִׁים

Daniel continues: Then the hand that was seen by the king was sent from before Him, God, and this script was inscribed.

וּדְנָה כְתָבָא דִּי רְשִׁים מְנֵא מְנֵא תְּקֵל וּפַרְסִין

This is the writing that was inscribed: Mene Mene, Tekel Ufarsin. It is unclear whether these words appeared in the ancient Hebrew script, which is why Belshatzar and his ministers could not read them, or if they were written in some other script, or if they appeared as symbols, or in a particular order which only Daniel could decipher.

דְּנָה פְּשַׁר מִלְּתָא 'מְנֵא' מְנָה־אֱלָהָא מַלְכוּתָךְ וְהַשְׁלְמַהּ

This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene means that God has tallied [mena] the days of your kingdom, and completed it. The portion of [menat] your kingdom has come to an end.

'תְּקֵל' תְּקִלְתָּא בְמֹאזַנְיָא וְהִשְׁתְּכַחַתְּ חַסִּיר

Tekel means that you have been weighed [tekilta] on the scale and found lacking.

'פְּרֵס' פְּרִיסַת מַלְכוּתָךְ וִיהִיבַת לְמָדַי וּפָרָס

The last word, parsin, has a double meaning: Peres – your kingdom is divided [perisat] and given to Media and Persia [Paras].

בֵּאדַיִן אֲמַר בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר וְהַלְבִּשׁוּ לְדָנִיֵּאל אַרְגְּוָנָא וְהַמְנִיכָא דִי־דַהֲבָא עַל־צַוְּארֵהּ וְהַכְרִזוּ עֲלוֹהִי דִּי־לֶהֱוֵא שַׁלִּיט תַּלְתָּא בְּמַלְכוּתָא

Although Belshatzar was drunk and frightened, he was also very impressed by the Jewish sage. Then Belshatzar said that they should clothe Daniel in purple, and a chain of gold was placed around his neck, and they proclaimed about him that he should be a ruler, one among three in the kingdom.

בֵּהּ בְּלֵילְיָא קְטִיל בֵּלְאשַׁצַּר מַלְכָּא כַשְׂדָּאָה

During that night, Belshatzar the Chaldean king was killed. The king had time to adorn Daniel with the symbols of glory and declare that he was a senior ruler, but this was of no practical consequence, as the city fell that very night, and Belshatzar was killed.