“Hæc est autem scriptura, quæ digesta est : Mane, Thecel, Phares.”
“And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”
“Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.”
“This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”
“And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”
Phares. These words consist of three letters, mona, thokol, pros, as we add o merely for pronunciation. Being unconnected and almost destitute of vowels, (Haydock) it is not easy even for the learned to read these words, or to ascertain their meaning. Thus d b r being placed in a similar situation, it would be impossible to determine the sense; as it may have ten different meanings, according as it is pronounced, ver. 8. (Calmet) — Mane is twice repeated, to shew the certainty and exactitude of the numbering. (Menochius) — Yet in the sequel each word occurs once and unconnected, as it is here in the Vulgate; not Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin, (Protestants; Haydock) “He hath numbered, numbered, weighed, and the dividers or the Persians” are upon thee, (T.[Tirinus?]) as Dalila said to Samson. Only three words (Haydock) were written. (St. Jerome) — The rest contain the prophet’s explanation. The Chaldean empire had now attained its utmost height. Its king brought ruin upon himself by his wicked life. (Haydock) — He would soon be divided with the sword, and his kingdom shared between the Medes and Persians. (St. Jerome)
Verses 18-31 Daniel reads Belshazzar's doom. He had not taken warning by the judgments upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he had insulted God. Sinners are pleased with gods that neither see, nor hear, nor know; but they will be judged by One to whom all things are open. Daniel reads the sentence written on the wall. All this may well be applied to the doom of every sinner. At death, the sinner's days are numbered and finished; after death is the judgment, when he will be weighed in the balance, and found wanting; and after judgment the sinner will be cut asunder, and given as a prey to the devil and his angels. While these things were passing in the palace, it is considered that the army of Cyrus entered the city; and when Belshazzar was slain, a general submission followed. Soon will every impenitent sinner find the writing of God's word brought to pass upon him, whether he is weighed in the balance of the law as a self-righteous Pharisee, or in that of the gospel as a painted hypocrite.