< Daniel 1 >
1 In the third year of the rule of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, shutting it in with his forces.
Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakhimi inkosi yakwaJuda, uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wafika eJerusalema walihanqa.
2 And the Lord gave into his hands Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he took them away into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he put the vessels into the store-house 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 And the king gave orders to Ashpenaz, the captain of his unsexed servants, to take in some of the children of Israel, certain of the king's family, and those of high birth;
Kwathi-ke inkosi yasilaya u-Ashiphenazi, induna yezikhulu zesigodlo sayo ukuthi alethe abanye bama-Israyeli besikhosini lasezikhulwini,
4 Young men who were strong and healthy, good-looking, and trained in all wisdom, having a good education and much knowledge, and able to take positions in the king's house; and to have them trained in the writing and language of the Chaldaeans.
amajaha amizimba ingelasici, amahle, atshengisa ukufundiseka ezintweni zonke, azi okunengi, aphangisayo ukuzwisisa njalo abonakala efanele ukukhonza esigodlweni senkosi. Ayemele awafundise ulimi lezincwadi zamaBhabhiloni.
5 And a regular amount of food and wine every day from the king's table was ordered for them by the king; and they were to be cared for for three years so that at the end of that time they might take their places before the king.
Inkosi yababela ukudla okukhethiweyo okwansuku zonke kanye lewayini kuthathwa kokwakulungiselwe inkosi. Babezafundiswa okweminyaka emithathu, kuthi ngemva kwalokho baqalise ukusebenza esigodlweni.
6 And among these there were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Phakathi kwalabo babekhona ababephuma koJuda: uDanyeli, loHananiya, loMishayeli kanye lo-Azariya.
7 And the captain of the unsexed servants gave them names; to Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar, to Hananiah the name of Shadrach, to Mishael the name of Meshach, and to Azariah the name of Abed-nego.
Indunankulu yabanika amabizo amatsha: uDanyeli kwathiwa nguBhelitheshazari; uHananiya waba nguShadreki, uMishayeli waba nguMeshaki; u-Azariya waba ngu-Abhediniko.
8 And Daniel had come to the decision that he would not make himself unclean with the king's food or wine; so he made a request to the captain of the unsexed servants that he might not make himself unclean.
Kodwa uDanyeli wazimisela ukuthi angazingcolisi ngokudla kwesikhosini lewayini lakhona, yikho wasecela kundunankulu imvumo yokuthi angazingcolisi kanjalo.
9 And God put into the heart of the captain of the unsexed servants kind feelings and pity for Daniel.
UNkulunkulu wayekwenzile ukuthi Indunankulu imthande njalo imhawukele uDanyeli,
10 And the captain of the unsexed servants said to Daniel, I am in fear of my lord the king, who has given orders about your food and your drink; what if he sees you looking less happy than the other young men of your generation? then you would have put my head in danger from 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 keeper in whose care the captain of the unsexed servants had put Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
UDanyeli wasesithi enxuseni elalibekwe yindunankulu phezu kwaboDanyeli, loHananiya, loMishayeli lo-Azariya,
12 Put your servants to the test for ten days; let them give us grain for our food and water for our drink.
“Ake uzilinge izinceku zakho okwensuku ezilitshumi nje: Ungasiphi lutho ngaphandle kwemibhida ukuba sidle yona lamanzi okunatha.
13 Then take a look at our faces and the faces of the young men who have food from the king's table; and, having seen them, do to your servants as it seems right to you.
Lapho-ke ubusufananisa imizimba yethu laleyo eyamajaha adla ukudla kwesikhosini, ubususenza njengokubona kwakho ezincekwini zakho.”
14 So he gave ear to them in this thing and put them to the test for ten days.
Lakanye inxusa lakuvuma lokho labalinga okwensuku ezilitshumi.
15 And at the end of ten days their faces seemed fairer and they were fatter in flesh than all the young men who had their food from the king's table.
Ekupheleni kwensuku ezilitshumi bakhangeleka bephila ngcono njalo bezimukile kulamajaha ayesidla ukudla kwesikhosini.
16 So the keeper regularly took away their meat and the wine which was to have been their drink, and gave them grain.
Yikho inxusa laselisusa ukudla kwabo kwekhethelo kanye lewayini ababelinatha labapha imibhida.
17 Now as for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and made them expert in all book-learning and wisdom: and Daniel was wise in all 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 fixed by the king for them to go in, the captain of the unsexed servants took them in to Nebuchadnezzar.
Ekupheleni kwesikhathi esasibekwe yinkosi ukuthi balethwe, indunankulu yabethula kuNebhukhadineza.
19 And the king had talk with them; and among them all there was no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they were given places before the king.
Inkosi yakhuluma labo yafumana engekho olingana loDanyeli, loHananiya, loMishayeli kanye lo-Azariya; ngakho bangeniswa ukusebenzela inkosi.
20 And in any business needing wisdom and good sense, about which the king put questions to them, he saw that they were ten times better than all the wonder-workers and users of secret arts in all his kingdom.
Kuzozonke izindaba zokuhlakanipha lokuzwisisa inkosi eyababuza ngazo yabafumana bebedlula bonke omasalamusi lezangoma ngokuphindwe katshumi kuwo wonke umbuso wayo.
21 And Daniel went on till the first year of King Cyrus.
UDanyeli wahlala khona kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wokuqala weNkosi uKhurosi.