Daniel 1
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakhimi inkosi yakwaJuda, uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wafika eJerusalema walihanqa.
2 And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.
UThixo wanikela uJehoyakhimi inkosi yakwaJuda ezandleni zakhe, kanye lezinye impahla zethempeli likaNkulunkulu. Konke wakuthwala wakusa ethempelini likankulunkulu wakhe eBhabhiloniya wakufaka endlini yenotho kankulunkulu wakhe.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—
Kwathi-ke inkosi yasilaya u-Ashiphenazi, induna yezikhulu zesigodlo sayo ukuthi alethe abanye bama-Israyeli besikhosini lasezikhulwini,
4 young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
amajaha amizimba ingelasici, amahle, atshengisa ukufundiseka ezintweni zonke, azi okunengi, aphangisayo ukuzwisisa njalo abonakala efanele ukukhonza esigodlweni senkosi. Ayemele awafundise ulimi lezincwadi zamaBhabhiloni.
5 The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.
Inkosi yababela ukudla okukhethiweyo okwansuku zonke kanye lewayini kuthathwa kokwakulungiselwe inkosi. Babezafundiswa okweminyaka emithathu, kuthi ngemva kwalokho baqalise ukusebenza esigodlweni.
6 Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Phakathi kwalabo babekhona ababephuma koJuda: uDanyeli, loHananiya, loMishayeli kanye lo-Azariya.
7 The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
Indunankulu yabanika amabizo amatsha: uDanyeli kwathiwa nguBhelitheshazari; uHananiya waba nguShadreki, uMishayeli waba nguMeshaki; u-Azariya waba ngu-Abhediniko.
8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
Kodwa uDanyeli wazimisela ukuthi angazingcolisi ngokudla kwesikhosini lewayini lakhona, yikho wasecela kundunankulu imvumo yokuthi angazingcolisi kanjalo.
9 Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,
UNkulunkulu wayekwenzile ukuthi Indunankulu imthande njalo imhawukele uDanyeli,
10 but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”
kodwa wathi kuDanyeli, “Ngiyamesaba umhlekazi wami inkosi, onguye okumisileyo ukudla kwenu lokokunatha. Kambe akayikulibona yini selikhangeleka kubi kulamanye amajaha angontanga benu? Inkosi ingahle ingiqume ikhanda ngenxa yenu.”
11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
UDanyeli wasesithi enxuseni elalibekwe yindunankulu phezu kwaboDanyeli, loHananiya, loMishayeli lo-Azariya,
12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink.
“Ake uzilinge izinceku zakho okwensuku ezilitshumi nje: Ungasiphi lutho ngaphandle kwemibhida ukuba sidle yona lamanzi okunatha.
13 Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
Lapho-ke ubusufananisa imizimba yethu laleyo eyamajaha adla ukudla kwesikhosini, ubususenza njengokubona kwakho ezincekwini zakho.”
14 So he consented to this and tested them for ten days.
Lakanye inxusa lakuvuma lokho labalinga okwensuku ezilitshumi.
15 And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food.
Ekupheleni kwensuku ezilitshumi bakhangeleka bephila ngcono njalo bezimukile kulamajaha ayesidla ukudla kwesikhosini.
16 So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.
Yikho inxusa laselisusa ukudla kwabo kwekhethelo kanye lewayini ababelinatha labapha imibhida.
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
La amajaha amane uNkulunkulu wawanika ulwazi lokuzwisisa zonke izibhalo lemfundo. Njalo uDanyeli wayezwisisa imibono lamaphupho wonke ehlukeneyo.
18 Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
Ekupheleni kwesikhathi esasibekwe yinkosi ukuthi balethwe, indunankulu yabethula kuNebhukhadineza.
19 And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.
Inkosi yakhuluma labo yafumana engekho olingana loDanyeli, loHananiya, loMishayeli kanye lo-Azariya; ngakho bangeniswa ukusebenzela inkosi.
20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
Kuzozonke izindaba zokuhlakanipha lokuzwisisa inkosi eyababuza ngazo yabafumana bebedlula bonke omasalamusi lezangoma ngokuphindwe katshumi kuwo wonke umbuso wayo.
21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
UDanyeli wahlala khona kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wokuqala weNkosi uKhurosi.
