Daniel 5

¹Kral Baltasar, kendi soylularından bin kişiye büyük bir şölen verdi ve bu bin kişinin önünde şarap sergilenmekteydi.

²Baltasar şarabın etkisi altındayken, babası Nebukadnessar'ın Yeruşalim'deki tapınaktan çıkardığı altın ve gümüş kapların getirilmesini buyurdu; öyle ki, kral, soyluları, cariyeleri ve metresleri onlardan içsinler.

³Böylece Yeruşalim'deki Tanrı'nın tapınağından çıkarılan altın ve gümüş kaplar getirildi; kral, soyluları, cariyeleri ve metresleri onlardan içtiler.

⁴Şarap içtiler ve altından, gümüşten, tunçtan, demirden, ahşaptan ve taştan yapılmış ilahları övdüler.

⁵Tam o saatte bir insan elinin parmakları belirdi ve kandilin ışığı karşısında, kral sarayının duvarının sıvası üzerine yazmaya başladı; kral yazan elin parmak kemiklerini görüyordu.

⁶O zaman kralın yüzünün görünüşü soldu, düşünceleri onu dehşete düşürdü, kalçasının eklem bağları çözüldü ve dizleri birbirine çarpmaya başladı.

⁷Kral yüksek sesle bağırarak büyücülerin, Kildanilerin ve kader yorumcusu falcıların getirilmesini istedi. Babil'in bilgelerine şöyle dedi: "Her kim bu yazıyı okur ve yorumunu bana bildirirse, kendisine erguvani giysi giydirilecek, boynuna altın soyluluk torku takılacak ve krallığımda üçüncü hükümdar olarak hüküm sürececektir."

⁸Bunun üzerine kralın bütün bilgeleri içeri girdi, ama yazıyı okuyamadılar ve yorumunu krala bildiremediler.

⁹Kral Baltasar çok büyük bir dehşete kapıldı, yüzünün rengi iyice soldu ve soyluları şaşkınlık içinde kaldı.

¹⁰Kraliçe, içki salonuna girerek şöyle dedi: "Ey kral, sonsuza dek yaşa! Düşüncelerin seni ürkütmesin, yüzünün rengi solmasın.

¹¹Krallığında, içinde Tanrı'nın Ruhu olan bir adam var. Babanın zamanında onda uyanıklık ve anlayış bulundu. Baban Kral Nebukadnessar onu efsuncuların, büyücülerin, Kildanilerin ve kader yorumcusu falcıların başı yaptı.

¹²Çünkü onda üstün bir ruh, akıl, anlayış, rüyaları yorumlama, gizli şeyleri bildirme ve zor düğümleri çözme yeteneği vardır. Kralın Beltesassar adını verdiği bu Daniel şimdi çağrılsın, o sana yazının yorumunu bildirecektir."

¹³Bunun üzerine Daniel kralın huzuruna çıkarıldı. Kral Daniel'e şöyle dedi: "Babam kralın Yahuda'dan getirdiği sürgünlerin oğullarından olan Daniel sen misin?

¹⁴Senin hakkında, içinde Tanrı'nın Ruhu olduğunu, sende uyanıklık, anlayış ve üstün bilgelik bulunduğunu duydum.

¹⁵Şimdi bu yazıyı okumaları ve yorumunu bana bildirmeleri için bilgeler, büyücüler ve kader yorumcusu falcılar huzuruma getirildi; fakat bunun yorumunu bana açıklayamadılar.

¹⁶Senin ise davaları yorumlayabildiğini duydum. Şimdi, eğer bu yazıyı okuyabilir ve yorumunu bana bildirebilirsen, sana erguvani giysi giydirilecek, boynuna altın soyluluk torku takılacak ve krallığımda üçüncü hükümdar olacaksın."

¹⁷Daniel krala şöyle karşılık verdi: "Armğanların senin olsun, sarayının ödüllerini de bir başkasına ver. Yine de ben kral için bu yazıyı okuyacak ve yorumunu size bildireceğim.

¹⁸Ey kral, En Yüce Tanrı, baban Nebukadnessar'a krallık, büyüklük, onur ve yücelik verdi.

¹⁹Kendisine verilen bu büyüklükten ötürü bütün halklar, uluslar ve her dilden insan onun önünde titrer ve korkardı. Dilediğini öldürür, dilediğine vurur, dilediğini yükseltir, dilediğini alçaltırdı.

²⁰Ancak yüreği kibirlenip ruhu gururla sertleşince, krallık tahtından indirildi ve onuru elinden alındı.

²¹İnsanlar arasından kovuldu, ona yaban hayvanlarınınki gibi bir yürek verildi ve yaban eşekleriyle birlikte yaşadı. Öküz gibi otla beslendi ve bedeni göğün çiyiyle sırılsıklam oldu; ta ki En Yüce Tanrı'nın insan krallıkları üzerinde egemen olduğunu ve onu dilediği kişiye verdiğini anlayana dek.

²²Sen ise, onun oğlu Baltasar, bütün bunları bildiğin halde Tanrı'nın önünde yüreğini alçaltmadın; bunların hepsini bilmedin mi?

²³Aksine, göklerin Rabbi olan Tanrı'ya karşı kendini yükselttin. O'nun tapınağının kaplarını önüne getirdiler; sen, soyluların, cariyelerin ve metreslerin onlardan şarap içtiniz. Görmeyen, işitmeyen ve hiçbir şey bilmeyen altından, gümüşten, tunçtan, demirden, ahşaptan ve taştan ilahları övdün. Nefesini elinde tutan ve bütün yolların O'na ait olan Tanrı'yı ise yüceltmedin.

²⁴Bu yüzden O'nun huzurundan bir elin parmak kemiği gönderildi ve bu yazı kaydedildi.

²⁵Kaydedilen yazı şudur: Mene, Tekel, Peres.

²⁶Bu sözün yorumu şudur: Mene; Tanrı senin krallığının günlerini saydı ve onu tamamladı.

²⁷Tekel; terazide tartıldın ve eksik kalan olarak bulundun.

²⁸Peres; krallığın bölündü, Medler ile Perslere verildi."

²⁹Bunun üzerine Baltasar'ın buyruğuyla Daniel'e erguvani giysi giydirildi, boynuna altın soyluluk torku takıldı ve krallıkta üçüncü hükümdar olduğu ilan edildi.

³⁰Tam o gece Kildanilerin kralı Baltasar öldürüldü.

³¹Ve Medli Dara, altmış iki yaşındayken krallığı devraldı.

¹ΒΑΛΤΑΣΑΡ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐποίησε δεῖπνον μέγα τοῖς μεγιστᾶσιν αὐτοῦ χιλίοις, καὶ κατέναντι τῶν χιλίων ὁ οἶνος.

²καὶ πίνων Βαλτάσαρ εἶπεν ἐν τῇ γεύσει τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ ἐνεγκεῖν τὰ σκεύη τὰ χρυσᾶ καὶ τὰ ἀργυρᾶ, ἃ ἐξήνεγκε Ναβουχοδονόσορ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ πιέτωσαν ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ μεγιστᾶνες αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ παλλακαὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ παράκοιτοι αὐτοῦ.

³καὶ ἠνέχθησαν τὰ σκεύη τὰ χρυσᾶ καὶ τὰ ἀργυρᾶ, ἃ ἐξήνεγκεν ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἔπινον ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ μεγιστᾶνες αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ παλλακαὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ παράκοιτοι αὐτοῦ·

⁴ἔπινον οἶνον καὶ ᾔνεσαν τοὺς θεοὺς τοὺς χρυσοῦς καὶ ἀργυροῦς καὶ χαλκοῦς καὶ σιδηροῦς καὶ ξυλίνους καὶ λιθίνους.

⁵ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐξῆλθον δάκτυλοι χειρὸς ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἔγραφον κατέναντι τῆς λαμπάδος ἐπὶ τὸ κονίαμα τοῦ τοίχου τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐθεώρει τοὺς ἀστραγάλους τῆς χειρὸς τῆς γραφούσης.

⁶τότε τοῦ βασιλέως ἡ μορφὴ ἠλλοιώθη, καὶ οἱ διαλογισμοὶ αὐτοῦ συνετάρασσον αὐτόν, καὶ οἱ σύνδεσμοι τῆς ὀσφύος αὐτοῦ διελύοντο, καὶ τὰ γόνατα αὐτοῦ συνεκροτοῦντο.

⁷καὶ ἐβόησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν ἰσχύϊ τοῦ εἰσαγαγεῖν μάγους, Χαλδαίους, γαζαρηνοὺς καὶ εἶπε τοῖς σοφοῖς Βαβυλῶνος· ὃς ἂν ἀναγνῷ τὴν γραφὴν ταύτην καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν γνωρίσῃ μοι, πορφύραν ἐνδύσεται, καὶ ὁ μανιάκης ὁ χρυσοῦς ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τρίτος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ μου ἄρξει.

⁸καὶ εἰσεπορεύοντο πάντες οἱ σοφοὶ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο τὴν γραφὴν ἀναγνῶναι, οὐδὲ τὴν σύγκρισιν γνωρίσαι τῷ βασιλεῖ.

⁹καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Βαλτάσαρ πολὺ ἐταράχθη, καὶ ἡ μορφὴ αὐτοῦ ἠλλοιώθη ἐπ’ αὐτῷ, καὶ οἱ μεγιστᾶνες αὐτοῦ συνεταράσσοντο. -

¹⁰Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἡ βασίλισσα εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πότου καὶ εἶπε· βασιλεῦ, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ζῆθι· μὴ ταρασσέτωσάν σε οἱ διαλογισμοί σου, καὶ ἡ μορφή σου μὴ ἀλλοιούσθω·

¹¹ἔστιν ἀνὴρ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου, ἐν ᾧ πνεῦμα Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ πατρός σου γρηγόρησις καὶ σύνεσις εὑρέθη ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ναβουχοδονόσορ ὁ πατήρ σου ἄρχοντα ἐπαοιδῶν, μάγων, Χαλδαίων, γαζαρηνῶν κατέστησεν αὐτόν,

¹²ὅτι πνεῦμα περισσὸν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ φρόνησις καὶ σύνεσις ἐν αὐτῷ, συγκρίνων ἐνύπνια καὶ ἀναγγέλλων κρατούμενα καὶ λύων συνδέσμους, Δανιήλ, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπέθηκεν ὄνομα αὐτῷ Βαλτάσαρ· νῦν οὖν κληθήτω, καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν αὐτοῦ ἀναγγελεῖ σοι. -

¹³Τότε Δανιὴλ εἰσήχθη ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιήλ· σὺ εἶ Δανιήλ, ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας, ἧς ἤγαγεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ πατήρ μου;

¹⁴ἤκουσα περὶ σοῦ ὅτι πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐν σοί, καὶ γρηγόρησις καὶ σύνεσις καὶ σοφία περισσὴ εὑρέθη ἐν σοί.

¹⁵καὶ νῦν εἰσῆλθον ἐνώπιόν μου οἱ σοφοί, μάγοι, γαζαρηνοί, ἵνα τὴν γραφὴν ταύτην ἀναγνῶσι καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν αὐτῆς γνωρίσωσί μοι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν ἀναγγγεῖλαί μοι.

¹⁶καὶ ἐγὼ ἤκουσα περὶ σοῦ ὅτι δύνασαι κρίματα συγκρῖναι· νῦν οὖν ἐὰν δυνηθῇς τὴν γραφὴν ἀναγνῶναι καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν αὐτῆς γνωρίσαι μοι, πορφύραν ἐνδύσῃ, καὶ ὁ μανιάκης ὁ χρυσοῦς ἔσται ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλόν σου, καὶ τρίτος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ μου ἄρξεις.

¹⁷τότε ἀπεκρίθη Δανιὴλ καὶ εἶπεν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως· τὰ δόματά σου σοὶ ἔστω, καὶ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς οἰκίας σου ἑτέρῳ δός, ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν γραφὴν ἀναγνώσομαι τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν αὐτῆς γνωρίσω σοι.

¹⁸Βασιλεῦ, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ὕψιστος τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ τὴν μεγαλωσύνην καὶ τὴν τιμὴν καὶ τὴν δόξαν ἔδωκε Ναβουχοδονόσορ τῷ πατρί σου,

¹⁹καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης, ἧς ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ, πάντες οἱ λαοί, φυλαί, γλῶσσαι ἦσαν τρέμοντες καὶ φοβούμενοι ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ· οὓς ἠβούλετο αὐτὸς ἀνῄρει, καὶ οὓς ἠβούλετο αὐτὸς ἔτυπτε, καὶ οὓς ἠβούλετο αὐτὸς ὕψου, καὶ οὓς ἠβούλετο αὐτὸς ἐταπείνου.

²⁰καὶ ὅτε ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐκραταιώθη τοῦ ὑπερηφανεύσασθαι, κατηνέχθη ἀπὸ τοῦ θρόνου τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡ τιμὴ ἀφῃρέθη ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ,

²¹καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐξεδιώχθη, καὶ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν θηρίων ἐδόθη, καὶ μετὰ τῶν ὀνάγρων ἡ κατοικία αὐτοῦ, καὶ χόρτον ὡς βοῦν ἐψώμιζον αὐτόν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δρόσου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐβάφη, ἕως οὗ ἔγνω ὅτι κυριεύει ὁ Θεὸς ὕψιστος τῆς βασιλείας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ᾧ ἂν δόξῃ, δώσει αὐτήν.

²²καὶ σὺ οὖν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Βαλτάσαρ οὐκ ἐταπείνωσας τὴν καρδίαν σου κατενώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ· οὐ πάντα ταῦτα ἔγνως;

²³καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον Θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὑψώθης, καὶ τὰ σκεύη τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ ἤνεγκαν ἐνώπιόν σου, καὶ σὺ καὶ οἱ μεγιστᾶνές σου καὶ αἱ παλλακαί σου καὶ αἱ παράκοιτοί σου οἶνον ἐπίνετε ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς τοὺς χρυσοῦς καὶ ἀργυροῦς καὶ χαλκοῦς καὶ σιδηροῦς καὶ ξυλίνους καὶ λιθίνους, οἳ οὐ βλέπουσι καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκούουσι καὶ οὐ γινώσκουσιν, ᾔνεσας καὶ τὸν Θεόν, οὗ ἡ πνοή σου ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοί σου, αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐδόξασας.

²⁴διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἀπεστάλη ἀστράγαλος χειρὸς καὶ τὴν γραφὴν ταύτην ἐνέταξε.

²⁵καὶ αὕτη ἡ γραφὴ ἐντεταγμένη· μανή, θεκέλ, φάρες.

²⁶τοῦτο τὸ σύγκριμα τοῦ ῥήματος· μανή, ἐμέτρησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν βασιλείαν σου καὶ ἐπλήρωσεν αὐτήν·

²⁷θεκέλ, ἐστάθη ἐν ζυγῷ καὶ εὑρέθη ὑστεροῦσα·

²⁸φάρες, διῄρηται ἡ βασιλεία σου, καὶ ἐδόθη Μήδοις καὶ Πέρσαις. -

²⁹Καὶ εἶπε Βαλτάσαρ καὶ ἐνέδυσαν τὸν Δανιὴλ πορφύραν καὶ τὸν μανιάκην τὸν χρυσοῦν περιέθηκαν περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκήρυξε περὶ αὐτοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἄρχοντα τρίτον ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ.

³⁰ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ νυκτὶ ἀνῃρέθη Βαλτάσαρ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ Χαλδαίων.

³¹καὶ Δαρεῖος ὁ Μῆδος παρέλαβε τὴν βασιλείαν, ὢν ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα δύο.

¹Baltasar the king made a great supper for his thousand nobles, and [there was] wine before the thousand.

²And Baltasar drinking gave orders as he tasted the wine that they should bring the gold and silver vessels, which Nabuchodonosor his father had brought forth from the temple in Jerusalem; that the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, should drink out of them.

³So the gold and silver vessels were brought which [Nabuchodonosor] had taken out of the temple of God in Jerusalem; and the king, and his nobles, and his mistresses, and his concubines, drank out of them.

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

⁵In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote in front of the lamp on the plaster of the wall of the king’s house: and the king saw the knuckles of the hand that wrote.

⁶Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one another.

⁷And the king cried aloud to bring in the magicians, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers; and he said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and make known to me the interpretation, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [there shall be] a golden chain upon his neck, and he shall be the third ruler in my kingdom.

⁸Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known the interpretation to the king.

⁹And king Baltasar was troubled, and his countenance changed upon him, and his nobles were troubled with him.

¹⁰Then the queen came into the banquet house, and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, and let not thy countenance be changed.

¹¹There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of God; and in the days of thy father watchfulness and understanding were found in him; and king Nabuchodonosor thy father made him chief of the enchanters, magicians, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers.

¹²For [there is] an excellent spirit in him, and sense and understanding in him, interpreting dreams [as he does], and answering hard [questions], and solving difficulties: [it is] Daniel, and the king gave him the name of Baltasar: now then let him be called, and he shall tell thee the interpretation of the writing.

¹³Then Daniel was brought in before the king: and the king said to Daniel, Art thou Daniel, of the children of the captivity of Judea, which the king my father brought?

¹⁴I have heard concerning thee, that the Spirit of God is in thee, and [that] watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom have been found in thee.

¹⁵And now, the wise men, magicians, [and] soothsayers, have come in before me, to read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation: but they could not tell it me.

¹⁶And I have heard concerning thee, that thou art able to make interpretations: now then if thou shalt be able to read the writing, and to make known to me the interpretation of it, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and there shall be a golden chain upon thy neck, and thou shalt be third ruler in my kingdom.

¹⁷And Daniel said, before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give the present of thine house to another; but I will read the writing, and will make known to thee the interpretation of it.

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

¹⁹and by reason of the majesty which he gave to him, all nations, tribes, [and] languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he smote; and whom he would he exalted; and whom he would he abased.

²⁰But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was emboldened to act proudly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and [his] honour was taken from him.

²¹And he was driven forth from men; and his heart was given him after the nature of wild beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; and they fed him with grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the most high God is Lord of the kingdom of men, and will give it to whomsoever he shall please.

²²And thou accordingly, his son, O Baltasar, has not humbled thine heart before God: knowest thou not all this?

²³And thou has been exalted against the Lord God of heaven; and they have brought before thee the vessels of his house, and thou, and thy nobles, and thy mistresses, and thy concubines, have drunk wine out of them; and thou has praised the gods of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and wood, and stone, which see not, and which hear not, and know not: and the God in whose hand are thy breath, and all thy ways has thou not glorified.

²⁴Therefore from his presence has been sent forth the knuckle of a hand; and he has ordered the writing.

²⁵And this is the ordered writing, Mane, Thekel, Phares.

²⁶This is the interpretation of the sentence: Mane; God has measured thy kingdom, and finished it.

²⁷Thekel; it has been weighed in the balance, and found wanting.

²⁸Phares; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

²⁹Then Baltasar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put the golden chain about his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he was the third ruler in the kingdom.

³⁰In the same night was Baltasar the Chaldean king slain.

³¹And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom, being sixty-two years [old].