example.txt

$ ./osstatus -108

Error number:       -108 / 0xffffff94
Error string:       memFullErr / iMemFullErr
Error description:  Not enough room in heap zone /

osstatus.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

"""
Convert OSStatus to a human readable string.
"""

import sys
from ctypes import *

def die_with_usage():
	sys.stderr.write("Usage: %s <ERROR_CODE>\n" % sys.argv[0])
	sys.exit(1)

if len(sys.argv) < 2:
	die_with_usage()

try:
	err = int(sys.argv[1])
except ValueError:
	die_with_usage()

cs = CDLL(
	"/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework"
	  "/Versions/Current/CoreServices"
)

print('Error number:\t\t%d / 0x%x' % (err, c_uint32(err).value))

cs.GetMacOSStatusErrorString.restype = c_char_p
errorString = cs.GetMacOSStatusErrorString(c_uint32(err))

print('Error string:\t\t%s' % str(errorString))

cs.GetMacOSStatusCommentString.restype = c_char_p
errorDesc = cs.GetMacOSStatusCommentString(c_uint32(err))

print('Error description:\t%s' % errorDesc)

$ ./osstatus -108
Error number: -108 / 0xffffff94
Error string: memFullErr / iMemFullErr
Error description: Not enough room in heap zone /

If you use int(value, 0), then the script interprets hex easily as well.