Daniel 5

1El rey Baltasar dio un gran banquete a sus mil príncipes y bebió vino en presencia de los mil.

2Y estando ya excitado por el vino mandó Baltasar traer los vasos de oro y de plata que su padre Nabucodonosor había sacado del Templo de Jerusalén, para que bebiesen en ellos el rey y sus grandes, sus mujeres y sus concubinas.

3Fueron traídos los vasos de oro sacados del Templo de la Casa de Dios que hubo en Jerusalén; y bebieron en ellas el rey y sus grandes, sus mujeres y sus concubinas.

4Bebían el vino alabando a los dioses de oro y plata, de bronce, de hierro, de madera y de piedra.

5En aquel momento aparecieron los dedos de una mano de hombre, y escribieron en frente del candelabro, sobre la cal de la pared del palacio real; y el rey vio el extremo de la mano que escribía.

6Entonces el rey mudó de color, le perturbaron sus pensamientos, se le desencajaron las coyunturas de sus caderas y se batían sus rodillas una contra otra.

7Y gritó el rey en alta voz que hiciesen venir a los adivinos, los caldeos y los astrólogos. Luego tomando el rey la palabra dijo a los sabios de Babilonia: “El que leyere esta escritura y me indicare su interpretación, será vestido de púrpura, (llevará) un collar de oro al cuello, y será el tercero en el gobierno del reino.”

8Vinieron entonces todos los sabios del rey, mas no pudieron leer la escritura, ni explicar al rey su significado.

9Por eso el rey Baltasar se turbó en sumo grado, mudó de color y sus grandes estaban consternados.

10Entonces la reina, (que oyó) las voces del rey y de sus grandes, entró en la sala del banquete. Y tomando la palabra dijo la reina: “¡Vive para siempre, oh rey! No te conturben tus pensamientos, ni se te mude el color.

11Hay un hombre en tu reino, en el cual reside el espíritu de los santos dioses. Ya en los días de tu padre, se hallaron en él luz e inteligencia y una sabiduría semejante a la sabiduría de los dioses; por lo cual el rey Nabucodonosor tu padre, le constituyó jefe de los magos, de los adivinos, de los caldeos y de los astrólogos.

12Porque un espíritu superior, de ciencia e inteligencia, para interpretar sueños, descifrar enigmas, y resolver problemas difíciles se halló en él, en Daniel, a quien el rey puso por nombre Baltasar. Llámese, pues, a Daniel, y él te indicará el sentido.”

13Fue Daniel llevado a la presencia del rey, el cual tomó la palabra y dijo a Daniel: “¿Eres tú Daniel, uno de los hijos de la cautividad de Judá, a quien el rey mi padre trajo de Judá?

14He oído decir de ti que el espíritu de los dioses reside en ti y que se hallan en ti luz y entendimiento y una sabiduría extraordinaria.

15Ahora han sido traídos a mi presencia los sabios y los adivinos, para leer esta escritura e indicarme su significado, pero no han podido explicarme el sentido de esta cosa.

16Pero de ti he oído decir que eres capaz de dar interpretaciones y resolver problemas difíciles. Ahora bien, si sabes leer la escritura e indicarme su interpretación, serás vestido de púrpura, (llevarás) un collar de oro al cuello, y serás el tercero en el reino.”

17Entonces respondió Daniel y dijo delante del rey: “¡Sean para ti tus dones, y da a otro tus recompensas! Yo leeré al rey la escritura y le daré a conocer la interpretación.

18El Dios Altísimo, oh rey, dio a Nabucodonosor, tu padre, el reino y la grandeza, la gloria y la majestad.

19Y por la grandeza que le concedió, temblaban delante de él y se estremecían todos los pueblos y naciones y lenguas. Mataba a quien le daba la gana, y dejaba vivir a quien quería; ensalzaba al bienquisto, y humillaba a quien deseaba.

20Pero cuando su corazón se engrió, y su espíritu se obstinó en la soberbia, fue depuesto del trono de su reino y despojado de su gloria.

21Fue expulsado de entre los hombres y su corazón se hizo semejante al de las bestias, y habitó con los asnos monteses. Como a los bueyes, le dieron a comer hierba, y su cuerpo fue mojado con el rocío del cielo, hasta que reconoció que el Dios Altísimo es el soberano en el reino de los hombres y que pone sobre él a quien quiere.

22Y tú, Baltasar, su hijo, aunque sabías todo esto, no has humillado tu corazón,

23sino que te has levantado contra el Señor del cielo. Han puesto delante de ti los vasos de su Casa, y tú, tus grandes, tus mujeres y tus concubinas estáis bebiendo en ellos; has alabado a dioses de plata y oro, de bronce, de hierro, de madera y de piedra, que no ven ni oyen, y que nada saben; y no has dado gloria al Dios que tiene en su mano tu vida y es dueño de todos tus caminos.

24Por eso vino de su parte el extremo de la mano que trazó esta escritura.

25He aquí la escritura trazada: Mené, Mené, Tequel, Ufarsin.

26Y esta es su interpretación: Mené: Dios ha contado tu reino y le ha puesto término.

27Tequel: has sido pesado en la balanza y hallado falto de peso.

28Perés: dividido ha sido tu reino y dado a los medos y persas.”

29Mandó entonces Baltasar, y vistieron a Daniel de púrpura, le pusieron al cuello un collar de oro y se pregonó que él sería el tercero en el gobierno del reino.

30Aquella misma noche fue muerto Baltasar, rey de los caldeos,

31y recibió el reino Darío el medo, que tenía unos sesenta y dos años de edad.

1Baltassar rex fecit grande convivium optimatibus suis mille: et unusquisque secundum suam bibebat ætatem.

2Præcepit ergo jam temulentus ut afferrentur vasa aurea et argentea, quæ asportaverat Nabuchodonosor pater ejus de templo, quod fuit in Ierusalem, ut biberent in eis rex, et optimates ejus, uxoresque ejus, et concubinæ.

3Tunc allata sunt vasa aurea, et argentea, quæ asportaverat de templo, quod fuerat in Ierusalem: et biberunt in eis rex, et optimates ejus, uxores et concubinæ illius.

4Bibebant vinum, et laudabant deos suos aureos et argenteos, æreos, ferreos, ligneosque et lapideos.

5In eadem hora apparuerunt digiti, quasi manus hominis scribentis contra candelabrum in superficie parietis aulæ regiæ: et rex aspiciebat articulos manus scribentis.

6Tunc facies regis commutata est, et cogitationes ejus conturbabant eum: et compages renum ejus solvebantur, et genua ejus ad se invicem collidebantur.

7Exclamavit itaque rex fortiter ut introducerent magos, Chaldæos, et aruspices. Et proloquens rex ait sapientibus Babylonis: Quicumque legerit scripturam hanc, et interpretationem ejus manifestam mihi fecerit, purpura vestietur, et torquem auream habebit in collo, et tertius in regno meo erit.

8Tunc ingressi omnes sapientes regis non potuerunt nec scripturam legere, nec interpretationem indicare regi.

9Unde rex Baltassar satis conturbatus est, et vultus illius immutatus est; sed et optimates ejus turbabantur.

10Regina autem pro re, quæ acciderat regi et optimatibus ejus, domum convivii ingressa est: et proloquens ait: Rex, in æternum vive ! non te conturbent cogitationes tuæ, neque facies tua immutetur.

11Est vir in regno tuo, qui spiritum deorum sanctorum habet in se, et in diebus patris tui scientia et sapientia inventæ sunt in eo: nam et rex Nabuchodonosor pater tuus principem magorum, incantatorum, Chaldæorum, et aruspicum constituit eum, pater, inquam, tuus, o rex:

12quia spiritus amplior, et prudentia, intelligentiaque et interpretatio somniorum, et ostensio secretorum, ac solutio ligatorum inventæ sunt in eo, hoc est in Daniele: cui rex posuit nomen Baltassar. Nunc itaque Daniel vocetur, et interpretationem narrabit.

13Igitur introductus est Daniel coram rege: ad quem præfatus rex ait: Tu es Daniel de filiis captivitatis Judæ, quem adduxit pater meus rex de Judæa?

14audivi de te, quoniam spiritum deorum habeas, et scientia, intelligentiaque ac sapientia ampliores inventæ sunt in te.

15Et nunc introgressi sunt in conspectu meo sapientes magi, ut scripturam hanc legerent, et interpretationem ejus indicarent mihi: et nequiverunt sensum hujus sermonis edicere.

16Porro ego audivi de te, quod possis obscura interpretari, et ligata dissolvere: si ergo vales scripturam legere, et interpretationem ejus indicare mihi, purpura vestieris, et torquem auream circa collum tuum habebis, et tertius in regno meo princeps eris.

17Ad quæ respondens Daniel, ait coram rege: Munera tua sint tibi, et dona domus tuæ alteri da: scripturam autem legam tibi, rex, et interpretationem ejus ostendam tibi.

18O rex, Deus altissimus regnum et magnificentiam, gloriam et honorem dedit Nabuchodonosor patri tuo.

19Et propter magnificentiam, quam dederat ei, universi populi, tribus, et linguæ tremebant, et metuebant eum: quos volebat, interficiebat: et quos volebat, percutiebat: et quos volebat, exaltabat: et quos volebat, humiliabat.

20Quando autem elevatum est cor ejus, et spiritus illius obfirmatus est ad superbiam, depositus est de solio regni sui, et gloria ejus ablata est:

21et a filiis hominum ejectus est, sed et cor ejus cum bestiis positum est, et cum onagris erat habitatio ejus: fœnum quoque ut bos comedebat, et rore cæli corpus ejus infectum est, donec cognosceret quod potestatem haberet Altissimus in regno hominum, et quemcumque voluerit, suscitabit super illud.

22Tu quoque, filius ejus Baltassar, non humiliasti cor tuum, cum scires hæc omnia:

23sed adversum Dominatorem cæli elevatus es: et vasa domus ejus allata sunt coram te, et tu, et optimates tui, et uxores tuæ, et concubinæ tuæ vinum bibistis in eis: deos quoque argenteos, et aureos, et æreos, ferreos, ligneosque et lapideos, qui non vident, neque audiunt, neque sentiunt, laudasti: porro Deum, qui habet flatum tuum in manu sua, et omnes vias tuas, non glorificasti.

24Idcirco ab eo missus est articulus manus, quæ scripsit hoc quod exaratum est.

25Hæc est autem scriptura, quæ digesta est: Mane, Thecel, Phares.

26Et hæc est interpretatio sermonis. Mane: numeravit Deus regnum tuum, et complevit illud.

27Thecel: appensus es in statera, et inventus es minus habens.

28Phares: divisum est regnum tuum, et datum est Medis, et Persis.

29Tunc, jubente rege, indutus est Daniel purpura, et circumdata est torques aurea collo ejus: et prædicatum est de eo quod haberet potestatem tertius in regno suo.

30Eadem nocte interfectus est Baltassar rex Chaldæus.

31Et Darius Medus successit in regnum, annos natus sexaginta duos.

1Baltasar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles: and every one drank according to his age.

2And being now drunk he commanded that they should bring the vessels of gold and silver which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought away out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, that the king and his nobles, and his wives and his concubines, might drink in them.

3Then were the golden and silver vessels brought, which he had brought away out of the temple that was in Jerusalem: and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, drank in them.

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

5In the same hour there appeared fingers, as it were of the hand of a man, writing over against the candlestick upon the surface of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king beheld the joints of the hand that wrote.

6Then was the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him: and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one against the other.

7And the king cried out aloud to bring in the wise men, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon: Whosoever shall read this writing, and shall make known to me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and shall have a golden chain on his neck, and shall be the third man in my kingdom.

8Then came in all the king’s wise men, but they could neither read the writing, nor declare the interpretation to the king.

9Wherewith king Baltasar was much troubled, and his countenance was changed: and his nobles also were troubled.

10Then the queen, on occasion of what had happened to the king, and his nobles, came into the banquet house: and she spoke and said: O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, neither let thy countenance be changed.

11There is a man in thy kingdom that hath the spirit of the holy gods in him: and in the days of thy father knowledge and wisdom were found in him: for king Nabuchodonosor thy father appointed him prince of the wise men, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, thy father, I say, O king:

12Because a greater spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, and interpretation of dreams, and shewing of secrets, and resolving of difficult things, were found in him, that is, in Daniel: whom the king named Baltassar. Now therefore let Daniel be called for, and he will tell the interpretation.

13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king spoke, and said to him: Art thou Daniel of the children of the captivity of Juda, whom my father the king brought out of Judea?

14I have heard of thee, that thou hast the spirit of the gods, and excellent knowledge, and understanding, and wisdom are found in thee.

15And now the wise men the magicians have come in before me, to read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof: and they could not declare to me the meaning of this writing.

16But I have heard of thee, that thou canst interpret obscure things, and resolve difficult things: now if thou art able to read the writing, and to shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and shalt have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third prince in my kingdom.

17To which Daniel made answer, and said before the king: Thy rewards be to thyself, and the gifts of thy house give to another: but the writing I will read to thee, O king, and shew thee the interpretation thereof.

18O king, the most high God gave to Nabuchodonosor thy father a kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and honour.

19And for the greatness that he gave to him, all people, tribes, and languages trembled, and were afraid of him: whom he would, he slew: and whom he would, he destroyed: and whom he would, he set up: and whom he would, he brought down.

20But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit hardened unto pride, he was put down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory was taken away.

21And he was driven out from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses, and he did eat grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: till he knew that the most High ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he will set over it whomsoever it shall please him.

22Thou also his son, O Baltasar, hast not humbled thy heart, whereas thou knewest all these things:

23But hast lifted thyself up against the Lord of heaven: and the vessels of his house have been brought before thee: and thou, and thy nobles, and thy wives, and thy concubines have drunk wine in them: and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and of gold, and of brass, of iron, and of wood, and of stone, that neither see, nor hear, nor feel: but the God who hath thy breath in his hand, and all thy ways, thou hast not glorified.

24Wherefore he hath sent the part of the hand which hath written this that is set down.

25And this is the writing that is written: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.

26And this is the interpretation of the word. MANE: God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it.

27THECEL: thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting.

28PHARES: thy kingdom is divided, and is given to the Medes and Persians.

29Then by the king’s command Daniel was clothed with purple, and a chain of gold was put about his neck: and it was proclaimed of him that he had power as the third man in the kingdom.

30The same night Baltasar the Chaldean king was slain.

31And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being threescore and two years old.