25 "This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN 26 "Here is what these words mean: Mene[1] : God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. 27 Tekel[2] : You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. 28 Peres[3] : Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."
25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered
25 and this is what is written: mene, teqel, and peres. 26 This is what the words mean: "Mene: God has numbered the days of your rule and they don't add up. 27 "Teqel: You have been weighed on the scales and you don't weigh much. 28 "Peres: Your kingdom has been divided up and handed over to the Medes and Persians."
25 "And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
25 "This is the message that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN . 26 This is what these words mean: means 'numbered'-God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. 27 means 'weighed'-you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. 28 means 'divided'-your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Daniel 5:25-28
Commentary on Daniel 5:18-31
(Read Daniel 5:18-31)
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.