⁷ The king called for his enchanters, his wise men and his diviners to come.^[a] When they arrived, the king said to them, ‘Who can read these words? Who can tell me what they mean? Whoever can do that, I will make him great. I will put valuable purple clothes on him and he will have a gold chain around his neck. I will make him the third ruler in the kingdom.’^[b]

⁸ Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the words. They could not tell the king what the words meant. ⁹ So King Belshazzar became even more afraid. His face became even whiter. His officers did not know what to do.