< Daniel 5 >

1 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.
UBelishazari inkosi wenzela iziphathamandla zakhe eziyinkulungwane idili elikhulu, wanatha iwayini phambi kwaleyonkulungwane.
2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
UBelishazari, esalinambitha iwayini, walaya ukuthi balethe izitsha zegolide lezesiliva uyise uNebhukadinezari ayezikhuphe ethempelini elaliseJerusalema; ukuze inkosi, leziphathamandla zayo, omkayo, labafazi bayo abancane, banathele kizo.
3 Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
Lapho baletha izitsha zegolide ezazikhutshwe ethempelini lendlu kaNkulunkulu eyayiseJerusalema; njalo inkosi, leziphathamandla zayo, omkayo, labafazi bayo abancane, banathela kizo.
4 As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
Banatha iwayini, badumisa onkulunkulu begolide, labesiliva, abethusi, abensimbi, abesigodo, labelitshe.
5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing,
Ngalesosikhathi kwaphuma iminwe yesandla somuntu, yabhala maqondana lesiqobane sesibane phezu kokubhadiweyo komduli wesigodlo senkosi; inkosi yasibona inhlanekela yesandla esasibhala.
6 his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
Khonokho ukucwebezela kobuso benkosi kwaphenduka, lemicabango yayo yayihlupha, kwaze kwaxega amalunga okhalo lwayo, lamadolo ayo atshayana.
7 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
Inkosi yamemeza ngamandla ukuthi balethe izangoma, amaKhaladiya, labalumbi. Inkosi yaphendula, yathi kwabahlakaniphileyo beBhabhiloni: Wonke umuntu ongafunda lumbhalo, angitshengise ingcazelo yawo, uzagqokiswa okuyibubende, leketane yegolide entanyeni yakhe, abe ngumbusi wesithathu embusweni.
8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.
Lapho bangena bonke abahlakaniphileyo benkosi; kodwa babengelakho ukuwubala umbhalo, lokwazisa inkosi ingcazelo yawo.
9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.
Lapho inkosi uBelishazari yethuka kakhulu, lokucwebezela kobuso bayo kwaphenduka kuyo, leziphathamandla zayo zadideka.
10 Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.
Indlovukazi, ngenxa yamazwi enkosi leziphathamandla zayo, yangena endlini yedili. Indlovukazi yaphendula yathi: Nkosi, phila kuze kube nininini! Imicabango yakho kayingakwethusi, lokucwebezela kobuso bakho kakungaphenduki.
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
Kulomuntu embusweni wakho okulomoya wabonkulunkulu abangcwele kuye; ngoba ensukwini zikayihlo kwatholwa kuye ukukhanya lokuqedisisa lenhlakanipho, njengenhlakanipho yabonkulunkulu; ngakho inkosi uNebhukadinezari uyihlo wamenza waba yinduna yezanuse, yezangoma, yamaKhaladiya, yabalumbi, uyihlo, nkosi.
12 did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”
Ngoba umoya owedlulisileyo, lolwazi, lokuqedisisa, ukuchasisa amaphupho, lokuchasisa imizekeliso, lokutshombulula amafindo, kwatholakala kuye, kuDaniyeli, inkosi eyamutha ibizo elithi uBeliteshazari. Khathesi kabizwe uDaniyeli, uzatshengisa ingcazelo.
13 So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
Lapho uDaniyeli walethwa phambi kwenkosi; inkosi yaphendula yathi kuDaniyeli: UngulowoDaniyeli, ongowabathunjwa bakoJuda, inkosi ubaba eyabaletha bevela koJuda yini?
14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
Sengizwile ngawe ukuthi umoya wabonkulunkulu ukuwe, lokuthi ukukhanya, lokuqedisisa, lenhlakanipho edlulisileyo kutholakala kuwe.
15 Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation.
Khathesi sebengenisiwe phambi kwami abahlakaniphileyo, izangoma, ukuze bawufunde lumbhalo, bangazise ingcazelo yawo; kodwa bebengelakho ukutshengisa ingcazelo yalinto.
16 But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
Kodwa mina ngizwile ngawe, ukuthi ulakho ukuchasisa izingcazelo, lokutshombulula amafindo. Khathesi uba ulakho ukufunda lumbhalo, ungazise ingcazelo yawo, uzagqokiswa okuyibubende, leketane yegolide entanyeni yakho, ube ngumbusi wesithathu embusweni.
17 In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.
Lapho uDaniyeli waphendula wathi phambi kwenkosi: Izipho zakho kazibe ngezakho, lemivuzo yakho uyinike omunye. Loba kunjalo ngizayifundela inkosi umbhalo, ngiyazise ingcazelo.
18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
Wena nkosi, uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wanika uNebhukadinezari uyihlo umbuso, lobukhulu, lodumo, lenkazimulo.
19 Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.
Langenxa yobukhulu amnika bona, bonke abantu, izizwe, lezindimi, bathuthumela besaba phambi kwakhe; lowo ayethanda wambulala, lalowo ayethanda wamgcina ephila, lalowo ayethanda wamphakamisa, lalowo ayethanda wamehlisela phansi.
20 But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.
Kodwa lapho inhliziyo yakhe yaziphakamisa, lenhliziyo yakhe yaba lukhuni ngokuzigqaja, wehliswa esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi sombuso, bamthathela udumo lwakhe.
21 He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
Wasexotshwa ebantwaneni babantu, lenhliziyo yakhe yenziwa yafanana leyenyamazana, lendawo yakhe yokuhlala yaba labobabhemi beganga; bamdlisa utshani njengenkabi, lomzimba wakhe waba manzi ngamazolo amazulu, waze wazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke uyabusa embusweni wabantu, lokuthi umisa phezu kwawo loba ngubani amthandayo.
22 But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.
Wena-ke, ndodana yakhe, Belishazari, kawuyithobisanga inhliziyo yakho, lanxa ukwazile konke lokhu.
23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
Kodwa uziphakamisile wamelana leNkosi yamazulu; njalo baletha izitsha zendlu yayo phambi kwakho; wena-ke, leziphathamandla zakho, omkakho, labafazi bakho abancane, lanathela kuzo iwayini; udumisile onkulunkulu besiliva, labegolide, abethusi, abensimbi, abesigodo, labelitshe, abangaboniyo labangezwayo, labangaziyo; kodwa uNkulunkulu omphefumulo wakho usesandleni sakhe, lozindlela zakho zonke zingezakhe, kawumdumisanga.
24 Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
Khonokho le inhlanekela yesandla yathunywa ivela kuye; lumbhalo wasubhalwa.
25 Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
Njalo nanku umbhalo owabhalwayo: MENE, MENE, TEKELI, UFARISINI.
26 And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
Nansi ingcazelo yalolulutho: MENE: UNkulunkulu ubalile umbuso wakho, wawuqeda.
27 TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
TEKELI: Ulinganisiwe esilinganisweni, watholwa usilela.
28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
UPERESI: Umbuso wakho wehlukanisiwe, wanikwa amaMede lamaPerisiya.
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
Lapho uBelishazari walaya, basebemgqokisa uDaniyeli ngokuyibubende, leketane yegolide entanyeni yakhe, basebememezela ngaye ukuthi abe ngumbusi wesithathu embusweni.
30 That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain,
Ngalobobusuku uBelishazari inkosi yamaKhaladiya wabulawa.
31 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
UDariyusi umMede wasesemukela umbuso, eleminyaka phose engamatshumi ayisithupha lambili.

< Daniel 5 >