writing on the wall

From the Biblical story in Daniel 5, where, during a feast held by King Belshazzar, a hand suddenly appears and writes on a wall the following Aramaic words: מְנֵא מְנֵא תְּקֵל וּפַרְסִין (mənē mənē təqēl ūp̄arsīn, “numbered, numbered, weighed, and they are divided”) (Daniel 5:25). Daniel interprets the words as pointing to the downfall of the Babylonian Empire.

• "He could see the writing on the wall months before the business failed."
• "However, regardless of evil portents, prophetic despair and a great deal too much writing on the wall, I have managed so far to write two fairly cheerful musical comedies."
• "The Portuguese refused to read the writings on the wall and clung to their colonies, including the one in India."
• "Without a doubt these trends represent the "next big thing". Consider a sampling of recent headlines as writings on the wall: […]"
• "Don't you see the implications and writings on the wall for our family's future?"
• "It gets to the point to where you see so much writing on the wall where we may not have a choice but to step in and say 'yes, you will train every year and you'll report that training to POST' in order for things to be done right."
• "As a railwayman put it to me: "When I saw chums of mine took their families down there by car, I could see the writing on the wall. We all had free passes, yet they got the car out!""

• the writing is on the wall