King Belshazzar He was his son, and he reigned after Evil-merodach, who reigned instead of Nebuchadnezzar, and (he) too was the son of Nebuchadnezzar.

made a great feast We find in Josephon (Book 1, ch. 3) that he waged war by day with Darius the Mede and Cyrus and was victorious in the battle. So in the evening he made a feast, as Isaiah had prophesied about him: (21: 5) “Setting the table, setting up the lamp, eating, drinking. ‘Arise, princes, etc.’” For in the midst of the feast the enemies returned, waged war on the city and captured it.

as much wine as the thousand The equivalent of one thousand men [was the amount] he was drinking [in] wine.

said, with the counsel of the wine He said with the counsel of the wine that he had imbibed.

to bring [as translated,] to bring.

that...had taken out [as translated,] had taken out.

his queen Aram. שֵּׁגְלָתֵה, an expression of a queen in Aramaic, like: (Neh. 2:6): “and the queen (וְהַשֵׁגָל) was sitting beside him.”

were brought [as translated,] were brought.

that they had taken out [as translated,] that they had taken out.

the fingers...emerged The fingers of a human hand emerged from heaven.

opposite the candelabrum opposite the menorah that was before the table, and a similar word appears (in Tractate Yoma 37a): “made a candelabrum (נִבְרֶשֶׁת) of gold.”

on the plaster on the lime that is plastered on the wall, like (Isa. 27:9): “like crushed chalkstones (אַבְנֵי גֵר),” which resemble lime.

his color changed His features changed upon him.

and his thoughts [as translated,] and his thoughts.

and the belts of his loins became untied The belts of his loins opened because his loins were emptying out of fear, and his belt opened.

and the belts of his loins became untied were untied.

and his knees [as translated,] and his knees.

knocked one against the other bumped and knocked.

aloud Aram. בְּחַיִל, lit. with strength.

to bring in [as translated,] to bring in.

this writing [as translated,] this writing.

shall wear purple following the custom of the nobles.

chain Aram. וְהַמְנִיכָא, medallion, necklace.

and rule over over a third of the kingdom [as translated,] and rule over a third of the kingdom.

entered [as translated,] entered.

became very frightened Aram. שַּׂגִּיא מִתְבָּהַל, extremely frightened.

were perplexed They were confused.

The queen, in response to the words of the king The queen, because she heard the words of the king and his princes, came to the banquet hall.

There is a man There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy ones.

like the wisdom of the angels [as translated,] angels.

appointed him He appointed him prince over them all.

All because, etc. because a superior spirit, knowledge and understanding are within him, and the talent to tell riddles.

and untie knots The revelation of all secrets is found in Daniel.

Now if you can [as translated,] Now if you can.

and give your lavish gifts [as translated,] and give your lavish gifts.

give to someone else give to another person.

and when his heart became haughty [as translated,] and when his heart became haughty.

so that he dealt wickedly [as translated,] so that he dealt wickedly.

he was deposed Aram. הָנְחַת, lit. he took him down.

was removed from him. Aram. הֶעְדִּיו, He removed from him.

was banished Aram. טְרִיד was driven away.

in view of the fact that you know all this in view of the fact that you know all this that befell your father, and you should have feared the Holy One, blessed be He.

the palm of a hand was sent forth [as translated,] the palm of a hand was sent forth.

and it inscribed this writing and this is the writing that it inscribed.

MENE God has counted i.e., MENE means that God has counted your kingdom.

and has brought it to an end He calculated the end of the allotted time for the kingdom of your father and his seed, and found that it has already been completed.

TEKEIL You were weighed on the scales TEKEIL means that you were weighed on the scales and found wanting of all righteousness.

Your kingdom has been broken up, etc. i.e., UFARSIN means two definitions of PEREIS; one is that your kingdom פְּרִיסַת, your kingdom has been broken up, and the second one is that it has been given to Media and Persia (וּפָּרַס).