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25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: mene, mene,[a] teqel, and pharsin.[b] 26 This is the interpretation of the words:[c] As for Mene[d]—God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end. 27 As for Teqel—you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 5:25 tc The Greek version of Theodotion lacks the repetition of מְנֵא (meneʾ, cf. NAB).
  2. Daniel 5:25 tc The Aramaic word is plural. Theodotion has the singular (cf. NAB “PERES”).
  3. Daniel 5:26 tn Or “word”; or “event.” See HALOT 1915 s.v. מִלָּה.
  4. Daniel 5:26 tn The Aramaic term מְנֵא (meneʾ) is a noun referring to a measure of weight. The linkage here to the verb “to number” (Aram. מְנָה, menah) is a case of paronomasia rather than strict etymology. So also with תְּקֵל (teqel) and פַרְסִין (farsin). In the latter case there is an obvious wordplay with the name “Persian.”