What was the prophecy written on the wall that Daniel read Belshazzar?

Answer 1

The prophecy is as follows:-

Dan 5:1-7, 18, 22-31 KJV [v.1] Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. [v. 2] Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. [v. 3] Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. [v. 4] They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. [v. 5] In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. [v. 6] Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. [v. 7] The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. [v.18] O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: [v.22] And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; [v. 23] But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: [v. 24] Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. [v. 25] And this is the writing that was written,MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. [v. 26] This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. [v. 27] TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. [v. 28] PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. [v. 29] Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. [v. 30] In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. [v. 31] And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Because it is originally written in Aramaic and there are word-plays or puns involved, other versions may also be helpful in giving different renderings:-

Dan 5:25-28 ISV-v2.0 [International Standard Version] This is the written inscription: MENE, MENE, TEKEL AND PARSIN [v. 26] These are the meanings of the words: MENE - God has audited your kingdom and ended it. [v. 27] TEKEL - You've been weighed on the scales and you don't measure up. [v. 28] PERES - Your kingdom has been divided and will be given to the Medes and Persians."

Dan 5:25-29 LITV [Literal Translation] And this is the writing that was written: A MINA, A MINA, A SHEKEL, AND HALF MINAS. [v. 26] This is the meaning of the thing: A MINA: God has numbered your kingdom and finished it. [v. 27] A SHEKEL: You are weighed in the balances and found lacking. [v. 28] HALF MINAS: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. [v. 29] Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and a necklace of gold around his neck. And they made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Dan 5:25-29 [NET] "This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEQEL, and PHARSIN.26 This is the interpretation of the words: As for mene --- 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.28 As for peres --- your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians."

29 Then, on Belshazzar's orders, Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom.