Chapter 89
1 Then indeed the king, having heard the things concerning him, commanded that Daniel be brought, and he says to him: Are you Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, whom my father Nebuchadnezzar brought? I have heard concerning you that you are able to interpret judgments. Now therefore, if you are able to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, and the golden chain shall be upon your neck, and you shall rule as third in my kingdom.
2 But the blessed Daniel, neither rejoicing in earthly gifts nor exalted by royal glory, answered: Let your gifts, O king, be for yourself, and give the present of your house to another; but I will read the writing and make known to you its interpretation.
3 And thus beginning, he recounted to the king in order all the things that had befallen his father—at once instructing him in what had happened, and at the same time admonishing him not to boast nor to be proud beyond what is fitting, seeing that he stood within the authority of God.
4 He says, then, to him: The Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the honor and the glory to your father Nebuchadnezzar. And because of the greatness which he gave him, all the peoples, tribes, and tongues were trembling and fearing before his face. Whom he wished he slew, and whom he wished he struck, and whom he wished he exalted, and whom he wished he humbled. And when his heart was exalted and his spirit was strengthened to act proudly, he was brought down from the throne of his kingdom and the honor was taken from him; and he was driven out from among men, and his heart was made like that of the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; they fed him grass like an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High is lord of the kingdom of men, and to whomever it seems good to him he will give it.
5 And having said these things he added what followed—at once rebuking the king and not regarding his person, so that, hearing, he might be afraid and might at once recognize the sin he had committed.
6 He says, then: And you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart before God, in whose presence you knew all these things; but you have exalted yourself against the Lord, the God of heaven, and have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your nobles and your concubines and your consorts drank wine from them; and you praised the gods of gold and silver and bronze and iron and wood and stone, which do not see and do not hear and do not know; but God, in whose hand is your breath and all your ways—him you did not glorify. Therefore from his presence the knuckle of a hand was sent and set down this writing: Mane, Thekel, Phares. This is the interpretation of the matter: Mane—God has measured your kingdom and brought it to an end; Thekel—it has been set in the balance and found wanting; Phares—your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.