se men: but they could not read the
writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. Then was King
Belshazzar greatly troubled, {202} and his countenance was changed,
and his lords were perplexed. 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 for ever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee,
nor let thy countenance be changed: there is a man in thy kingdom, in
whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father
light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was
found in him: and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say,
thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans,
and soothsayers; forasmuch as 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."

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to
Daniel, "Art thou that Daniel, who art of the children of the
captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? I
have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that
light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now
the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that
they should read this writing, and make known unto me the
interpretation thereof: but they could not show the interpretation of
the thing. But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give
interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the
writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt
be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and
shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom."

{203}{204}

[Illustration]
DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN
By Vernet
[End illustration]

{205}

Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Keep thy gifts to
thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the
writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O
thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the
kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty: and because of the
greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages
trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew, and whom he
would he kept alive; and wh