1 K ing Belshazzar gave a special supper for a thousand of his important men, and drank wine with them.

El rey Belsasar hizo un gran banquete a mil de sus príncipes, y en presencia de los mil bebía vino.

2 W hen Belshazzar tasted the wine, he had all the gold and silver cups brought which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Lord’s house in Jerusalem. The king sent for them so that he and his important men and all his wives could drink from them.

Belsasar, con el gusto del vino, mandó que trajeran los vasos de oro y de plata que Nabucodonosor, su padre, había traído del templo de Jerusalén, para que bebieran de ellos el rey y sus grandes, sus mujeres y sus concubinas.

3 S o they brought the gold cups that had been taken from the house of God in Jerusalem. And the king and his important men and all his wives drank from them.

Entonces trajeron los vasos de oro que habían traído del templo de la casa de Dios, que estaba en Jerusalén, y bebieron de ellos el rey y sus príncipes, sus mujeres y sus concubinas.

4 T hey drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone.

Bebieron vino y alabaron a los dioses de oro y plata, de bronce, de hierro, de madera y de piedra.

5 A ll at once the fingers of a man’s hand were seen writing on the wall near the lamp-stand of the king’s house. And the king saw the back of the hand as it wrote.

En aquella misma hora aparecieron los dedos de una mano de hombre que escribía delante del candelabro, sobre lo encalado de la pared del palacio real; y el rey veía la mano que escribía.

6 T hen the king’s face turned white, and his thoughts turned to fear. His legs became weak and his knees began shaking.

Entonces el rey palideció y sus pensamientos lo turbaron, se debilitaron sus caderas y sus rodillas daban la una contra la otra.

7 T he king called in a loud voice for the wonder-workers, the men who learned from stars and those who used their secret ways. He said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed with purple clothing and have a chain of gold around his neck. And he will be the third in power in the nation.”

El rey gritó en alta voz que hicieran venir magos, caldeos y adivinos; y dijo el rey a los sabios de Babilonia: «Cualquiera que lea esta escritura y me dé su interpretación, será vestido de púrpura, llevará en su cuello un collar de oro y será el tercer señor en el reino.»

8 T hen all the king’s wise men came in. But they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.

Entonces fueron introducidos todos los sabios del rey, pero no pudieron leer la escritura ni dar al rey su interpretación.

9 T hen King Belshazzar was very afraid. His face lost even more of its color, and his important men did not know what to do.

Entonces el rey Belsasar se turbó sobremanera y palideció, y sus príncipes estaban perplejos.

10 T he queen heard the words of the king and his men, and came into the room where they were eating. She said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts make you afraid or your face turn white.

La reina, por las palabras del rey y de sus príncipes, entró a la sala del banquete, y dijo: —¡Rey, vive para siempre! No te turben tus pensamientos ni palidezca tu rostro.

11 T here is a man in your nation who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In your father’s time light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, made him the head of the wonder-workers, the men who learned from stars, and those who use their secret ways.

En tu reino hay un hombre en el que mora el espíritu de los dioses santos, y en los días de tu padre se halló en él luz, inteligencia y sabiduría, como la sabiduría de los dioses. El rey Nabucodonosor, tu padre, oh rey, lo constituyó jefe sobre todos los magos, astrólogos, caldeos y adivinos,

12 T his was because a special spirit was found in this Daniel whom the king called Belteshazzar. He had much learning and understanding to tell the meaning of dreams and secrets and to give answers to problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what this means.” Daniel Tells What the Writing Means

por cuanto en él se halló más espíritu, ciencia y entendimiento para interpretar sueños, descifrar enigmas y resolver dudas; esto es, en Daniel, al cual el rey puso por nombre Beltsasar. Llámese, pues, ahora a Daniel, y él te dará la interpretación.

13 S o Daniel was brought to the king. And the king said to him, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the people whom my father the king brought from Judah?

Entonces trajeron a Daniel ante el rey. Y dijo el rey a Daniel: —¿Eres tú aquel Daniel de los hijos de la cautividad de Judá, que mi padre trajo de Judea?

14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you. Light and understanding and special wisdom have been found in you also.

Yo he oído de ti que el espíritu de los dioses santos está en ti, y que en ti se halló luz, entendimiento y mayor sabiduría.

15 T he wise men and wonder-workers were brought in to me so that they might read this writing and tell me what it means. But they could not tell me its meaning.

Y ahora trajeron ante mí sabios y astrólogos para que leyeran esta escritura y me dieran su interpretación; pero no han podido interpretarme el asunto.

16 N ow I have heard that you are able to tell the meaning of such things and give answers to hard problems. If you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means, you will be dressed in purple and wear a chain of gold around your neck. And you will be the third in power in the nation.”

Yo, pues, he oído de ti que puedes interpretar y resolver dificultades. Si ahora puedes leer esta escritura y darme su interpretación, serás vestido de púrpura, llevarás en tu cuello un collar de oro y serás el tercer señor en el reino.

17 T hen Daniel answered the king, saying, “Keep your gifts for yourself, or give them to someone else. But I will read the writing to the king and tell him what it means.

Entonces Daniel respondió y dijo al rey: —Tus dones sean para ti; da tus recompensas a otros. Leeré la escritura al rey y le daré la interpretación.

18 O king, the Most High made your father Nebuchadnezzar king, and gave him greatness, honor, and power.

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

19 B ecause of the greatness He gave to him, all the people of every nation and language shook in fear in front of him. He killed whomever he wanted. And he let live whomever he wanted. He gave honor to whomever he wanted. And he put down whomever he wanted.

Y por la grandeza que le dio, todos los pueblos, naciones y lenguas temblaban y temían delante de él. A quien le placía, mataba, y a quien le placía, daba vida; engrandecía a quien le placía, y a quien le placía, humillaba.

20 B ut when his heart and spirit became proud and he acted in pride, he was taken from his throne and his greatness was taken from him.

Pero cuando su corazón se ensoberbeció y su espíritu se endureció en su orgullo, fue depuesto del trono de su reino y despojado de su gloria.

21 H e was driven away from people, and his mind became like that of an animal. He lived with the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cattle, and his body became wet with the water from heaven. It was like this for him until he understood that the Most High God is ruler over the nation of all men, and that He lets whomever He wants rule it.

Fue echado de entre los hijos de los hombres, su mente se hizo semejante a la de las bestias y con los asnos monteses fue su habitación. Le hicieron comer hierba, como al buey, y su cuerpo se empapó del rocío del cielo, hasta que reconoció que el Altísimo Dios tiene dominio sobre el reino de los hombres, y que pone sobre él al que le place.

22 Y et you, his son Belshazzar, have not put away the pride from your heart, even though you knew all this.

Pero tú, su hijo Belsasar, no has humillado tu corazón sabiendo todo esto,

23 Y ou have honored yourself more than the Lord of heaven. The cups of His house have been brought to you. And you and your important men and all your wives have been drinking wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver, gold, brass, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But you have not honored the God Who holds your life and your ways in His hand.

sino que contra el Señor del cielo te has ensoberbecido; hiciste traer ante ti los vasos de su Casa, y tú y tus grandes, tus mujeres y tus concubinas bebisteis vino de ellos; además diste alabanza a dioses de plata y oro, de bronce, de hierro, de madera y de piedra, que ni ven ni oyen ni saben; pero nunca honraste al Dios en cuya mano está tu vida y de quien son todos tus caminos.

24 S o the hand was sent from Him to write on your wall.

»Por eso, de su presencia envió él la mano que trazó esta escritura.

25 “ This is what was written: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.’

Y la escritura que trazó es: “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Uparsin.”

26 A nd this is what it means: ‘MENE’ means that God has numbered the days of your rule and has brought it to an end.

Ésta es la interpretación del asunto: “Mene”: Contó Dios tu reino y le ha puesto fin.

27 ‘ TEKEL’ means that you have been weighed and found to be too light.

“Tekel”: Pesado has sido en balanza y hallado falto.

28 ‘ PERES’ means that your nation has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

“Peres”: Tu reino ha sido roto y dado a los medos y a los persas.

29 T hen Belshazzar had them dress Daniel in purple and put a chain of gold around his neck. And he made it known that Daniel was the third most powerful ruler in the nation. Belshazzar Is Killed

Entonces Belsasar mandó vestir a Daniel de púrpura, poner en su cuello un collar de oro y proclamar que él era el tercer señor del reino.

30 T hat very night Belshazzar the king of Babylon was killed.

La misma noche fue muerto Belsasar, rey de los caldeos.

31 S o Darius the Mede became the king when he was sixty-two years old.

Y Darío, de Media, cuando tenía sesenta y dos años, tomó el reino.