Belshazzar

Johnny Cash

(Official lyrics @ www.bobdylan.com)

  The Basement Tapes - may/oct 1967  

Well, the bible tells about a man
Who ruled Babylon and all its land
Around the city, he built a wall
Declared that Babylon would never fall. 

He had concubines and wives
He called his Babylon Paradise
On his throne he drank and ate
But for Belshazzar it was gettin' late. 

He was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His kingdom was divided, it couldn't stand
He was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His houses were built upon the sand. 

Well, the people feasted and drank their wine
And praised the false gods of their time
Holy things they scorned and mocked
Suddenly all their mocking stopped.

For on the wall, there appeared a hand
Nothin' else, there was no man
In blood the hand began to write
And Belshazzar couldn't hide his fright. 

He was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His kingdom was divided, it couldn't stand
He was weighed in the balance and found wanting
His houses were built upon the sand. 

Well, no one around could understand
What was written by the mystic hand
Belshazzar tried, he couldn't find
A man who could give him peace of mind.

Daniel, the prophet, a 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:

You are weighed in the balance and found wanting
Your kingdom is divided, it cannot stand
You are weighed in the balance and found wanting
Your houses are built upon the sand.