Chapter 5

1King Belshazzar made a great feast for his one thousand dignitaries, and he drank as much wine as the thousand.   אבֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֣ר מַלְכָּ֗א עֲבַד֙ לְחֶ֣ם רַ֔ב לְרַבְרְבָנ֖וֹהִי אֲלַ֑ף וְלָֽקֳבֵ֥ל אַלְפָּ֖א חַמְרָ֥א שָׁתֵֽה:
King Belshazzar. He was his son, and he reigned after Evil-merodach, who reigned instead of Nebuchadnezzar, and (he) too was the son of Nebuchadnezzar.   בלשאצר מלכא.  בנו היה ומלך לאחר אויל מרודך שמלך תחת נבוכדנצר וגם (הוא) היה בנו של נבוכדנצר:
made a great feast. We find in Josephon (Book 1, ch. 3) that he waged war by day with Darius the Mede and Cyrus and was victorious in the battle. So in the evening he made a feast, as Isaiah had prophesied about him: (21:5) “Setting the table, setting up the lamp, eating, drinking. ‘Arise, princes, etc.’ ” For in the midst of the feast the enemies returned, waged war on the city and captured it.   עבד לחם רב.  עשה סעודה גדולה מצינו בספר יוסיפון שנלחם ביום עם דריוש המדי וכורש ונצח המלחמה ולערב עשה משתה כמו שנבא עליו ישעיה ערוך השלחן צפה הצפית אכול ושתה קומו השרים וגו' שבתוך המשתה חזרו אויביו ונלחמו על העיר ולכדוה:
as much wine as the thousand. The equivalent of one thousand men [was the amount] he was drinking [in] wine.   ולקבל אלפא חמרא.  כנגד אלף איש היה שותה יין:
2Belshazzar said, with the counsel of the wine, to bring the golden and silver vessels that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple that was in Jerusalem, that the king, his dignitaries, his queen, and his concubines should drink from them.   בבֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֞ר אֲמַ֣ר| בִּטְעֵ֣ם חַמְרָ֗א לְהַיְתָיָה֙ לְמָאנֵי֙ דַּֽהֲבָ֣א וְכַסְפָּ֔א דִּ֚י הַנְפֵּק֙ נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר אֲב֔וּהִי מִן־הֵֽיכְלָ֖א דִּ֣י בִירֽוּשְׁלֶ֑ם וְיִשְׁתּ֣וֹן בְּה֗וֹן מַלְכָּא֙ וְרַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי שֵֽׁגְלָתֵ֖הּ וּלְחֵֽנָתֵֽהּ:
said, with the counsel of the wine. He said with the counsel of the wine that he had imbibed.   אמר בטעם חמרא.  אמר בעצת היין שנשתכר:
to bring. [as translated,] to bring.   להיתיה.  להביא:
that… had taken out. [as translated,] had taken out.   די הנפק.  שהוציא:
his queen. Aram. שֵּׁגְלָתֵה, an expression of a queen in Aramaic, like: (Neh. 2:6): “and the queen (וְהַשֵׁגָל) was sitting beside him.”   שגלתה.  לשון מלכא בלשון ארמי כמו (נחמיה ב׳:ו׳) והשגל יושבת אצלו:
3Then the golden vessels that they had taken out of the Temple of the House of God, which was in Jerusalem, were brought, and the king, his dignitaries, his queen, and his concubines drank from them.   גבֵּאדַ֗יִן הַיְתִיו֙ מָאנֵ֣י דַֽהֲבָ֔א דִּ֣י הַנְפִּ֗קוּ מִן־הֵֽיכְלָ֛א דִּי־בֵ֥ית אֱלָהָ֖א דִּ֣י בִירֽוּשְׁלֶ֑ם וְאִשְׁתִּ֣יו בְּה֗וֹן מַלְכָּא֙ וְרַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי שֵֽׁגְלָתֵ֖הּ וּלְחֵֽנָתֵֽהּ:
were brought. [as translated,] were brought.   היתיו.  הובאו:
that they had taken out. [as translated,] that they had taken out.   די הנפקו.  שהוציאו:
4They drank wine and praised gods of gold, silver, copper, iron, wood, and stone.   דאִשְׁתִּ֖יו חַמְרָ֑א וְ֠שַׁבַּחוּ לֵֽאלָהֵ֞י דַּֽהֲבָ֧א וְכַסְפָּ֛א נְחָשָׁ֥א פַרְזְלָ֖א אָעָ֥א וְאַבְנָֽא:
5At that time, the fingers of a human hand emerged and wrote opposite the candelabrum on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing.   הבַּהּ־שַֽׁעֲתָ֗ה נְפָ֙קָה֙ (כתיב נְפָ֙קָו֙) אֶצְבְּעָן֙ דִּ֣י יַד־אֱנָ֔שׁ וְכָֽתְבָן֙ לָֽקֳבֵ֣ל נֶבְרַשְׁתָּ֔א עַל־גִּירָ֕א דִּֽי־כְתַ֥ל הֵֽיכְלָ֖א דִּ֣י מַלְכָּ֑א וּמַלְכָּ֣א חָזֵ֔ה פַּ֥ס יְדָ֖א דִּ֥י כָֽתְבָֽא:
the fingers… emerged. The fingers of a human hand emerged from heaven.   נפקו: אצבען.  יצאו אצבעות יד אדם מן השמים:
opposite the candelabrum. opposite the menorah that was before the table, and a similar word appears (in Tractate Yoma 37a): “made a candelabrum (נִבְרֶשֶׁת) of gold.”   לקבל נברשתא.  למול המנורה אשר לפני השלחן ודוגמתו במסכת יומא עשתה נברשת של זהב:
on the plaster. on the lime that is plastered on the wall, like (Isa. 27:9): “like crushed chalkstones (אַבְנֵי גֵר),” which resemble lime.   על גירא.  על סיד טיח כותל הבית כמו (ישעיהו כ״ז:ט׳) כאבני גיר מנופצות והוא דומה לסיד:
6Then the king-his color changed, and his thoughts frightened him, the belts of his loins became untied, and his knees knocked one against the other.   ואֱדַ֚יִן מַלְכָּא֙ זִיו‍ֹ֣הִי שְׁנ֔וֹהִי וְרַעְיֹנֹ֖הִי יְבַֽהֲלוּנֵּ֑הּ וְקִטְרֵ֚י חַרְצֵהּ֙ מִשְׁתָּרַ֔יִן וְאַ֨רְכֻּבָּתֵ֔הּ דָּ֥א לְדָ֖א נָֽקְשָֽׁן:
his color changed. His features changed upon him.   זיוהי שנוהי.  תאריו נשתנו עליו:
and his thoughts. [as translated,] and his thoughts.   ורעיונוהי.  מחשבותיו:
and the belts of his loins became untied. The belts of his loins opened because his loins were emptying out of fear, and his belt opened.   וקטרי חרציה משתרין.  אזור חלציו נפתח שהיו מתניו מתרוקנין מחמת היראה וחגורו נפתח:
and the belts of his loins became untied. were untied.   וקטרי חרציה משתרין.  נתרין:
and his knees. [as translated,] and his knees.   וארכובתה.  וברכיו:
knocked one against the other. bumped and knocked.   דא לדא נקשן.  מקישות ודופקות:
7The king cried aloud to bring in the necromancers, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king shouted and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man who shall read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall wear purple and [have] a golden chain on his neck and rule over a third of the kingdom."   זקָרֵ֚א מַלְכָּא֙ בְּחַ֔יִל לְהֶֽעָלָה֙ לְאָ֣שְׁפַיָּ֔א כַּשְׂדָּאֵ֖י (כתיב כַּשְׂדָּי֖אֵ) וְגָֽזְרַיָּ֑א עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֣ר| לְחַכִּימֵ֣י בָבֶ֗ל דִּ֣י כָל־אֱ֠נָשׁ דִּֽי־יִקְרֵ֞ה כְּתָבָ֣ה דְנָ֗ה וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙ יְחַוִּנַּ֔נִי אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א יִלְבַּ֗שׁ וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֚א (כתיב וְהַֽמְונִכָ֚א) דִי־דַֽהֲבָא֙ עַל־צַוְּארֵ֔הּ וְתַלְתִּ֥י בְמַלְכוּתָ֖א יִשְׁלָֽט:
aloud. Aram. בְּחַיִל, lit. with strength.   בחיל.  בכח:
to bring in. [as translated,] to bring in.   להעלה.  להכניס:
this writing. [as translated,] this writing.   כתבה דנה.  מכתב זה:
shall wear purple. following the custom of the nobles.   ארגונא ילבש.  כמשפט הפרתמים:
chain. Aram. וְהַמְנִיכָא, medallion, necklace.   והמניכא.  רביד ענק:
and rule over over a third of the kingdom. [as translated,] and rule over a third of the kingdom.   ותלתי במלכותא ישלט.  בשליש המלכות ימשול:
8Then all the king's wise men entered, but they could not read the writing or let the king know its interpretation.   חאֱדַ֙יִן֙ עָלִּ֔ין (כתיב עָלִּ֔לין) כֹּ֖ל חַכִּימֵ֣י מַלְכָּ֑א וְלָא־כָֽהֲלִ֚ין כְּתָבָא֙ לְמִקְרֵ֔א וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ (כתיב וּפִשְׁרֵ֖א) לְהֽוֹדָעָ֥ה לְמַלְכָּֽא:
entered. [as translated,] entered.   עלין.  נכנסין:
9Then King Belshazzar became very frightened, and his color changed, and his dignitaries were perplexed.   טאֱ֠דַיִן מַלְכָּ֚א בֵלְשַׁאצַּר֙ שַׂגִּ֣יא מִתְבָּהַ֔ל וְזִיו‍ֹ֖הִי שָׁנַ֣יִן עֲל֑וֹהִי וְרַבְרְבָנ֖וֹהִי מִשְׁתַּבְּשִֽׁין:
became very frightened. Aram. מִתְבָּהַל שַּׂגִּיא, extremely frightened.   שגיא מתבהל.  הרבה מתפחד:
were perplexed. They were confused.   משתבשין.  נחפזין:
10The queen, in response to the words of the king and his dignitaries, entered the banquet hall; the queen raised her voice and said, "May the king live forever! Let your thoughts not frighten you, and let your color not change.   ימַלְכְּתָ֕א לָֽקֳבֵ֨ל מִלֵּ֚י מַלְכָּא֙ וְרַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי לְבֵ֥ית מִשְׁתְּיָ֖א עַלַּ֑ת (כתיב עַלַּ֑לת) עֲנָ֨ת מַלְכְּתָ֜א וַֽאֲמֶ֗רֶת מַלְכָּא֙ לְעָֽלְמִ֣ין חֱיִ֔י אַֽל־יְבַֽהֲלוּךְ֙ רַעְיוֹנָ֔ךְ וְזִיוָ֖ךְ (כתיב וְזִיוָ֖יךְ) אַל־יִשְׁתַּנּֽוֹ:
The queen, in response to the words of the king. The queen, because she heard the words of the king and his princes, came to the banquet hall.   מלכתא לקבל מלי מלכא.  המלכה כלפי ששמעה את דברי המלך ושריו לבית המשתה באה:
11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of holy angels, and in your father's time enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the angels was found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, appointed him prince of the necromancers, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the demonologists; [so did] your father the king.   יאאִיתַ֨י גְּבַ֜ר בְּמַלְכוּתָ֗ךְ דִּ֠י ר֣וּחַ אֱלָהִ֣ין קַדִּישִׁין֘ בֵּהּ֒ וּבְיוֹמֵ֣י אֲב֗וּךְ נַֽהִיר֧וּ וְשָׂכְלְתָנ֛וּ וְחָכְמָ֥ה כְּחָכְמַת־אֱלָהִ֖ין הִשְׁתְּכַ֣חַת בֵּ֑הּ וּמַלְכָּ֚א נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּר֙ אֲב֔וּךְ רַ֧ב חַרְטֻמִּ֣ין אָֽשְׁפִ֗ין כַּשְׂדָּאִין֙ גָּֽזְרִ֔ין הֲקִימֵ֖הּ אֲב֥וּךְ מַלְכָּֽא:
There is a man. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy ones.   איתי גבר.  יש אדם במלכותך אשר רוח קדושים בו:
like the wisdom of the angels. [as translated,] angels.   כחכמת אלהין.  מלאכים:
appointed him. He appointed him prince over them all.   הקימיה.  מנהו שר על כולם:
12All because a superior spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, tell riddles, and untie knots was found in him, in Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar; now let Daniel be summoned and he will tell the interpretation."   יבכָּל־קֳבֵ֡ל דִּ֣י ר֣וּחַ| יַתִּירָ֡ה וּמַנְדַּ֡ע וְשָׂכְלְתָנ֡וּ מְפַשַּׁ֣ר חֶלְמִין֩ וְאֲֽחֲוָיַ֨ת אֲחִידָ֜ן וּמְשָׁרֵ֣א קִטְרִ֗ין הִשְׁתְּכַ֚חַת בֵּהּ֙ בְּדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל דִּֽי־מַלְכָּ֥א שָׂם־שְׁמֵ֖הּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצָּ֑ר כְּעַ֛ן דָּֽנִיֵּ֥אל יִתְקְרֵ֖י וּפִשְׁרָ֥ה יְהַֽחֲוֵֽה:
All because, etc.. because a superior spirit, knowledge and understanding are within him, and the talent to tell riddles.   כל קבל וגו'.  כלפי אשר רוח יתירה ודעת השכל יש בו והגדת חידות:
and untie knots. The revelation of all secrets is found in Daniel.   ומשרא קטרין.  סתום כל סתר נמצא בו בדניאל:
13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king raised his voice and said to Daniel, "You are Daniel, who is of the exiles of Judea, whom my father brought from Judea.   יגבֵּאדַ֙יִן֙ דָּֽנִיֵּ֔אל הֻעַ֖ל קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּ֑א עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֣ר לְדָֽנִיֵּ֗אל אַנְתְּ־ (כתיב אַנְתְּה) ה֚וּא דָֽנִיֵּאל֙ דִּֽי־מִן־בְּנֵ֚י גָֽלוּתָא֙ דִּ֣י יְה֔וּד דִּ֥י הַיְתִ֛י מַלְכָּ֥א אַ֖בִי מִן־יְהֽוּד:
14And I heard about you that the spirit of the angels is in you, and enlightenment, understanding, and superior wisdom is found in you.   ידוְשִׁמְעֵ֣ת עֲלָ֔ךְ (כתיב עֲלָ֔יךְ) דִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ אֱלָהִ֖ין בָּ֑ךְ וְנַהִיר֧וּ וְשָׂכְלְתָנ֛וּ וְחָכְמָ֥ה יַתִּירָ֖ה הִשְׁתְּכַ֥חַת בָּֽךְ:
15And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they may read this writing and let me know its interpretation, but they cannot interpret the matter to tell [it].   טווּכְעַ֞ן הֻעַ֣לּוּ קָֽדָמַ֗י חַכִּֽימַיָּא֙ אָ֣שְׁפַיָּ֔א דִּֽי־כְתָבָ֚ה דְנָה֙ יִקְר֔וֹן וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ לְהוֹדָֽעֻתַ֑נִי וְלָא־כָֽהֲלִ֥ין פְּשַׁר־מִלְּתָ֖א לְהַֽחֲוָיָֽה:
16And I have heard about you that you can interpret interpretations and untie knots. Now if you can read the writing and let me know its interpretation, you shall wear purple and [have] a golden chain on your neck, and [over] a third of the kingdom you shall rule."   טזוַֽאֲנָה֙ שִׁמְעֵ֣ת עֲלָ֔ךְ (כתיב עֲלָ֔יךְ) דִּֽי־תִכּ֥וּל (כתיב תִוכֻּ֥ל) פִּשְׁרִ֛ין לְמִפְשַׁ֖ר וְקִטְרִ֣ין לְמִשְׁרֵ֑א כְּעַ֡ן הֵן֩ תִּכּ֨וּל (כתיב תִּוכֻּ֨ל) כְּתָבָ֜א לְמִקְרֵ֗א וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙ לְהוֹדָ֣עוּתַ֔נִי אַרְגְּוָנָ֣א תִלְבַּ֗שׁ וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֚א (כתיב וְהַֽמְונִכָ֚א) דִי־דַֽהֲבָא֙ עַל־צַוְּארָ֔ךְ וְתַלְתָּ֥א בְמַלְכוּתָ֖א תִּשְׁלָֽט:
Now if you can. [as translated,] Now if you can.   תכול.  אם תוכל:
17Then Daniel raised his voice and said before the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself, and give your lavish gifts to someone else, but I shall read the writing for the king, and I shall let him know the interpretation.   יזבֵּאדַ֜יִן עָנֵ֣ה דָֽנִיֵּ֗אל וְאָמַר֙ קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּ֔א מַתְּנָתָךְ֙ לָ֣ךְ לֶֽהֶוְיָ֔ן וּנְבִ֥זְבְּיָתָ֖ךְ לְאָֽחֳרָ֣ן הַ֑ב בְּרַ֗ם כְּתָבָא֙ אֶקְרֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֔א וּפִשְׁרָ֖א אֲהֽוֹדְעִנֵּֽהּ:
and give your lavish gifts. [as translated,] and give your lavish gifts.   ונבזביתך.  דורנותך:
give to someone else. give to another person.   לאחרן הב.  לאחר תן:
18You are the king [because] the Most High God gave your father, Nebuchadnezzar, kingdom, greatness, honor, and glory.   יחאַ֖נְתְּ (כתיב אַ֖נְתְּה) מַלְכָּ֑א אֱלָהָא֙ עִלָּאָ֔ה (כתיב עִלָּי֔אָ) מַלְכוּתָ֚א וּרְבוּתָא֙ וִֽיקָרָ֣א וְהַדְרָ֔א יְהַ֖ב לִנְבֻֽכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר אֲבֽוּךְ:
19And through the greatness that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and tongues were quaking, and they feared him; whomever he wished he would slay, and whomever he wished he would let live; whomever he wished he would exalt, and whomever he wished he would humble.   יטוּמִן־רְבוּתָא֙ דִּ֣י יְהַב־לֵ֔הּ כֹּ֣ל עַמְמַיָּ֗א אֻמַּיָּא֙ וְלִשָּֽׁנַיָּ֔א הֲו֛וֹ זָֽיְעִ֥ין (כתיב זָֽאְעִ֥ין) וְדָֽחֲלִ֖ין מִן־קֳדָמ֑וֹהִי דִּֽי־הֲוָ֨א צָבֵ֜א הֲוָ֣ה קָטֵ֗ל וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֚ה צָבֵא֙ הֲוָ֣ה מָחֵ֔א וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֚ה צָבֵא֙ הֲוָ֣ה מָרִ֔ים וְדִֽי־הֲוָ֥א צָבֵ֖א הֲוָ֥א מַשְׁפִּֽל:
.    די הוה צבא.  למי שהיה חפץ:
.    הוה מחא.  מחייה:
20And when his heart became haughty and his spirit was toughened so that he dealt wickedly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and the honor was removed from him.   כוּכְדִי֙ רִ֣ם לִֽבְבֵ֔הּ וְרוּחֵ֖הּ תִּֽקְפַ֣ת לַֽהֲזָדָ֑ה הָנְחַת֙ מִן־כָּרְסֵ֣א מַלְכוּתֵ֔הּ וִֽיקָרָ֖ה הֶעְדִּ֥יו מִנֵּֽהּ:
and when his heart became haughty. [as translated,] and when his heart became haughty.   וכדי רם לבביה.  וכאשר רם לבבו:
so that he dealt wickedly. [as translated,] so that he dealt wickedly.   להזדה.  להרשיע:
he was deposed. Aram. הָנְחַת, lit. he took him down.   הנחת.  הוריד:
was removed from him.. Aram. הֶעְדִּיו, He removed from him.   העדיו מינה.  הסירו ממנו:
21And he was banished from mankind, and his heart was just like that of the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed him grass like the cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of the heavens, until he realized that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of man, and whomever He wishes He sets up on it.   כאוּמִן־בְּנֵי֩ אֱנָשָׁ֨א טְרִ֜יד וְלִבְבֵ֣הּ| עִם־חֵֽיוְתָ֣א שַׁוִּ֗יו (כתיב שַׁוִּ֗יְ) וְעִם־עֲרָֽדַיָּא֙ מְדוֹרֵ֔הּ עִשְׂבָּ֚א כְתוֹרִין֙ יְטַ֣עֲמוּנֵּ֔הּ וּמִטַּ֥ל שְׁמַיָּ֖א גִּשְׁמֵ֣הּ יִצְטַבַּ֑ע עַ֣ד דִּֽי־יְדַ֗ע דִּֽי־שַׁלִּ֞יט אֱלָהָ֚א עִלָּאָה֙ (כתיב עִלָּיאָ֙) בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֱנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖א יְהָקֵ֥ים עֲלַֽהּ (כתיב עֲלַֽיהּ) :
was banished. Aram. טְרִיד was driven away.   טריד.  נגרש:
22But you, his son, Belshazzar, you did not humble your heart in view of the fact that you know all this.   כבוְאַ֚נְתְּ (כתיב וְאַ֚נְתְּה) בְּרֵהּ֙ בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֔ר לָ֥א הַשְׁפֵּ֖לְתְּ לִֽבְבָ֑ךְ כָּל־קֳבֵ֕ל דִּ֥י כָל־דְּנָ֖ה יְדַֽעְתָּ:
in view of the fact that you know all this. in view of the fact that you know all this that befell your father, and you should have feared the Holy One, blessed be He.   כל קבל די כל דנה ידעת.  כל עומת אשר כל זה ידעת שאירע לאביך והיה לך להיות ירא מלפני הקב"ה:
23But over the Lord of heaven you exalted yourself, and the vessels of His House they brought before you, and you, your dignitaries, your queen, and your concubines drank wine in them, and you praised gods of silver and gold, copper, iron, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor know, but the God in Whose hand is your soul and all your ways-He you did not glorify.   כגוְעַל־מָרֵ֣א שְׁמַיָּ֣א| הִתְרוֹמַ֡מְתָּ וּלְמָֽאנַיָּ֨א דִֽי־בַיְתֵ֜הּ הַיְתִ֣יו קֳדָמָ֗ךְ (כתיב קֳדָמָ֗יךְ) וְאַ֨נְתְּ (כתיב וְאַ֨נְתְּה) וְרַבְרְבָנָ֜ךְ (כתיב וְרַבְרְבָנָ֜יךְ) שֵֽׁגְלָתָ֣ךְ וּלְחֵֽנָתָךְ֘ חַמְרָא֘ שָׁתַ֣יִן בְּהוֹן֒ וְלֵֽאלָהֵ֣י כַסְפָּ֣א וְ֠דַֽהֲבָא נְחָשָׁ֨א פַרְזְלָ֜א אָעָ֣א וְאַבְנָ֗א דִּ֠י לָֽא־חָזַ֧יִן וְלָא־שָֽׁמְעִ֛ין וְלָ֥א יָֽדְעִ֖ין שַׁבַּ֑חְתָּ וְלֵֽאלָהָ֞א דִּֽי־נִשְׁמְתָ֥ךְ בִּידֵ֛הּ וְכָל־אָֹרְחָתָ֥ךְ לֵ֖הּ לָ֥א הַדַּֽרְתָּ:
24Then from before Him the palm of a hand was sent forth, and it inscribed this writing.   כדבֵּאדַ֙יִן֙ מִן־קֳדָמ֔וֹהִי שְׁלִ֖יחַ פַּסָּ֣א דִֽי־יְדָ֑א וּכְתָבָ֥א דְנָ֖ה רְשִֽׁים:
the palm of a hand was sent forth. [as translated,] the palm of a hand was sent forth.   שליח פסא די ידא.  נשלח כף יד:
and it inscribed this writing. and this is the writing that it inscribed.   וכתבא דנה רשים.  וזה המכתב אשר חקק:
25And this is the writing that it inscribed: MENE MENE TEKEIL UFARSIN.   כהוּדְנָ֥ה כְתָבָ֖א דִּ֣י רְשִׁ֑ים מְנֵ֥א מְנֵ֖א תְּקֵ֥ל וּפַרְסִֽין:
26This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE-God has counted your kingdom and has brought it to an end.   כודְּנָ֖ה פְּשַֽׁר־מִלְּתָ֑א מְנֵ֕א מְנָֽה־אֱלָהָ֥א מַלְכוּתָ֖ךְ וְהַשְׁלְמָֽהּ:
MENE God has counted. i.e., MENE means that God has counted your kingdom.   מנא מנא.  מנה אלהא כלומר מנא זהו פירושו מנה אלהא מלכותך:
and has brought it to an end. He calculated the end of the allotted time for the kingdom of your father and his seed, and found that it has already been completed.   והשלמה.  חשב קץ שנפסק מלכות של אביך וזרעו ומצא שכבר הושלמה:
27TEKEIL-You were weighed on the scales and found wanting.   כזתְּקֵ֑ל תְּקִ֥לְתָּא בְמֹֽאזַנְיָ֖א וְהִשְׁתְּכַ֥חַתְּ חַסִּֽיר:
TEKEIL You were weighed on the scales. TEKEIL means that you were weighed on the scales and found wanting of all righteousness.   תקל תקילתא במאזניא.  תקל זהו פירושו נשקלת לפניו במאזנים ונמצאת חסר מכל צדקה:
28UFARSIN-Your kingdom has been broken up and given to Media and Persia."   כחפְּרֵ֑ס פְּרִיסַת֙ מַלְכוּתָ֔ךְ וִֽיהִיבַ֖ת לְמָדַ֥י וּפָרָֽס:
Your kingdom has been broken up, etc.. i.e., UFARSIN means two definitions of PEREIS; one is that your kingdom פְּרִיסַת, your kingdom has been broken up, and the second one is that it has been given to Media and Persia (וּפָּרַס).   פרס פריסת מלכותך וגו'.  כלומר ופרסין משמע שני פרסין האחד פריסת מלכותך נשתברה מלכותך והשני שנתנה למדי ופרס:
29Then Belshazzar ordered, and they attired Daniel with purple and the golden chain on his neck, and they announced about him that he should rule over a third of the kingdom.   כטבֵּאדַ֣יִן| אֲמַ֣ר בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֗ר וְהַלְבִּ֚שׁוּ לְדָֽנִיֵּאל֙ אַרְגְּוָנָ֔א וְהַֽמְנִיכָ֥א (כתיב וְהַֽמְונִכָ֥א) דִֽי־דַֽהֲבָ֖א עַֽל־צַוְּארֵ֑הּ וְהַכְרִ֣זוּ עֲל֔וֹהִי דִּי־לֶֽהֱוֵ֥א שַׁלִּ֛יט תַּלְתָּ֖א בְּמַלְכוּתָֽא:
30On that very night, Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was assassinated.   לבֵּהּ בְּלֵ֣ילְיָ֔א קְטִ֕יל בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֖ר מַלְכָּ֥א כַשְׂדָּאָֽה (כתיב כַשְׂדָּיאָֽ) :