1 Belshassar, kongen, holdt en stor fest for tusen av sine stormenn og drakk vin foran de tusen.

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

2 Mens han smakte på vinen, befalte Belshassar at de skulle hente de gull- og sølvkar som hans far Nebukadnesar hadde tatt fra tempelet i Jerusalem, for at kongen, hans stormenn, hans hustruer og medhustruer skulle drikke av dem.

Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from it.

3 Så hentet de gullkarene som var tatt fra Guds hus i Jerusalem, og kongen og hans stormenn, hans hustruer og medhustruer drakk av dem.

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.

4 De drakk vin og hyllet sine guder av gull, sølv, kobber, jern, tre og stein.

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

5 I samme stund kom fingrene til en menneskehånd til syne og skrev på pussen på veggen i kongens palass, mot lysestaken; og kongen så hånden som skrev.

In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Kongens ansikt bleknet, og hans tanker forstyrret ham; hoftene hans ble slappe, og hans knær slo mot hverandre.

Then the king's face was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.

7 Kongen ropte høyt at de skulle føre inn spåmennene, kaldeerne og spådamene. Kongen talte og sa til Babylons vise menn: Den som leser denne skriften og forteller meg hva den betyr, skal bli kledd i purpur og få en gullkjede rundt halsen og bli den tredje hersker i riket.

The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation of it, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

8 Da kom alle kongens vise menn inn, men de kunne verken lese skriften eller fortelle kongen hva den betydde.

Then came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.

9 Da ble kong Belshassar enda mer forstyrret, hans ansikt bleknet, og hans stormenn visste ikke råd.

Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

10 Da dronningen, på grunn av kongens og hans stormenns ord, kom inn i festsalen, sa hun: Kongen leve evig! La ikke dine tanker forstyrre deg, og la ikke ditt ansikt bli blekt.

[Now] the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever; don't let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed.

11 Det er en mann i ditt rike i hvem de hellige guders ånd er. I din fars dager ble lys og forstand og visdom, som guders visdom, funnet i ham, og kong Nebukadnesar, din far, gjorde ham til mester over spåmennene, trollmennene, kaldeerne og spådomskunstnerne.

There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, [I say], your father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

12 Fordi en fremragende ånd, kunnskap og forstand, til å tyde drømmer, forklare gåter og løse problemer, ble funnet i samme Daniel, som kongen ga navnet Belteshassar. La nå Daniel bli kalt, og han vil fortelle betydningen.

because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

13 Så ble Daniel ført frem for kongen. Kongen talte og sa til Daniel: Er du den Daniel som er av de bortførte jødene, som kongen min far førte hit fra Juda?

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Are you that Daniel, who are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

14 Jeg har hørt om deg at guders ånd er i deg, og at lys og forstand og fremragende visdom finnes i deg.

I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.

15 Nå er de vise mennene, spåmennene, ført frem for meg for å lese denne skriften og fortelle meg hva den betyr; men de kan ikke gi en tolkning.

Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me the interpretation of it; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.

16 Men jeg har hørt om deg at du kan gi fortolkninger og løse problemer. Nå, hvis du kan lese skriften og fortelle meg hva den betyr, skal du bli kledd i purpur og få en gullkjede rundt halsen og bli den tredje hersker i riket.

But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations, and dissolve doubts; now if you can read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation of it, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

17 Da svarte Daniel og sa til kongen: La dine gaver være hos deg selv, og gi dine belønninger til en annen; likevel vil jeg lese skriften for kongen og fortelle ham hva den betyr.

Then Daniel answered before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

18 Kongen, Den Høyeste Gud ga Nebukadnesar, din far, kongedømmet og storheten og æren og herligheten.

You king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:

19 Og på grunn av storheten som han ga ham, skalv og fryktet alle folk, nasjoner og tungemål foran ham; hvem han ville, drepte han, og hvem han ville, lot han leve; hvem han ville, løftet han opp, og hvem han ville, ydmyket han.

and because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he killed, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.

20 Men da hans hjerte ble opphøyet og hans ånd ble stolt, ble han avsatt fra sitt kongelige trone, og hans ære ble tatt fra ham.

But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21 Og han ble drevet bort fra menneskene, og hans hjerte ble som dyrenes, og hans bolig var med ville esler; han spiste gress som okser, og hans kropp ble våt av himmelens dugg, inntil han erkjente at Den Høyeste Gud hersker i menneskers rike, og at han gir det til hvem han vil.

and he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals', and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky; until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whoever he will.

22 Du, hans sønn, Belshassar, har heller ikke ydmyket ditt hjerte, enda du visste alt dette,

You his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,

23 men du har løftet deg opp mot himmelens Herre; og karene fra hans hus ble brakt foran deg, og du og dine stormenn, dine hustruer og dine medhustruer har drukket vin av dem; og du har prist guder av sølv og gull, av kobber, jern, tre og stein, som verken ser, hører eller vet; men Gud, i hvis hånd din ånde er, og alle dine veier tilhører, har du ikke æret.

but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which don't see, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, you have not glorified.

24 Da ble del av hånden sendt fra ham, og denne skriften ble gravert.

Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.

25 Dette er skriften som ble gravert: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPARSIN.

This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

26 Dette er tolkningen av dette: MENE; Gud har talt ditt rikes dager og fullført det.

This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and brought it to an end;

27 TEKEL; du er veid på vekten og funnet for lett.

TEKEL; you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.

28 PERES; ditt rike er delt og gitt til mederne og perserne.

PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29 Da befalte Belshassar, og de kledde Daniel i purpur og satte en gullkjede om halsen hans, og proklamerte om ham at han skulle være den tredje hersker i riket.

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 Samme natt ble Belshassar, kaldeerkongen, drept.

In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.

31 Darius fra Medien mottok riket, da han var omkring sekstito år gammel.

Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.