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Mene mene tekel u parsin

Started by shirohniichan,

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shirohniichan

shirohniichan

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Posted

You may already know of the account in the Book of Daniel in which Belshazzar sees a hand appear miraculously and write on the wall "Mene mene tekel u parsin."

 

Until I recently reread the passage I didn't know it was a play on words relating to currency. "Mene" is Aramaic for a form of the verb "to count" and also the unit of currency "mina" (approximately 60 shekels), "tekel" is a form of "shekel", and "parsin" equals a half mina (from the root meaning "to divide") and sounds like the word for Persia.

 

As Daniel translated the prophecy, Belshazzar's days were numbered, he was weighed in the balances and found lacking, and his kingdom would be divided. It is a play on words that could have meant "mina, mina, shekel, and half a mina," and the double play on words that his kingdom would be divided came in that it was given to the Persians (and Medes).

 

The story is well known enough in English to give us the expression "writing on the wall" to mean a portent of bad fortune.

 

Can you think of any other ancient play on words dealing with currency? I can't. hm

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RWB

RWB

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I think it really meant "Don't count your chickens before they hatch...." :)

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