Belshazzar’s fear of the mysterious handwriting addresses not only his death and the end of the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy, but also the point in prophetic history when fear takes hold of the kings of the earth. Their fear is produced by the “east wind” of Islam. Their fear is as a woman in travail, thus identifying a progressively increasing pain, which comes with more and more rapidity. The fear begins at the “hour” of Belshazzar’s feast, though it initially arrived on September 11, 2001. From then onward the winds begin to slip through the hands of the four angels who are holding them during the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand. The lamentation for Tyrus that Ezekiel identifies, defines Tyrus by asking the prophetic question, “What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea?”
伯沙撒因那神祕手寫文字而生嘅恐懼，所指涉嘅唔單止係佢嘅死亡同埋《聖經》預言中第六個國度嘅終結，亦都指向先知歷史中一個時點——喺嗰個時點，恐懼臨到地上眾王。佢哋嘅恐懼乃係由伊斯蘭嘅「東風」所造成。佢哋嘅恐懼好似產難中嘅婦人，因此表明一種漸進加增嘅痛楚，並且來得愈來愈急速。呢種恐懼喺伯沙撒筵宴嘅「時辰」開始，雖然佢最初係於2001年9月11日臨到。由嗰時起，當十四萬四千人受印期間，嗰四位執持住風嘅天使手中嘅風就開始滑出。以西結所指出關於推羅嘅哀歌，藉着提出呢個先知性嘅問題嚟界定推羅：「何城如推羅，如同海中被毀滅者呢？」
The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the seas. Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin. The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots. And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land; And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing. And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea? When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall. All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance. The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more. Ezekiel 27:25–36.
他施嘅船隻在你嘅市場中為你歌唱；你得以充盈，在海中極其榮華。 你嘅槳手將你帶到大水之中；東風在海中將你打碎。 你嘅財富、你嘅貨物、你嘅商品、你嘅水手、你嘅領航員、你嘅補縫匠、經營你商品嘅人，並你裏面一切嘅戰士，以及你中間所有嘅群眾，都必在你傾覆之日墜落海中。 你領航員呼號嘅聲音一發，郊野都必震動。 凡操槳嘅、水手同海上一切領航員，都必下船，站在陸地上；佢哋必為你發聲，痛痛哀號，把塵土撒在自己頭上，在灰中輾轉；又必為你剃光頭，腰束麻布，為你心裏痛苦哀哭，發出苦苦嘅哀號。 在佢哋嘅哀號之中，必為你唱起哀歌，為你悲嘆，話：有何城如推羅？有何城像那在海中被毀滅嘅呢？ 你嘅貨物從海中運出嘅時候，你使多民得以豐足；你以眾多嘅財富同商品，使地上嘅君王富足。 到你在深水之處被海浪打破嘅時候，你嘅商品同你中間所有嘅群眾都必墜落。 眾海島嘅居民都必因你驚駭；佢哋嘅君王都必大大恐懼，面容愁苦。 萬民中嘅商人都必向你發嘶聲；你必成為可怖之物，永不再存。以西結書 27:25–36。
Tyrus is the city, or kingdom that the merchants of the earth cry bitterly over, and then ask, “what city is like Tyrus?” They do so in the “time,” when the city is broken in the sea. In Revelation chapter eighteen, the whore of Tyre, who is the whore of Rome, who has committed fornication with the kings of the earth and is identified as that great city whose judgment comes in one hour, and in one day. She is the city that raises the prophetic question from the wailing kings and merchants.
推羅乃是地上商賈為之痛哭哀號的城，或國；其後他們便問：「有何城能比推羅呢？」此事乃發生於那城在海中被毀壞的「時候」。在《啟示錄》第十八章，推羅的淫婦，即羅馬的淫婦，曾與地上的君王行淫，又被指明為那大城；她的審判在一時之內、又在一日之間臨到。她就是那座從哀號的君王與商賈口中引出先知性問題的城。
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Revelation 18:8–19.
所以，佢嘅災殃要喺一日之內臨到：就係死亡、哀傷、饑荒；佢又要畀火徹底焚燒；因為審判佢嘅主神大有能力。地上諸王，素來同佢行淫、奢華宴樂嘅，見到佢焚燒嘅煙，就要為佢痛哭哀號；又因怕佢所受嘅痛苦，就遠遠企住，話：「哀哉，哀哉，巴比倫大城，嗰座堅固嘅城！因為喺一時之間，你嘅審判就到了。」地上嘅商賈亦都要為佢哭泣悲哀，因為再冇人買佢哋嘅貨物：就係金、銀、寶石、珍珠、細麻衣、紫色布、絲綢、朱紅色布，各樣香木，各樣象牙器皿，各樣極寶貴木頭、銅、鐵、雲石所造嘅器皿；又有桂皮、香料、香膏、乳香、酒、油、細麵、麥子、牲口、羊、馬、車、奴僕，同埋人嘅靈魂。你心裏所貪戀嘅果子，已經離開咗你；一切奢華華美之物，亦都離開咗你；你決不能再搵到佢哋。販賣呢啲貨物、因佢而致富嘅商賈，因怕佢所受嘅痛苦，就要遠遠企住，哭泣哀號，話：「哀哉，哀哉，嗰座大城，素來穿着細麻衣、紫色布、朱紅色布，又用金子、寶石、珍珠裝飾！因為喺一時之間，咁大嘅財富就歸於無有。」凡船主，同一切坐船往來嘅人、水手，並一切靠海謀生嘅，都遠遠企住；見到佢焚燒嘅煙，就呼喊話：「有邊一座城能比得上呢座大城呢！」佢哋又將塵土撒喺自己頭上，哭泣哀號，話：「哀哉，哀哉，嗰座大城！凡喺海上有船嘅，都因佢嘅奢華而致富；因為喺一時之間，佢就成為荒場。」啟示錄 18:8–19。
The unsealing of the Revelation of Jesus Christ includes the message of the Midnight Cry. That message is the second prophecy of Ezekiel thirty-seven that brings the dead dry bones that have laid in the streets for three and a half days to life as a mighty army. That message is the message that includes the truth that it is Islam that the Lord employs to bring executive judgment upon the United States for Sunday enforcement. That judgment arrives in the “hour” of the great earthquake, which is also the “hour” that the handwriting came upon Belshazzar’s wall. The handwriting produced the fear, that is represented as taking hold of all the kings and merchants when the economic structure of planet earth is taken down by the “east wind” of Islam, who have secretly slipped into Belshazzar’s kingdom, through the neglected lower “wall” to the south.
耶穌基督之啟示被揭開印封，乃包括「午夜呼聲」的信息。那信息就是以西結書第三十七章之第二個預言，使那些在街上躺了三日半之久的枯乾骸骨復活，成為一支極大的軍隊。那信息亦包括這真理：主所用來因着美國強制推行星期日崇拜而向其施行執行審判的，乃是伊斯蘭。那審判乃在大地震的「時辰」來到；這「時辰」也就是那手寫的字顯現在伯沙撒牆上的「時辰」。那手寫的字所產生的懼怕，就是當地上之經濟結構被伊斯蘭這「東風」推翻之時，臨到並抓住一切君王和商賈的懼怕；他們乃是藉着南面那被忽略、較低的「城牆」，暗中潛入伯沙撒的國中。
The “city” or kingdom that the kings and merchants lament of and ask, “what city is like unto this great city” is the kingdom of the whore of Tyre, who is then singing her songs and committing fornication with those very kings. All the prophets speak of the end of the world and they agree with one another, so Ezekiel’s merchants are the same merchants in Revelation chapter eighteen. Three times in Revelation chapter eighteen they lament “alas, alas,” as the great city and the financial structure of planet earth is taken down. The Greek word translated as “alas,” in the passage, is the very same word that is translated three times in Revelation chapter eight, and verse thirteen, which is there translated with a different English word.
眾王與商賈所哀哭、並且問道：「有何城可比這大城呢？」的那「城」或國度，就是推羅淫婦的國度；那時她正向那些君王唱她的歌，並與他們行淫。眾先知都講論世界的終局，且彼此一致，所以以西結書中的商賈，就是啟示錄第十八章中的那些商賈。於啟示錄第十八章中，當這大城以及地上之財政體系被拆毀之時，他們三次哀號說：「哀哉，哀哉。」該段經文中譯作「哀哉」的希臘字，正正就是同一個字；這字在啟示錄第八章十三節也曾三次出現，只是在那裏被譯作另一個英文詞。
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! Revelation 8:13.
我又觀看，聽見有一位天使飛在天中，大聲說：「禍哉！禍哉！禍哉！地上的居民哪，因其餘三位天使將要吹響號筒之聲，你們有禍了！」啟示錄 8:13
The kings and merchants are lamenting the destruction of the world’s economy with the words, “alas, alas,” meaning “woe, woe,” and the “Woe” is a symbol of Islam. The fear that takes hold of Belshazzar and his lords when the handwriting appears on the wall, is the fear produced when the economic structure of planet earth is destroyed by ongoing attacks from Islam, which God employs as His providential tool to bring about His executive judgment upon those who drink the wine of Babylon, that is Sunday enforcement. This truth is the theme of the Isaiah twenty-three “burden” of the whore of “Tyre.”
君王同商賈都為世界經濟嘅毀滅而哀號，話：「哀哉，哀哉」，意思即係「禍哉，禍哉」；而呢個「禍」乃係伊斯蘭嘅象徵。當牆上顯出字蹟之時，臨到伯沙撒同佢眾大臣身上嘅恐懼，正係當地球上嘅經濟體系因伊斯蘭持續不斷嘅攻擊而被摧毀時所產生嘅恐懼；上帝運用伊斯蘭作為祂護理之下嘅工具，藉此向嗰啲飲巴比倫之酒嘅人施行祂執行性嘅審判，亦即係主日法令嘅強制推行。呢個真理，就係以賽亞書第二十三章有關妓女「推羅」之「默示」嘅主題。
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them. Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins. As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof. And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest. Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. Isaiah 23:1–18.
推羅的默示。 他施的船隻啊，你們要哀號；因為推羅已被毀滅，甚至冇房屋，冇可進入之處；呢消息係從基提地向佢哋顯明。海島的居民啊，你們當靜默；你這由渡海而來之西頓商家所充盈的，也當如此。藉着大水，西曷的種子、河流的收成，作為她的進項；她又作列國的市集。 西頓啊，你當羞愧；因為海已經發言，就係海中的保障，說：「我冇經歷產難，也冇生育兒女；我冇養育少年人，也冇撫養處女。」及至埃及聽見這消息，點樣因推羅的風聲極其痛苦，人也必照樣。你們要過到他施去；海島的居民啊，你們要哀號。 這就是你們那歡樂的城嗎？她的起源自古時以來；如今她自己的腳必帶她到遠方寄居。誰曾向推羅，就是那賜冠冕的城，定下這旨意呢？她的商人原是王子，她的買賣人乃地上尊貴的人。萬軍之耶和華定意如此，為要玷污一切榮耀的驕傲，使地上一切尊貴的人都被藐視。 他施的女兒啊，你要流行你的地，如同河水一樣；因為唔再有約束。耶和華向海伸手，震動列國；祂已經吩咐攻擊這商業之城，要毀滅其中的保障。祂又說：「受欺壓的西頓居民女啊，你必不得再歡樂；起來，過到基提去；就係喺那裡，你也不得安歇。」 看哪，迦勒底人之地；這民本來不成國，直到亞述人為住在曠野的人立定此地；他們豎立城樓，建立宮殿，終於使之成為荒場。他施的船隻啊，你們要哀號；因為你們的保障已被毀滅。 到那日，推羅必被忘記七十年，照着一王的年日；七十年完畢之後，推羅必如妓女所唱的歌。你這被忘記的妓女啊，拿起琴來，周遊城中；巧奏樂曲，多唱歌曲，使人記念你。七十年完畢之後，耶和華必眷顧推羅；她就仍得雇價，並要在全地面上的萬國中，與世上的列國行淫。 她的貨財和雇價卻要歸耶和華為聖；必不積攢，也不收藏；因為她的貨財必歸與那些住在耶和華面前的人，使他們食用充足，衣服華美。 以賽亞書 23:1–18。
The seventy years, which is as “the days of one king”, is represented by the kingdom of Babylon, for a king is a kingdom, and literal Babylon reigned for seventy years. The seventy years of literal Babylon ended in the “hour” the handwriting appeared upon the walls of Belshazzar’s banquet hall. That very night he was slain, by the power that came through the “wall” unnoticed, for he was having a party drinking the wine of Babylon, while Nebuchadnezzar’s orchestra was playing the music, and the whore of Tyre sang the sweet melody, and apostate Israel danced and bowed.
呢七十年，「如同一王之日」，乃由巴比倫國所表徵，因王即國；而字義上之巴比倫確曾統治七十年。字義上之巴比倫的七十年，乃終結於那「一時」，就是手寫的字顯現於伯沙撒筵宴廳牆上的時候。就在那一夜，他被殺了；那能力是藉着「牆」而來，卻未被察覺。因他正設筵作樂，飲巴比倫的酒；同時，尼布甲尼撒的樂隊正在奏樂，推羅的淫婦唱着甜美的曲調，而背道的以色列則跳舞下拜。
Then fear took hold of all involved, for God had “taken counsel against Tyre” and had “purposed” “to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.” God therefore “shook the kingdoms” with the “great earthquake” of that “hour,” for God had “given a commandment against the merchant” kingdom, “to destroy the strong holds thereof.” In the “hour” of fear for Belshazzar, the kings and the merchants began a search to understand the meaning of the fiery words on the wall. The death of Belshazzar is about to happen, but at that point, he is still alive. He therefore sought to understand the mysterious words and offered rewards to the wise men, if they could interpret the writing, but it could not be done, for the wise men of Babylon employ the methodology of biblical study that was a counterfeit of truth. The mysterious words are as the vision of a book that is sealed.
於是，凡有關連的人都被恐懼攫住，因為神曾「定意攻擊推羅」，並且已「立意」要「玷污一切榮耀之驕傲，使地上一切尊貴的人被藐視」。因此，神在那「一時」藉着「大地震」而「震動列國」，因為神曾「向那商賈的國發出命令」，要「拆毀其中的保障」。在伯沙撒恐懼的那「一時」，眾王與眾商賈便開始尋索，要明白牆上火寫之字的意思。伯沙撒的死快將臨到，但在那一刻，他仍然活着。因此，他設法要明白那些奧祕的字，並且若智慧人能講解這文字，就應許賞賜他們；然而這事不能成就，因為巴比倫的智慧人所採用的聖經研讀方法，乃是真理的偽冒。那些奧祕的字，好像一本封住了的書卷之異象。
Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not show the interpretation of the thing: And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. Daniel 5:8–16.
於是王所有的哲士都進來，卻不能讀那文字，也不能將其講解告知王。伯沙撒王就甚覺驚惶，面色改變，他的大臣也都驚愕。因王和他大臣所說的話，皇后進入筵宴廳；皇后開口說：「願王萬歲！不要讓你的思慮使你驚惶，也不要讓你的面容改變。你國中有一人，他裏頭有聖神明的靈；在你父的日子，這人裏頭顯出光明、聰明、智慧，好像神明的智慧一樣；你父尼布甲尼撒王，就是王你的父，立他作術士、用法術的、迦勒底人和觀兆的首領。因在這但以理裏頭有美好的靈性，又有知識、聰明，能講解夢兆，能解明隱語，能釋除疑惑；這但以理就是王所起名叫伯提沙撒的。現在可以召但以理來，他必將講解說明。」 於是但以理被領到王面前。王對但以理說：「你就是那被擄自猶大來的猶大俘虜中的但以理嗎？就是我父王從猶大帶來的那一位嗎？我聽說你裏頭有神明的靈，又有光明、聰明和卓越的智慧顯在你身上。現在哲士和用法術的都已帶到我面前，要他們讀這文字，並將其講解告訴我；只是他們不能說明這事的講解。我卻聽說你能講解異象，並能釋除疑惑。如今你若能讀這文字，並將其講解告訴我，你必身穿朱紅，頸項戴金鍊，在國中位列第三掌權。」但以理書 5:8–16
The queen in the palace was not Belshazzar’s wife, but the queen of his grandfather, and she knew who could read the writing on the wall. There was a church (for a woman is a church prophetically), in the kingdom that knew who could understand the secrets of God.
宮中嗰位太后並唔係伯沙撒嘅妻子，乃係佢祖父嘅王后；佢知道邊一位能夠解讀牆上所寫嘅字。有一個教會（因為按先知性嘅表徵，婦人就係教會）喺嗰國中，知道邊一位能夠明白神嘅奧祕。
“There was in the palace a woman who was wiser than them all,—the queen of Belshazzar’s grandfather. In this emergency she addressed the king in language that sent a ray of light into the darkness. ‘O king, live forever,’ she said, ‘let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed. There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; …now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.’
宮中有一個婦人，比他們眾人都更有智慧——就是伯沙撒祖父的王后。在這緊急關頭，她用帶來一線光明、照進黑暗中的話向王說：「王啊，願你萬歲；不要讓你的意念使你驚惶，也不要讓你的面容改變。你國中有一個人，他裏面有聖神明的靈；在你父的日子，光明、悟性和智慧，就是如神明的智慧，都在他身上尋見了；尼布甲尼撒王，就是你的父、王，我說，你的父，曾立他為術士、用法術的、迦勒底人和占卜者的總長；……現在可以召但以理來，他必講明這解釋。」
“‘Then was Daniel brought in before the king.’ Making an effort to brace himself and to show his authority, Belshazzar said, ‘Art thou that Daniel which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, which the king, my father, brought out of Jewry? I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee…. Now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.’
「於是但以理被領到王面前。」伯沙撒竭力振作自己，並要顯出他的權柄，就說：「你就是那被擄之猶大人中嘅但以理嗎？就是我父王從猶大地擄來嘅？我聽聞你裏面有神明的靈，又有光明、聰明，並卓越的智慧在你裏面……如今你若能讀這文字，並將其講解告訴我，你必身穿朱紅袍，頸項戴金鏈，在國中位列第三掌權。」
“Daniel was not awed by the king’s appearance, nor confused or intimidated by his words. ‘Let thy gifts be to thyself,’ he answered, ‘and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour…. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him…. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this, but hast lifted up thyself against the God of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk in them, and thou hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.’
但以理並冇畀王嘅威儀所震懾，也冇因佢嘅說話而迷惘或畏懼。「你嘅禮物歸你自己吧，」佢回答說，「你嘅賞賜可以賜畀別人；然而，我必將呢段文字讀畀王聽，並且將講解話畀你知。王啊，至高嘅 神曾將國度、威嚴、榮耀、尊榮賜畀你父尼布甲尼撒……但當佢心高氣傲、靈裡剛愎自恃嘅時候，佢就畀人廢去王位，奪去佢嘅榮耀……而你，佢嘅兒子伯沙撒啊，雖然知道呢一切，卻仍然冇使自己嘅心謙卑下來，反倒向天上嘅 神自高；人將祂殿中嘅器皿拿到你面前，你同你嘅大臣、妻妾、妃嬪都用呢啲器皿飲酒，你又讚美嗰啲金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石所造、不能看、不能聽、不能知嘅神明；至於嗰位掌管你氣息、統轄你一切道路嘅 神，你竟冇將榮耀歸畀祂。」
“‘This is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene: God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Tekel: Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Peres: Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’
「『所寫嘅文字係：彌尼，彌尼，提客勒，烏法珥新。其解釋如下：彌尼：神已經數算你嘅國，並且使它完結。提客勒：你被放在天平上稱量，顯出有所虧欠。毗勒斯：你嘅國分裂，歸與瑪代人和波斯人。』」
“Daniel did not swerve from his duty. He held the king’s sin before him, showing him the lessons he might have learned but did not. Belshazzar had not heeded the events so significant to him. He had not read his grandfather’s history correctly. The responsibility of knowing truth had been laid upon him, but the practical lesson he might have learned and acted upon had not been taken to heart; and his course of action brought the sure result.
但以理並沒有偏離他嘅本分。佢將王嘅罪擺喺王面前，向佢指出嗰啲佢本來可以領受、卻冇有領受嘅教訓。伯沙撒冇有留意到嗰啲對佢極其重大嘅事件。佢冇有正確地讀懂佢祖父嘅歷史。認識真理嘅責任已經放喺佢身上，但係佢本來可以學習並付諸實行嘅實際教訓，卻冇有銘記於心；而佢所行嘅道路，帶來咗必然嘅結果。
“This was the last feast of boasting held by the Chaldean king; for He who bears long with man’s perversity had passed the irrevocable sentence. Belshazzar had greatly dishonoured the One who had exalted him as king, and his probation was taken from him. While the king and his nobles were at the height of their revelry, the Persians turned the Euphrates out of its channel, and marched into the unguarded city. As Belshazzar and his lords were drinking from the sacred vessels of Jehovah, and praising their gods of silver and gold, Cyrus and his soldiers stood under the walls of the palace. ‘In that night,’ the record says, ‘was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom.’” Bible Echo, May 2, 1898.
「呢一次乃係迦勒底王最後一次誇耀嘅筵席；因為嗰位長久容忍人悖逆嘅主，已經宣告咗不可撤回嘅判決。伯沙撒大大羞辱咗嗰位高舉佢作王嘅主，因此佢嘅恩典時期被奪去。正當王同佢嘅權貴狂歡作樂到達極點之際，波斯人將幼發拉底河改道，步入呢座毫無防備嘅城。當伯沙撒同佢嘅大臣用耶和華嘅聖器皿飲酒，又讚美佢哋金銀所造嘅神明之時，古列同佢嘅士兵已經站喺王宮城牆之下。記錄話：『當夜，迦勒底王伯沙撒被殺。瑪代人大利烏得了國。』」《Bible Echo》，1898年5月2日。
In the midst of the crisis, the queen (a church), identified that there is a source that can identify the “Future for America”. Daniel once again stands in his lot to fulfill his purpose at the end of the days. The witness of the ensign given in the fiery furnace by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is now given by Daniel, as he adds to the line of truth that in the “hour” of the Sunday law crisis, those who represent the ensign will be brought before the state authorities to testify of the truth.
喺危機當中，皇后（教會）辨認出有一個源頭，能夠指明「美國嘅未來」。但以理再次站喺佢所得之分上，喺末後嘅日子成就佢嘅使命。沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌喺烈火窰中所賜下、作為旗號嘅見證，現今由但以理所賜下；當佢將真理嘅線再加上一層時，就顯明喺星期日法案危機嘅「時辰」之中，凡代表旗號嘅人，都要被帶到國家當局面前，為真理作見證。
“‘They will deliver you up to councils, … yea and before governors and kings shall ye be brought for My sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.’ Matthew 10:17, 18, R. V. Persecution will spread the light. The servants of Christ will be brought before the great men of the world, who, but for this, might never hear the gospel. The truth has been misrepresented to these men. They have listened to false charges concerning the faith of Christ’s disciples. Often their only means of learning its real character is the testimony of those who are brought to trial for their faith. Under examination these are required to answer, and their judges to listen to the testimony borne. God’s grace will be dispensed to His servants to meet the emergency. ‘It shall be given you,’ says Jesus, ‘in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.’ As the Spirit of God illuminates the minds of His servants, the truth will be presented in its divine power and preciousness. Those who reject the truth will stand to accuse and oppress the disciples. But under loss and suffering, even unto death, the Lord’s children are to reveal the meekness of their divine Example. Thus will be seen the contrast between Satan’s agents and the representatives of Christ. The Saviour will be lifted up before the rulers and the people.” The Desire of Ages, 354.
「『人要把你哋交畀公會，……並且你哋要為我嘅緣故，被帶到諸侯君王面前，對佢哋同外邦人作見證。』馬太福音 10:17, 18, R. V. 迫害將要使光明廣傳。基督嘅僕人要被帶到世上嘅權貴面前；若非如此，佢哋可能永遠都聽唔到福音。真理喺呢啲人面前一直被歪曲。佢哋聽咗好多關於基督門徒信仰嘅虛假控告。好多時候，佢哋認識其真實性質嘅唯一途徑，就係聽嗰啲因信仰受審之人所作嘅見證。當受審問嘅時候，呢啲人必須作答，而審判佢哋嘅人亦必須聆聽所傳出嘅見證。上帝嘅恩典必賜畀祂嘅僕人，以應付當前嘅急需。耶穌話：『到嗰時辰，必賜畀你哋當講嘅話；因為唔係你哋自己講嘅，乃係你哋父嘅靈喺你哋裡面講嘅。』當上帝嘅靈光照祂僕人嘅心思時，真理就要以其神聖嘅能力同寶貴顯明出嚟。嗰啲拒絕真理嘅人，會起來控告並壓迫門徒；但係，喺損失同苦難之下，甚至至於死亡，主嘅兒女都要顯出佢哋神聖榜樣嘅溫柔。咁樣，撒但嘅差役同基督代表之間嘅對比，就必然顯明出嚟。救主將要喺統治者同人民面前被高舉。」《歷代願望》，354頁。
As with the three worthies, Daniel was not interested in any gifts, nor did he need to rehearse what he was going to say. He very simply presented the interpretation of the “seven times,” represented upon the wall.
正如那三位忠貞之士一樣，但以理對任何賞賜都毫無興趣，也無須預先排演自己將要說的話。他只是極其簡明地陳明了那寫在牆上的「七期」之解釋。
We will continue the story of Belshazzar in the next article.
我哋將會喺下一篇文章繼續講述伯沙撒的故事。
“Those who are unfaithful to the work of God are lacking in principle; their motives are not of a character to lead them to choose the right under all circumstances. The servants of God are to feel at all times that they are under the eye of their employer. He who watched the sacrilegious feast of Belshazzar is present in all our institutions, in the counting-room of the merchant, in the private workshop; and the bloodless hand is as surely recording your neglect as it recorded the awful judgment of the blasphemous king. Belshazzar’s condemnation was written in words of fire, ‘Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting’; and if you fail to fulfill your God-given obligations your condemnation will be the same.” Messages to Young People, 229.
「凡對上帝嘅工作不忠誠嘅人，都係缺乏原則；佢哋嘅動機並唔具備一種品格，能使佢哋喺一切境況之下都揀選正確嘅事。上帝嘅僕人應當時刻感到自己係喺僱主嘅眼目之下。嗰位曾察看伯沙撒褻瀆聖物之筵席嘅主，現今亦臨在我哋一切機構之中，喺商人嘅帳房裏面，喺私人的工場之中；而嗰隻無血之手記錄你哋嘅疏忽，正如佢記錄嗰褻瀆上帝之王可怕嘅審判一樣確實。伯沙撒所受嘅定罪，係用火字寫成：『你被稱在天平裏，顯出你嘅虧欠。』若你未能履行上帝所賜畀你嘅本分，你所受嘅定罪亦必一樣。」《致青年人的信息》，229頁。