But none of them could read what was on the wall, and the king knew not what to do. Then Dan-i-el was sent for, and the king said he should have great wealth and high rank if he could read the words on the wall.
Dan-i-el said, Keep thy gifts, O king, and give thy fees to some one else. Yet will I read the words on the wall and tell you what they mean. For the God who gives thee life and takes care of thee, thou hast no word of praise. And so God sent this hand to write on the wall.
Me-ne, Me-ne, Te-kel, U-phar-sin,
which means that thy reign as king is at an end.
When Dan-i-el had told what the hand wrote on the wall, and what the words meant, Bel-shaz-zar bade his men clothe him in red, and put a gold chain on his neck, and make it known that he was to be third in rank from the king.
DAN-I-EL IN THE LIONS' DEN.
That same night Bel-shaz-zar was slain, and Da-ri-us took his place on the throne.
Now Da-ri-us was pleased with Dan-i-el, and thought him such a wise and good man that he made him chief of a large force of men who held high rank. And this made these men hate Dan-i-el, and they tried to find out some ill that he had done that they might tell it to the king. But they could find no fault in him. Then they thought of a way in which they could harm him.
They came to the king and asked him to make a law that if one should ask help of God or man for one month, he should be cast in-to a den of li-ons.