< Daniel 3 >

1 Kong Nebukadnezar lod lave en Billedstøtte af Guld, tresindstyve Alen høj og seks Alen bred, og han opstillede den paa Dalsletten Dura i Landsdelen Babel.
King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue that was sixty cubits tall and six cubits wide. He set it up in the Plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 Saa sendte Kong Nebukadnezar Bud for at sammenkalde Satraper, Landshøvdinger, Statholdere, Overdommere, Skatmestre, lovkyndige, Dommere og alle andre Embedsmænd i Landsdelen, at de skulde komme til Stede, naar Billedstøtten, som Kong Nebukadnezar havde ladet opstille, blev indviet.
Then Nebuchadnezzar sent messages out to gather together the provincial governors, regional governors, and local governors, together with the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the high officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that he had set up.
3 Da samledes Satraperne, Landshøvdingerne, Statholderne, Overdommerne, Skatmestrene, de lovkyndige, Dommerne og alle andre Embedsmænd i Landsdelen til Indvielsen af Billedstøtten, som Kong Nebukadnezar havde ladet opstille, og de stillede sig foran den.
Then the provincial governors, regional governors, and local governors, together with the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the high officials of the provinces gathered together to the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood before it.
4 Saa raabte en Herold med høj Røst: »Det tilkendegives eder, I Folk, Stammer og Tungemaal:
Then a herald loudly shouted, “You are commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,
5 Naar I hører Horn, Fløjter, Citre, Harper, Hakkebrætter, Sækkepiber og alle Haande andre Instrumenter klinge, skal I falde ned og tilbede Guldbilledstøtten, som Kong Nebukadnezar har ladet opstille.
that at the time you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and prostrate yourselves to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 Og den, som ikke falder ned og tilbeder, skal øjeblikkelig kastes i den gloende Ovn.«
Whoever does not fall down and worship, at that very moment, will be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Saa snart alt Folket nu hørte Horn, Fløjter, Citre, Harper, Hakkebrætter og alle Haande andre Instrumenter klinge, faldt de derfor ned — alle Folk, Stammer og Tungemaal — og tilbad Guldbilledstøtten, som Kong Nebukadnezar havde ladet opstille.
So when all the peoples heard the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and prostrated themselves to the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 Men ved samme Lejlighed traadte nogle kaldæiske Mænd frem og førte Klage mod Jøderne.
Now at this time certain Chaldeans came and brought accusations against the Jews.
9 De tog til Orde og sagde til Kong Nebukadnezar: »Kongen leve evindelig!
They said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, “King, live forever!
10 Du, o Konge, har paabudt, at enhver, naar han hører Horn, Fløjter, Citre, Harper, Hakkebrætter, Sækkepiber og alle Haande andre Instrumenter klinge, skal falde ned og tilbede Guldbilledstøtten,
You, king, have made a decree that every person who hears the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, must fall down and prostrate himself to the golden statue.
11 og at den, som ikke gør det, skal kastes i den gloende Ovn.
Whoever does not fall down and worship must be thrown into a blazing furnace.
12 Men nu er her nogle jødiske Mænd, som du har overdraget at styre Landsdelen Babel, Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego; disse Mænd ænser ikke dit Paabud, o Konge; de dyrker ikke din Gud og tilbeder ikke Guldbilledstøtten, som du har ladet opstille.«
Now there are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon; their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, king, pay no attention to you. They will not worship or serve your gods, or prostrate themselves before the golden statue you have set up.”
13 Da lod Nebukadnezar i Vrede og Harme Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego hente; og da Mændene var ført frem for Kongen,
Then Nebuchadnezzar, filled with anger and rage, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought to him. So they brought these men before the king.
14 sagde Nebukadnezar til dem: »Er det oplagt Raad, Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego, at I ikke dyrker min Gud eller tilbeder Guldbilledstøtten, som jeg har ladet opstille?
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Have you made your minds up, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not worship my gods or prostrate yourselves to the golden statue that I have set up?
15 Nu vel, hvis I er rede til, naar I hører Horn, Fløjter, Citre, Harper, Hakkebrætter, Sækkepiber og alle Haande andre Instrumenter klinge, at falde ned og tilbede Billedstøtten, som jeg har ladet lave, saa er alt godt; men gør I det ikke, skal I paa Stedet kastes i den gloende Ovn. Og hvilken Gud er der, som da kan fri eder af mine Hænder?«
Now if you are ready—when you hear the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music—to fall down and prostrate yourselves to the statue that I have made, all will be well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. Who is the god who is able to rescue you out of my hands?”
16 Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego svarede Kong Nebukadnezar: »Det har vi ikke nødig at svare dig paa!
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 Sker det, saa kan vor Gud, som vi dyrker, fri os af den gloende Ovn, og han vil fri os af din Haand, o Konge;
If there is an answer, it is that our God whom we serve is able to keep us safe from the blazing furnace, and he will rescue us out of your hand, king.
18 men hvis ikke, saa maa du vide, o Konge, at din Gud dyrker vi dog ikke, og Guldbilledstøtten, som du har ladet opstille, tilbeder vi ikke!«
But if not, let it be known to you, king, that we will not worship your gods, and we will not prostrate ourselves to the golden statue you set up.”
19 Da opfyldtes Nebukadnezar af Harme, og hans Ansigtsudtryk ændredes over for Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego; han tog til Orde og sagde, at Ovnen skulde gøres syv Gange hedere end ellers,
Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage; the look on his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was normally heated.
20 og bød nogle haandfaste Mænd i sin Hær binde Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego og kaste dem i den gloende Ovn.
Then he commanded some very strong men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 Saa blev Mændene bundet i deres Kapper, Underklæder, Huer og andre Klædningsstykker og kastet i den gloende Ovn.
They were tied up still wearing their robes, tunics, turbans, and other clothing, and they were thrown into the blazing furnace.
22 Og eftersom Kongens Bud var skarpt og Ovnen ophedet til Overmaal, brændte Luen de Mænd ihjel, som bragte Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego op paa Ovnen,
Because the king's command was strictly followed and the furnace was very hot, the flames killed the men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 medens de tre Mænd, Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego, bundne faldt ned i den gloende Ovn.
These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the blazing furnace while they were tied up.
24 Da sloges Kong Nebukadnezar af Rædsel og stod hastigt op; og han tog til Orde og spurgte sine Raadsherrer: »Var det ikke tre Mænd, vi kastede bundne i Ilden?« De svarede Kongen: »Jo, det var, Konge!«
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was amazed and stood up quickly. He asked his advisors, “Did we not throw three men tied up into the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, king.”
25 Han sagde da videre: »Men jeg ser fire Mænd gaa frit om i Ilden, og de har ingen Skade taget; og den fjerde ser ud som en Gudesøn.«
He said, “But I see four men who are not tied up walking around in the fire, and they are not hurt. The brilliance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
26 Derpaa traadte Nebukadnezar hen til den gloende Ovns Dør og raabte: »Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego, I, den højeste Guds Tjenere, kom ud!« Da gik Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego ud af Ilden.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near the door of the blazing furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of God Most High, come out! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
27 Og Satraperne, Landshøvdingerne, Statholderne og Kongens Raadsherrer samlede sig og saa, at Ilden ikke havde haft nogen Magt over hine Mænds Legemer, at deres Hovedhaar ikke var svedet, at deres Kapper var uskadte, og at der ikke var Brandlugt ved dem.
The provincial governors, regional governors, other governors, and the king's counselors who had gathered together saw these men. The fire had not hurt their bodies; the hair on their heads was not singed; their robes were not harmed; and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Saa sagde Nebukadnezar: »Lovet være Sjadraks, Mesjaks og Abed-Negos Gud, der sendte sin Engel og friede sine Tjenere, som i Tillid til ham overtraadte Kongens Bud og hengav deres Legemer for at undgaa at dyrke eller tilbede nogen anden Gud end deres egen!
Nebuchadnezzar said, “Let us praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his messenger and given his message to his servants. They trusted in him when they set aside my command, and they gave up their bodies rather than worship or prostrate themselves to any god except their God.
29 Hermed paabyder jeg, at den, der i noget Folk, nogen Stamme og noget Tungemaal siger noget ondt om Sjadraks, Mesjaks og Abed-Negos Gud, skal hugges sønder og sammen, og hans Hus skal gøres til en Skarndynge; thi der gives ingen anden Gud, som saaledes kan frelse.«
Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego must be torn apart, and that their houses must be made into rubbish heaps because there is no other god who is able to save like this.”
30 Og Kongen gengav Sjadrak, Mesjak og Abed-Nego deres Stillinger i Landsdelen Babel.
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

< Daniel 3 >