3. At once the gold cups and bowls were brought in, and they all drank wine out of them
4. and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5. Suddenly a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster wall of the palace, where the light from the lamps was shining most brightly. And the king saw the hand as it was writing.
6. He turned pale and was so frightened that his knees began to shake.
7. He shouted for someone to bring in the magicians, wizards, and astrologers. When they came in, the king said to them, “Anyone who can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in robes of royal purple, wear a gold chain of honour round his neck, and be the third in power in the kingdom.”
8. The royal advisers came forward, but none of them could read the writing or tell the king what it meant.
9. In his distress King Belshazzar grew even paler, and his noblemen had no idea what to do.