This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.
From: Tbyrge1@aol.com Written by: J R Cash Performer: Johnny Cash Album: Believe in Him Belshazzar Intro: G - G - D - D - G [G] Well the Bible tells us about a man [G] Who ruled Babylon and [C] all it's [G] land [G] Around the city he built a wall [G] And declared that Babylon would [D] never [G] fall He had concubines and wives He called his Babylon "Paradise" On his throne he drank and ate But for Belshazzer it was getting late Chorus: [G] For he was weighed in the balance and found wanting [G] His kingdom was divided, couldn't stand [D] [D] He was [G] weighed in the balance and found wanting [G] His houses were [D] built upon the sand [G] Solo: G - G - D - D - G The people feast and drank their wine And praised the false gods of his time All holy things were scorned and mocked But suddenly all their mocking stopped For on the wall there appeared a hand Nothing else, there was no man And but, the hand began to write And Belshazzar couldn't hide his fright For he was weighed in the balance and found wanting His kingdom was divided, couldn't stand He was weighed in the balance and found wanting His houses were built upon the sand Solo: G - G - D - D - G Well no one around could understand What was written by the mystic hand Belshazzar tried but couldn't find A man who could give him piece of mind But Daniel the prophet, the man of God He saw the writing on the wall in blood Belshazzar asked him what it said And Daniel turned to the wall and read "My friend your weighed in the balance and found wanting Your kingdom was divided, it can't stand Your weighed in the balance and found wanting Your houses were built upon the sand" Ending: G - G - D - D - G ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here is the scripture from the Bible (KJV) that "Belshazzer" by Johnny Cash is based on: Daniel 5:1-Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Daniel 5:4-8- They drank wine and praised the gods of gold, and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and Belshazzar saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was charged, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote against one another. Belshazzar cried out loud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said Whoever can read this writing and explain it to me, you will be clothed in scarlet, and have a chain of gold around his neck and be the third ruler of Babylon. Then the wise men were brought in and could not read the writing. Daniel 5:12-An excellent spirit, the knowledge, and understanding, and showing of hard sentences and his name was Daniel. (He was brought before the king) Daniel 5: 24-28 - Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Opharsin. This is the translation: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Opharsin; Thy kingdom is divided. For further reading, stop by Daniel 5 and check it out! TylerHome