mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

American  

[mee-nee, mee-nee, tek-uhl, yoo-fahr-sin] / ˈmi ni, ˈmi ni, ˈtɛk əl, yuˈfɑr sɪn /

Aramaic.

1. (in the Bible) numbered, numbered, weighed, divided: the miraculous writing on the wall interpreted by Daniel as foretelling the destruction of Belshazzar and his kingdom.

---

mene, mene, tekel, upharsin British  

/ ˈmiːniː ˈmiːniː ˈtɛkəl juːˈfɑːsɪn /

noun

1. Old Testament the words that appeared on the wall during Belshazzar's Feast (Daniel 5:25), interpreted by Daniel to mean that God had doomed the kingdom of Belshazzar

---

Etymology

Origin of mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

Ultimately from Aramaic mnʾ mnʾ tql prs (without vowel markings) and in Daniel's first reading (with vowel markings) mĕnēʾ mĕnēʾ tĕqēl ūpharsīn , equivalent to mĕnēʾ “a mina ( def. ) (a unit of weight and value)” + tĕqēl “a shekel ( def. ) (a unit of weight and a coin, especially the ancient Hebrew silver shekel)” + ū- “and” + pharsīn “two (?) half minas.” Daniel's interpretation is an elaborate pun, mnʾ mnʾ tql prs now being read mĕnāh “he has measured” + tĕqal “he has weighed” + pĕras “he has divided (your kingdom).” Prs may also be read pāras “Persia, Persians,” a punning reference to the Medes and Perisans, who will capture Babylon; see Parsee,

Example Sentences

He should at least have read it out as mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.

From A Dweller in Mesopotamia Being the Adventures of an Official Artist in the Garden of Eden by Maxwell, Donald

But mene, mene, tekel, upharsin, is written on the walls of the banqueting chambers of the palace of the Caesars.

From The Old Roman World, : the Grandeur and Failure of Its Civilization. by Lord, John

"After us the deluge!" cried those court parasites, who, with more understanding than their fellows, read aright the mene, mene, tekel upharsin traced upon the walls of royalty.

From Brann the Iconoclast — Volume 01 by Brann, William Cowper