A proud heart accused

17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts remain yours, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and make its interpretation known to him.”

18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave kingship and greatness and glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages were trembling and fearing before him. Whomever he wanted, he killed; and whomever he wanted, he kept alive; and whomever he wanted, he raised up; and whomever he wanted, he humbled.

20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened in arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him.

21He was driven away from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like oxen, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whomever he wills.

22But you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this.

23But you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his house were brought before you, and you and your nobles, your wives, and your concubines have been drinking wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose hand is your breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.