< Daniel 4 >

1 King Nebuchadnezzar, to people of every nation and language in the whole world: I wish you well!
Inkosi uNebhukhadineza, Ezizweni zonke lebantwini benhlanga zonke abahlala emhlabeni wonke: Sengathi inganda kini inhlalakahle!
2 It is my pleasure to share with you an account of the signs and wonders the Most High God has done for me.
Kuyintokozo kimi ukulitshela ngezibonakaliso ezimangalisayo lezinkinga uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke angenzele zona.
3 His signs are incredible. His wonders are amazing! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and his rule will last for all generations!
Zinkulu kangakanani izibonakaliso zakhe,
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was doing well at home, living happily in my palace.
Mina, Nebhukhadineza, ngangisekhaya esigodlweni sami, nganelisiwe njalo ngikhomba ngophakathi.
5 But then one night I had a dream that really scared me—I saw visions that terrified me while I lay in my bed.
Ngehlelwa liphupho elangitshayisa uvalo. Ngathi ngilele embhedeni wami kwafika engqondweni yami izifanekiso lezibonakaliso ezangithuthumelisayo.
6 So I ordered all the wise men of Babylon brought before me to explain the dream to me.
Ngasengilaya ukuthi zonke izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni zilethwe phambi kwami ukuthi zingihlahlulele lelophupho.
7 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in I told them the dream, but they couldn't explain to me what it meant.
Kwathi sebefikile omasalamusi, lezangoma, lezingcazi zezinkanyezi lezanuse ngazitshela lelophupho kodwa zehluleka ukungichasisela lona.
8 In the end Daniel came before me and I told him the dream. (He is also called Belteshazzar after my god, and he has the spirit of the holy gods in him.)
Ekucineni uDanyeli wafika kimi ngamtshela ngephupho lelo. (Uthiwa nguBhelitheshazari, ngokuphathelene lebizo likankulunkulu wami, njalo umoya wabonkulunkulu abangcwele uphakathi kwakhe.)
9 “Belteshazzar, chief of magicians,” I said, “I certainly know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is difficult for you to explain. So tell me about what I saw in my dream and explain what it means.
Ngathi kuye, Bhelitheshazari, nduna yabomasalamusi, ngiyazi ukuthi umoya wabonkulunkulu abangcwele uphakathi kwakho, njalo kakukho okuyinkinga kuwe. Nanti iphupho lami; ngihlahlulela lona.
10 As I lay in bed dreaming, I saw a tree in the middle of the earth—a really large tree.
Yile imibono eyangivelelayo ngilele embhedeni wami: Ngakhangela, ngabona kumi phambi kwami isihlahla phakathi komango. Ubude baso babule.
11 It grew strong and tall, reaching high into the sky so it could be seen by everyone in the whole world.
Isihlahla sakhula saba sikhulu saqina, isiqongo saso sakhotha umkhathi; sasibonakala lasemikhawulweni yomhlaba.
12 Its leaves were beautiful, and it was full of fruit for all to eat. Wild animals rested in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. It fed all living creatures.
Amahlamvu aso ayebukeka, izithelo zaso zinengi kuso kukhona ukudla kwakho konke. Ngaphansi kwaso izinyamazana zeganga zafumana isiphephelo lezinyoni zemoyeni zazihlala emagatsheni aso; zonke izidalwa zisongiwa kuso.
13 As I went on dreaming, lying on my bed, I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
Ezibonakalisweni ezeza ngilele embhedeni wami, ngakhangela, ngabona khonapho phambi kwami kulesithunywa, singongcwele, sisehla sisuka ezulwini.
14 He cried out in a loud voice, ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Drive the animals away from its shade, and scare off the birds from its branches.
Samemeza ngelizwi elikhulu sathi: Gamulelani phansi isihlahla licakaze amagatsha aso; liwaphundle amahlamvu aso lihlakaze izithelo zaso. Yekelani izinyamazana zibaleke ngaphansi kwaso kanye lezinyoni emagatsheni aso.
15 But leave the stump and its roots in the ground, and bind it with iron and bronze, surrounded by the new grass of the field. Let him become soaked with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals outside in the undergrowth.
Kodwa akuthi isidindi saso kanye lempande zakhona kusale kugxumekile emhlabathini phakathi kotshani beganga, kubotshiwe ngensimbi langethusi. Kagxanxwe ngamazolo avela phezulu, njalo kahlale lezinyamazana phakathi kwezihlahla zeganga.
16 Let his mind become like that of an animal. Let him be like this for seven times.
Ingqondo yakhe kayiguqulwe isuke ebuntwini, aphiwe ingqondo yenyamazana, kuze kudlule iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
17 This is the decree conveyed by the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones in order that everyone alive may know that the Most High rules over human kingdoms. He gives them to whoever he chooses—he puts the most humble individuals in charge.’
“‘Isinqumo lesi sibikwa yizithunywa, zona ezingcwele yizo ezimemezela lesi isigwebo, ukuze kuthi abaphilayo bazi ukuthi oPhezukonke unguThixo yemibuso yabantu njalo uyabanikela loba kukubani amfunayo futhi enze babuswe ngumuntukazana.’
18 This is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw in my dream. Now it's up to you, Belteshazzar, to give me the explanation as you have before. None of the wise men in my kingdom could explain it to me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Yilo iphupho engibe lalo mina inkosi uNebhukhadineza. Manje-ke Bhelitheshazari, ngitshela ukuthi litshoni, ngoba kasikho isihlakaniphi embusweni wami esingangihlahlulela lona. Kodwa wena ungakwenza, ngoba umoya wabonkulunkulu abangcwele uphakathi kwakho.”
19 When Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) heard this, he was upset for a while, disturbed as he thought about it. The king told him, “Belteshazzar, don't be worried about the dream and what it means.” “My lord, I only wish this dream was for those who hate you and the explanation for your enemies,” Daniel replied.
Yikho uDanyeli (njalo othiwa nguBhelitheshazari) wakhathazeka kakhulu okwesikhathi esithile, imicabango yakhe yamethusa. Yikho inkosi yasisithi, “Bhelitheshazari, ungethuswa liphupho lelo kumbe yincazelo yalo.” UBhelitheshazari waphendula wathi, Nkosi yami, sengathi ngabe iphupho lelo liqonde labo abayizitha zakho lengcazelo yalo ikhomba labo abakuzondayo!
20 “The tree you saw was growing strong and tall, reaching high into the sky so it could be seen by everyone in the whole world.
Isihlahla osibonileyo, esakhula saba sikhulu saqina, isiqongo saso sikhotha isibhakabhaka size sibonakale emhlabeni wonke,
21 Its leaves were beautiful, and it was full of fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived under its shade, and birds nested in its branches.
silamahlamvu abukekayo lezithelo ezinengi, sisipha ukudla kukho konke, siphe isiphephelo izinyamazana zeganga, emagatsheni aso silezindawo zezidleke zezinyoni zemoyeni,
22 This is you, Your Majesty. You have grown strong, your power has become so great that it has reached high into the sky, and your rule extends to the ends of the earth.
wena, Oh nkosi, uyilesosihlahla! Usube mkhulu waba lamandla; ubukhulu bakho sebandile sebuze buthinta isibhakabhaka, lombuso wakho usufinyelela ezindaweni ezikude ezomhlaba.
23 Then Your Majesty saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven who said, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump and its roots in the ground, and bind it with iron and bronze, surrounded by the new grass of the field. Let him become soaked with the dew of heaven and let him live with the animals outside in the undergrowth. Let his mind become like that of an animal. Let him be like this for seven times.’
“Wena, Oh nkosi, wabona isithunywa, sona esingcwele, sisehla sivela ezulwini sisithi, ‘Sigamuleleni phansi isihlahla lisicakaze, kodwa litshiye isidindi, sibotshiwe ngensimbi langethusi, siphakathi kotshani beganga, impande zaso zisale emhlabathini. Kagxanxwe ngamazolo aphezulu; kaphile njengezinyamazana zeganga kuze kudlule iminyaka eyisikhombisa.’
24 This is what it means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has decreed will happen to my lord the king.
Nansi ingcazelo, Oh nkosi, njalo lesi yisimiso soPhezukonke asimisele umhlekazi wami inkosi:
25 You will be driven away from human society and you will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like the cattle, and you will be soaked with the dew of heaven. You will be like this for seven times until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over human kingdoms, and that he gives them to those he chooses.
Uzaxotshwa ebantwini uyehlala lezinyamazana zeganga: uzakudla utshani njengezinkomo, ugxanxwe ngamazolo aphezulu. Kuzakudlula iminyaka eyisikhombisa uze uvume ukuthi oPhezukonke uyabusa phezu kwemibuso yabantu ayinika ingqe ngulowo amthandayo.
26 However, as it was decreed, the stump and its roots were to be left in the ground. Your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
Umlayo wokutshiya isidindi kanye lezimpande zaso utsho ukuthi umbuso wakho uzabuyiselwa kuwe nxatshana usuvuma ukuthi iZulu liyabusa.
27 So, Your Majesty, please take my advice. Stop sinning and do what's right. End your iniquities and be merciful to the oppressed. Maybe then things will continue to go well for you.”
Ngakho-ke, Oh nkosi, kuhle ukuthi wamukele ukucebisa kwami: Yekela izono zakho wenze okulungileyo, lobubi bakho ube lomusa kwabancindezelweyo. Lapho-ke mhlawumbe ukuphumelela kwakho kungaqhubeka.”
28 (However, all this did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar.
Konke lokhu kwenzakala enkosini uNebhukhadineza.
29 Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon.
Sekudlule izinyanga ezilitshumi lambili, inkosi ihambahamba ephahleni lwesigodlo saseBhabhiloni,
30 He said, “I was the one who built this great city of Babylon! By my own great power I built it as my royal residence for my majestic glory!”
yathi, “Kakusilo yini iBhabhiloni leli engalakha laba ngumuzi wobukhosi bami na?”
31 The words were still on the king's lips when a voice came from heaven, “King Nebuchadnezzar, this is what is decreed concerning you: the kingdom has been taken away from you.
Kwathi amazwi la elokhu esesemlonyeni wakhe kwehla ilizwi livela ezulwini lathi, “Nanku osukunqunyelwe, nkosi Nebhukhadineza: Amandla akho obukhosi asesusiwe kuwe.
32 You will be driven away from human society and you will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like the cattle, and you will become soaked with the dew of heaven. You will be like this for seven times until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over human kingdoms, and that he gives them to whoever he chooses.”
Uzaxotshwa ebantwini uyehlala lezinyamazana zeganga; uzakudla utshani njengezinkomo. Kuzadlula iminyaka eyisikhombisa uze uvume ukuthi oPhezukonke uyabusa phezu kwemibuso yabantu ayiphe ingqe ngubani ngokuthanda kwakhe.”
33 Immediately the decree was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven away from human society. He ate grass like the cattle, and his body was soaked with the dew of heaven. His hair grew matted like a vulture, and his nails like bird claws.)
Masinyane nje okwakutshiwo ngoNebhukhadineza kwagcwaliseka. Waxotshwa ebantwini wadla utshani njengezinkomo. Umzimba wakhe wagxanxwa ngamazolo aphezulu, inwele zakhe zakhula njengezinsiba zengqungqulu, kwathi inzipho zakhe zaba njengenkumba zenyoni.
34 Once the time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven and my sanity returned to me. I blessed and praised the Most High and worshiped the One who lives forever. His rule is an eternal rule, and his kingdom lasts for all generations.
Ekupheleni kwalesosikhathi, mina, Nebhukhadineza, ngaphakamisela amehlo ami ezulwini, ingqondo yami yabuya. Ngasengimdumisa oPhezukonke; ngambabaza, ngambonga yena ohlezi kuze kube phakade.
35 Everyone who lives on earth are as nothing compared to him. He does whatever he chooses among the heavenly host and among those who live on earth. No one can hold him back from what he does, or ask him, “What are you doing?”
Imihlobo yonke yabantu bomhlaba
36 When my sanity returned, then my kingdom, majesty, and splendor also returned to me. My advisors and nobles came looking for me, and I was restored as ruler over my kingdom, even greater than before.
Ngasonalesosikhathi ingqondo yami yabuya, udumo lwami lenkazimulo yami kwabuyiswa kimi ukusekela ubukhosi bombuso wami. Abeluleki bami lezikhulu zami bangidinga bangibuyisela esihlalweni sami sobukhosi, ngase ngisiba mkhulu kulakuqala.
37 So now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, honor, and glorify the King of Heaven, for everything he does is right, and his ways are true. He is able to humble those who are proud.
Ngakho-ke mina, Nebhukhadineza, ngiyayidumisa njalo ngiyayibabaza, ngiyiphakamise iNkosi yezulu, ngoba konke ekwenzayo kuqondile futhi lezindlela zayo zonke zilungile. Njalo bonke abazigqajayo iyabathobisa.

< Daniel 4 >