Daniel 2
1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled his spirit, and sleep escaped him.
Ngomnyaka wesibili wokubusa kwakhe, uNebhukhadineza waphupha amaphupho; wahlupheka engqondweni, wehluleka lokulala.
2 So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
Ngakho inkosi yasibiza omasalamusi, lezangoma, labavumisi lezingcazi zezinkanyezi ukuthi bamtshele lokho ayekuphuphile. Sebengenile bema phambi kwayo inkosi,
3 he said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand it.”
yathi kubo, “Ngibe lephupho elingihluphayo yikho ngifuna ukwazi ukuthi litshoni.”
4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, may you live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
Kwasekusithi ingcazi zezinkanyezi zayiphendula inkosi zikhuluma ngesi-Aramu zathi, “Bayethe, nkosi! Phila kuze kube nininini! Zitshele izinceku zakho iphupho lelo, thina sizalichaza.”
5 The king replied to the astrologers, “My word is final: If you do not tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be reduced to rubble.
Inkosi yaziphendula ingcazi zezinkanyezi yathi, “Nanku esengikumisile: Nxa lingangitsheli ukuthi iphupho lami beliyini beselilichaza, ngizakuthi liqunywaqunywe iziqa, izindlu zenu zidilizwe zibe yinqwaba.
6 But if you tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
Kodwa lingangitshela iphupho kanye lengcazelo yalo ngizalipha izipho lemivuzo lodumo olukhulu. Ngakho ngitshelani iphupho libe selingichazela lona.”
7 They answered a second time, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation.”
Baphinda njalo baphendula bathi, “Inkosi kayizitshele izichaka zayo iphupho lelo, thina sizalichasisa.”
8 The king replied, “I know for sure that you are stalling for time, because you see that my word is final.
Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Ngileqiniso ukuthi liqonde ukuchitha isikhathi ngoba libona ukuthi yilokhu esengikumisile ukuthi:
9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.”
Nxa lingangitsheli iphupho lelo, sinye zwi isijeziso senu. Seliyengene ukuthi lingitshele inkohliso lamanyala, licabanga ukuthi kumbe izinto zizaguquka. Manje-ke ngitshelani iphupho lelo yikho ngizakwazi ukuthi lingangichasisela lona.”
10 The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth can do what the king requests! No king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer.
Ingcazi zezinkanyezi zayiphendula inkosi zathi, “Kakulamuntu emhlabeni ongakwenza lokho okufunwa yinkosi! Kayikho inkosi, loba ingenkulu kanganani kumbe ilamandla anganani, eyake yafuna into enjalo laloba kubani oyenza amasalamusi, kumbe isangoma loba ingcazi yezinkanyezi.
11 What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”
Lokhu okufunwa yinkosi kunzima kakhulu. Kakho ongakwambulela inkosi ngaphandle kwabonkulunkulu, njalo kabahlali ebantwini.”
12 This response made the king so furious with anger that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Lokhu kwayizondisa inkosi yabila ngolaka yahle yathi zonke izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni kazibulawe.
13 So the decree went out that the wise men were to be executed, and men went to look for Daniel and his friends to execute them.
Ngakho sakhutshwa isimemezelo sokuthi izazi kazibulawe, yikho kwathunywa amadoda ukuyadinga uDanyeli labakhula bakhe ukuthi babulawe.
14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel replied with discretion and tact.
Kwathi u-Ariyoki, indunankulu yamanxusa enkosi isiphumile ukuyabulala izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni, uDanyeli wakhuluma laye ngokuhlakanipha langokunanzelela.
15 “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked. At this time Arioch explained the situation to Daniel.
Wasibuza isikhulu lesi senkosi wathi, “Kungani inkosi ikhuphe isimemezelo esibuhlungu kangaka na?” U-Ariyoki waseyichaza indaba kuDanyeli.
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation.
Esekuzwile lokho uDanyeli waya enkosini wacela ukuba ake aphiwe isikhathi, ukuze ayichazele iphupho layo.
17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
UDanyeli wabuyela endlini yakhe wayatshela abakhula bakhe oHananiya, loMishayeli lo-Azariya ngendaba leyo.
18 urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Wabakhuthaza ukuthi bacele umusa kuNkulunkulu wasezulwini ngale inkinga eyimfihlakalo, ukuze kuthi yena labakhula bakhe baphephe ekubulaweni kanye lazozonke izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni.
19 During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven
Kwathi ebusuku inkinga leyo yambulelwa uDanyeli ngombono. UDanyeli wasemdumisa uNkulunkulu wasezulwini
20 and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.
wathi: “Kalidunyiswe ibizo likaNkulunkulu nini lanini; inhlakanipho lamandla kungokwakhe.
21 He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Uyaguqula izikhathi lezibanga; uyawabeka amakhosi aphinde awaqethule. Unika inhlakanipho kwabahlakaniphileyo lolwazi kwabaqedisisayo.
22 He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.
Uveza obala izinto ezizikileyo lezifihlakeleyo; uyakwazi okucatshe emnyameni, lokukhanya kuhlala kuye.
23 To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, because You have given me wisdom and power. And now You have made known to me what we have requested, for You have made known to us the dream of the king.”
Ngiyakubonga njalo ngiyakudumisa, Oh Nkulunkulu wabokhokho bami: Ungiphile inhlakanipho lamandla, usungazisile mina lokho esikucelileyo kuwe, ususazisile thina iphupho lenkosi.”
24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation.”
UDanyeli wasesiya ku-Ariyoki owayekhethwe yinkosi ukuba abulale izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni, wathi kuye, “Ungazibulali izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni. Ngisa enkosini, ngizayichasisela iphupho layo.”
25 Arioch hastily brought Daniel before the king and said to him, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who will tell the king the interpretation.”
U-Ariyoki wahle wasa uDanyeli enkosini wathi, “Sengiyifumene indoda kwabathunjiweyo bakwaJuda engayitshela inkosi ukuthi iphupho layo litshoni.”
26 The king responded to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me what I saw in the dream, as well as its interpretation?”
Inkosi yambuza uDanyeli (njalo othiwa nguBhelitheshazari), “Kambe ungangitshela na engakubonayo ephutsheni lami uphinde ulichasise?”
27 Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires.
Waphendula uDanyeli wathi, “Kasikho isihlakaniphi, noma isangoma, noma oyenza amasalamusi, noma isanuse esingayihlahlulela inkosi imfihlakalo eyidingayo,
28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these:
kodwa ukhona uNkulunkulu ezulwini owambula zonke imfihlakalo. Utshengise inkosi uNebhukhadineza okuzakwenzakala ngezinsuku ezizayo. Iphupho lakho lemibono eyafika engqondweni yakho ulele embhedeni wakho yile:
29 As you lay on your bed, O king, your thoughts turned to the future, and the Revealer of Mysteries made known to you what will happen.
Wathi ulele khonapho nkosi, ingqondo yakho yaphatha izinto ezisezakuza, kwathi umhlahluli wezinkinga wakubonisa okuzakwenzakala.”
30 And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
Okwami yikuthi ngiyambulelwe imfihlakalo le, kungesukuthi yingoba ngilenhlakanipho eyeqa eyabanye abaphilayo, kodwa ukuze kuthi wena, Oh nkosi, uyazi ingcazelo njalo ukuze uzwisise okwakuphithikana engqondweni yakho.
31 As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome.
Wathi uyakhangela, Oh nkosi, wabona kumi phambi kwakho isithombe esikhulukazi, inkalakatha yesithombe esikhazimulayo, sisesabeka ukukhangeleka kwaso.
32 The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,
Ikhanda lesithombe lalenziwe ngegolide elicengekileyo, isifuba saso lezingalo kubunjwe ngesiliva, isisu lemilenze kubunjwe ngethusi,
33 its legs were iron, and its feet were part iron and part clay.
imibala ibunjwe ngensimbi, inyawo zaso zilengxenye yensimbi lenye ingxenye yebumba elitshisiweyo.
34 As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them.
Wathi ulokhu usabukele, kwaqetshulwa ilitshe, kungesingazandla zamuntu. Lasigxoba isithombe ezinyaweni zaso zensimbi lebumba lazihlifiza.
35 Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were shattered and became like chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that had struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Kwasekusithi insimbi, lebumba, lethusi, lesiliva kanye legolide kwachobozeka kwaba yizicucu kanyekanye kwaba njengomule esizeni ehlobo. Umoya waziphephula izicucu wazikhucula du. Kodwa ilitshe elagxoba isithombe laba yintaba enkulu yagcwala umhlaba wonke.
36 This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation.
Leli bekuyilo iphupho, manje-ke sesizalichazela inkosi.
37 You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory.
Wena, Oh nkosi uyinkosi yamakhosi. UNkulunkulu wasezulwini ukunikile umbuso, lamandla lobukhulu lodumo;
38 Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.
uluntu lonke ulunikele ezandleni zakho kanye lezinyamazana zeganga lezinyoni zemoyeni. Loba zihlala ngaphi, ukwenze wena waba ngumbusi wakho konke. Ulikhanda leliyana legolide.
39 But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth.
Ngemva kwakho, kuzakuba khona omunye umbuso, ophansi kulowakho. Kuzalandela owesithathu owethusi ozabusa umhlaba wonke.
40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; for iron shatters and crushes all things, and like iron that crushes all things, it will shatter and crush all the others.
Ekucineni kuzakuba lombuso wesine oqinileyo njengensimbi ngoba insimbi iyephula ivodloze yonke into, yikho njengoba insimbi isephula izinto zibe yizicucu, kanjalo umbuso lowo uzayichoboza yonke eminye.
41 And just as you saw that the feet and toes were made partly of fired clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom, yet some of the strength of iron will be in it—just as you saw the iron mixed with clay.
Njengoba ubonile ukuthi inyawo lamazwane bekulengxenye yebumba elitshisiweyo lengxenye yensimbi, yikho lo uzakuba ngumbuso odabuke phakathi; loba nje uzakuba lamanye amandla ensimbi phakathi kwawo, njengalokhu uyibonile insimbi ixubene lebumba.
42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
Njengoba amazwane abelengxenye yensimbi, lengxenye yebumba, kanjalo umbuso lo uzakuba lamandla nganxanye, nganxanye ubucuzeke.
43 As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so the peoples will mix with one another, but will not hold together any more than iron mixes with clay.
Njalo njengoba ubonile insimbi ixubene lebumba elitshisiweyo, kanjalo abantu bazakuba yinhlanganisela bahlale bengamanyananga, njengoba insimbi ingahlangani lebumba.
44 In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.
“Ngalesosikhathi samakhosi lawo uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uzabeka umbuso ongasoze wabhidlizwa lanini njalo ongasoze utshiyelwe abanye abantu. Uzayibhidliza yonke leyomibuso iphele, kodwa wona uzakuma laphakade.”
45 And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
Le yiyo ingcazelo yombono welitshe elaqhekezwa entabeni, kungasingezandla zomuntu, ilitshe elaphahlaza insimbi, lethusi, lebumba, lesiliva kanye legolide kwaba yizicucu. “UNkulunkulu omkhulu uyitshengisile inkosi okuzakwenzeka ngesikhathi esizayo. Iphupho liliqiniso lengcazelo iqondile.”
46 At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering of incense be presented to him.
Inkosi uNebhukhadineza wazilahla wathi mbo phambi kukaDanyeli wamkhonza wakhupha ilizwi lokuthi kenzelwe umnikelo atshiselwe impepha njalo.
47 The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”
Inkosi yathi kuDanyeli, “Ngempela uNkulunkulu wakho nguNkulunkulu wabonkulunkulu leNkosi yamakhosi lomambuleli wezimfihlakalo, ngoba ukwazile ukwambula imfihlakalo le.”
48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
Inkosi yasibeka uDanyeli esikhundleni esiphezulu yelekelela ngezipho ezinengi kuye. Yamenza waba ngumbusi kulolonke ilizwe laseBhabhiloni njalo waba ngumphathi wazo zonke izazi zakhona.
49 And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.
Isicelwe nguDanyeli, yaphinde yabeka uShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko baba ngabaphathi beziqinti zelizwe laseBhabhiloni, kodwa yena uDanyeli wasala esigodlweni.
