Daniel 1
1 During the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem and surrounded it.
Katika mwaka wa tatu wa utawala wa Yehoyakimu mfalme wa Yuda, Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli alikuja Yerusalemu na kuuzunguka mji ili kuzuia mahitaji yake yote.
2 The Lord allowed him to defeat King Jehoiakim, and also to remove some of the objects used in the Temple of God. He took them back to Babylon, to the house of his god, placing them in the treasury of his god.
Bwana alimpa Nebukadneza ushindi dhidi ya Yehoyakimu mfalme wa Yuda, na alimpatia vitu vitakatifu kutoka nyumba ya Mungu. Alivipeleka vitu hivyo mpaka katika nchi ya Babeli, kwa nyumba ya mungu wake, na aliviweka vitu vitakatifu katika hazina ya mungu wake.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to take charge of some of the captured Israelites from the royal and noble families,
Mfalme akamwambia Ashipenazi, afisa wake mkuu, awalete baadhi ya watu wa Israeli, wa familia ya kifalme na za kiungwana -
4 “They are to be young men without any physical defect who are good-looking,” he said. “They must be well-educated, quick to learn, have good insight, and be well able to serve in the king's palace and be taught the literature and language of Babylon.”
vijana wasio na hila, wenye mwonekano wa kuvutia, wenye ujuzi katika hekima yote, wenye kujawa na ufahamu na weledi, na wenye sifa za kutumika katika ikulu ya mfalme. Alitakiwa kuwafundisha maandiko na lugha ya Babeli.
5 The king also provided them with a daily allowance of the same kind of rich food and wine he was served. At the end of their three years of education they would enter the king's service.
Mfalme aliwatengea kwa ajili yao fungu kutoka katika chakula chake kizuri kwa kila siku na katika divai aliyokunywa. Vijana hawa walitakiwa kufunzwa kwa miaka mitatu, na baada ya hapo, wangeweza kumtumikia mfalme.
6 Among those chosen were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah.
Miongoni mwao walikuwa ni Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli, na Azaria, baadhi ya watu wa Yuda.
7 The chief eunuch gave them new names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
Afisa mkuu aliwapa majina: Danieli alimwita Belteshaza, Hanania alimwita Shadraka, Mishaeli alimwita Meshaki, na Azaria alimwita Abedinego.
8 However, Daniel made up his mind not to make himself impure by eating the king's rich food and wine. He asked the chief eunuch to allow him not to make himself impure.
Lakini Danieli alinuia katika akili yake kuwa asingejitia ujanisi mwenyewe kwa chakula kizuri cha mfalme wala kwa divai ambayo alikunywa.
9 God had helped Daniel to be viewed with kindness and sympathy by the chief eunuch.
Basi, aliomba ruhusa kutoka kwa afisa mkuu ili kwamba asije akajitia uchafu yeye mwenyewe. Hivyo, Mungu alimpa Danieli kibali na huruma kupitia katika heshima ambayo afisa mkuu alikuwa nayo kwake.
10 But the chief eunuch told Daniel, “I'm afraid of what my lord the king would do to me. He's the one who decided what you should eat and drink. What if he were to see you looking pale and sickly compared to the other young men of your age. Because of you the king would have my head!”
Afisa mkuu alimwambia Danieli, “Ninamwogopa bwana wangu mfalme. Ameagiza aina ya chakula na vinywaji mnavyotakiwa kutumia. Kwa nini awaone ninyi mkiwa mnaonekana vibaya kuliko vijana wengine wa umri wenu? Mfalme aweza kukitwaa kichwa changu kwa sababu yenu.
11 Daniel then spoke with the guard that the chief eunuch had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Kisha Daniel akamwambia msimamizi ambaye afisa mkuu alikuwa amemweka juu ya Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli, na Azaria.
12 “Please put us, your servants, to the test and just give us vegetables to eat and water to drink for ten days,” Daniel told him.
Alisema, “Tafadhari tujaribuni, sisi watumishi wako kwa siku kumi. Tupatieni tu mboga mboga za kula na maji ya kunywa.
13 “After that, compare us with those young men who ate the king's rich food. Then decide on the basis of what you see.”
Kisha ulinganishe mwonekano wetu na mwonekano wa vijana wanaokula vyakula vya mfalme, na mtutendee, sisi watu wako kulingana na kile unachokiona.”'
14 The guard agreed to the proposal they made and tested them for ten days.
Hivyo msimamizi alikubaliana naye kufanya hivi, na aliwajaribu kwa siku kumi.
15 When the ten days were up they looked healthier and better fed than all the young men who had eaten the king's rich food.
Katika mwisho wa siku kumi mwonekano wao ulikuwa ni wenye afya nzuri kuliko wa wale vijana waliokula vyakula vya kifalme.
16 After that the guard didn't give them the rich food and wine, just vegetables.
Basi, msimamizi aliliondoa fungu lao la chakula na vivywaji vyao na walipewa mboga mboga tu.
17 God gave these four young men the ability to learn and understand in all areas of literature and knowledge, while Daniel was also given the gift of interpreting all kinds of visions and dreams.
Na kuhusu vijana hawa nne Mungu aliwapa uelewa na ufahamu katika maandiko yote na hekima, na Danieli aliweza kupambanua aina zote za maono na ndoto.
18 When their time of education ordered by the king was over, the chief eunuch brought all the young men before King Nebuchadnezzar.
Katika mwisho wa muda uliokuwa umepangwa na mfalme kuwaleta ndani, afisa mkuu aliwaleta mbele ya Nebukadneza.
19 The king talked with them and none could compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king's service.
Mfalme aliongea nao, na miongoni mwa kundi lote hapo hapakuwa na wa kuwalinganisha na akina Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli, na Azaria. Walisimama mbele ya mfalme, wakiwa tayari kumtumikia.
20 Whatever subject the king asked them about, everything that required wisdom of understanding, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
Katika kila swali la hekima na ufahamu ambalo mfalme aliwauliza, aliwakuta wakiwa na uwezo mara kumi kuliko waganga wote na wale waliojidai kusema na wafu, waliokuwa katika ufalme wake wote.
21 Daniel remained in this position until the first year of King Cyrus' reign.
Danieli alikuwa hapo mpaka mwaka wa kwanza wa Mfalme Koreshi.
