< Daniel 2 >

1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep broke from him.
Ngomnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaNebhukadinezari, uNebhukadinezari waphupha amaphupho; umoya wakhe wasukhathazeka, lobuthongo bakhe basuka kuye.
2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
Inkosi yasisithi kubizwe izanuse lezangoma labavumisayo lamaKhaladiya, ukuze batshengise inkosi amaphupho ayo. Beza-ke, bema phambi kwenkosi.
3 And the king said unto them: 'I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.'
Inkosi yasisithi kubo: Ngiphuphe iphupho; umoya wami wasukhathazeka ukulazi iphupho.
4 Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in Aramaic: 'O king, live for ever! tell thy servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation.'
AmaKhaladiya asekhuluma enkosini ngesiAramu: Nkosi, phila kuze kube nininini! Tshela inceku zakho iphupho, thina sizatshengisa ingcazelo.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans: 'The thing is certain with me; if ye make not known unto me the dream and the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
Inkosi yaphendula yathi kumaKhaladiya: Into isisukile kimi; uba lingayikungazisa iphupho lengcazelo yalo, lizakwenziwa iziqa, lezindlu zenu zenziwe inqumbi yomquba.
6 But if ye declare the dream and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour; only declare unto me the dream and the interpretation thereof.'
Kodwa uba litshengisa iphupho lengcazelo yalo, lizakwemukela kimi izipho lomvuzo lodumo olukhulu. Ngakho ngitshengisani iphupho lengcazelo yalo.
7 They answered the second time and said: 'Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation.'
Baphendula okwesibili bathi: Inkosi kayitshele inceku zayo iphupho, thina sizabonisa ingcazelo yalo.
8 The king answered and said: 'I know of a truth that ye would gain time, inasmuch as ye see the thing is certain with me,
Inkosi yaphendula yathi: Mina ngiyazi isibili ukuthi lithenga isikhathi, ngoba liyabona ukuthi into isukile kimi.
9 that, if ye make not known unto me the dream, there is but one law for you; and ye have agreed together to speak before me lying and corrupt words, till the time be changed; only tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can declare unto me the interpretation thereof.'
Kodwa uba lingangazisi iphupho, kulesimiso esisodwa ngani; ngoba livumelene ukukhuluma ilizwi lamanga elikhohlakeleyo phambi kwami, kuze kuguquke isikhathi. Ngakho ngitshelani iphupho, besengisazi ukuthi lingangitshela ingcazelo yalo.
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: 'There is not a man upon the earth that can declare the king's matter; forasmuch as no great and powerful king hath asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.
AmaKhaladiya aphendula phambi kwenkosi, athi: Kakulamuntu emhlabeni olakho ukutshengisa udaba lwenkosi; ngakho kayikho inkosi enkulu kumbe umbusi owake wabuza into enje kuloba yisiphi isanuse kumbe isangoma kumbe umKhaladiya.
11 And it is a hard thing that the king asketh, and there is none other that can declare it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.'
Futhi kuyinto enzima inkosi eyibuzayo, njalo kakho omunye ongayibonisa phambi kwenkosi, ngaphandle kwabonkulunkulu, okuhlala kwabo kakukho kwabasenyameni.
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Ngenxa yalokhu inkosi yaba lolaka yathukuthela kakhulu, yalaya ukuthi kubhujiswe bonke abahlakaniphileyo beBhabhiloni.
13 So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
Kwasekuphuma isimiso, ukuthi abahlakaniphileyo babulawe; basebedinga uDaniyeli labangane bakhe ukuthi babulawe.
14 Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and discretion to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon;
Lapho uDaniyeli wabuyisela icebo lokuqonda kuAriyoki induna yabalindi benkosi, owayephumele ukubulala abahlakaniphileyo beBhabhiloni.
15 he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain: 'Wherefore is the decree so peremptory from the king?' Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
Waphendula wathi kuAriyoki induna yenkosi: Kungani isimiso singesesiphangiphangi esivela enkosini? Lapho uAriyoki wamazisa uDaniyeli indaba.
16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, that he might declare unto the king the interpretation.
UDaniyeli wasengena, wacela enkosini ukuthi imnike isikhathi sokuthi ayitshengise inkosi ingcazelo.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions;
UDaniyeli wasesiya endlini yakhe, wabazisa oHananiya, uMishayeli, loAzariya, abangane bakhe, loludaba;
18 that they might ask mercy of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
ukuze bacele izihawu kuNkulunkulu wezulu ngalimfihlakalo; ukuze bangabhubhi oDaniyeli labangane bakhe kanye labanye abahlakaniphileyo beBhabhiloni.
19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Lapho imfihlakalo yembulelwa uDaniyeli embonweni wobusuku. UDaniyeli wasemdumisa uNkulunkulu wamazulu.
20 Daniel spoke and said: Blessed be the name of God from everlasting even unto everlasting; for wisdom and might are His;
UDaniyeli waphendula wathi: Kalidunyiswe ibizo likaNkulunkulu kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade, ngoba inhlakanipho lamandla kungokwakhe.
21 And He changeth the times and the seasons; He removeth kings, and setteth up kings; He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding;
Ngoba uyaguqula izikhathi lezikhathi ezimisiweyo, uyasusa amakhosi, amise amakhosi, upha inhlakanipho kwabahlakaniphileyo, lolwazi kulabo abazi ukuqedisisa.
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things; He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him.
Uyembula okujulileyo lokufihlakeleyo, uyakwazi okusemnyameni, lokukhanya kuhlala kanye laye.
23 I thank Thee, and praise Thee, O Thou God of my fathers, who hath given me wisdom and might, and hast now made known unto me what we desired of Thee; for Thou hast made known unto us the king's matter.
Ngiyakubonga ngikudumise, wena Nkulunkulu wabobaba, ongiphe inhlakanipho lamandla, ongazise khathesi lokho esikucelileyo kuwe, ngoba usazisile udaba lwenkosi.
24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus unto him: 'Destroy not the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will declare unto the king the interpretation.'
Ngakho uDaniyeli wangena kuAriyoki, inkosi eyayimmisele ukuthi abhubhise abahlakaniphileyo beBhabhiloni; wahamba, wakhuluma kanje kuye: Ungabhubhisi abahlakaniphileyo beBhabhiloni; ngingenisa phambi kwenkosi, mina ngizayitshengisa inkosi ingcazelo.
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him: 'I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.'
Lapho uAriyoki wangenisa uDaniyeli phambi kwenkosi ngokuphangisa, watsho njalo kuyo: Ngithole indoda kwabathunjiweyo bakoJuda, ezakwazisa inkosi ingcazelo.
26 The king spoke and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar: 'Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?'
Inkosi yaphendula yathi kuDaniyeli, obizo lakhe lalinguBeliteshazari: Ulakho yini ukungazisa iphupho engilibonileyo, lengcazelo yalo?
27 Daniel answered before the king, and said: 'The secret which the king hath asked can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor astrologers, declare unto the king;
UDaniyeli waphendula phambi kwenkosi, wathi: Imfihlakalo inkosi eyibuzayo, abahlakaniphileyo, izangoma, izanuse, abalumbi bangeyibonise inkosi.
28 but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and He hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the end of days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these:
Kodwa ukhona uNkulunkulu emazulwini owembula izimfihlakalo, uyitshengisile inkosi uNebhukadinezari okuzakwenzeka ekucineni kwezinsuku; iphupho lakho lemibono yekhanda lakho embhedeni wakho yilokhu:
29 as for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter; and He that revealeth secrets hath made known to thee what shall come to pass.
Wena, nkosi, usembhedeni wakho kwavela imicabango yakho ngalokhu okuzakwenzeka emva kwalokhu; lalowo owembula izimfihlakalo ukwazisile wena lokho okuzakwenzeka.
30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that thou mayest know the thoughts of thy heart.
Mayelana lami, limfihlakalo yembulwa kimi hatshi ngenxa yenhlakanipho ephakathi kwami okwedlula bonke abaphilayo, kodwa ukuthi kwaziswe ingcazelo enkosini, lokuthi wazi imicabango yenhliziyo yakho.
31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was surpassing, stood before thee; and the appearance thereof was terrible.
Wena nkosi, wabona, khangela-ke, isithombe esikhulu. Lesisithombe esikhulu, okukhazimula kwaso kwakusedlulisa, sema phambi kwakho; lesimo saso sasisesabeka.
32 As for that image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass,
Ikhanda lalesisithombe lalingelegolide elihle, isifuba saso lengalo zaso kwakungokwesiliva, isisu saso lamathangazi aso kwakungokwethusi,
33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay.
imilenze yaso yayingeyensimbi, inyawo zaso ingxenye yayingeyensimbi lengxenye yayingeyebumba.
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.
Wasubona kwaze kwasikwa ilitshe kungengezandla, elatshaya isithombe ezinyaweni zaso ezensimbi lebumba, lazichoboza.
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Kwasekuchotshozwa ndawonye insimbi, ibumba, ithusi, isiliva, legolide, kwaba njengamakhoba amabala okubhulela ehlobo, lomoya wakususa, akwaze kwatholelwa ndawo. Njalo ilitshe elatshaya isithombe laba yintaba enkulu, lagcwalisa umhlaba wonke.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
Yilo lelo iphupho; sesizakutsho ingcazelo yalo phambi kwenkosi.
37 Thou, O king, king of kings, unto whom the God of heaven hath given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;
Wena, nkosi, uyinkosi yamakhosi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wamazulu ukunikile umbuso, amandla, lokuqina, lodumo.
38 and wheresoever the children of men, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the heaven dwell, hath He given them into thy hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all; thou art the head of gold.
Njalo loba kungaphi lapho abantwana babantu abahlezi khona, izinyamazana zeganga lezinyoni zamazulu uzinikele esandleni sakho, wakwenza waba ngumbusi phezu kwazo zonke. Wena uyilelikhanda legolide.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
Langemva kwakho kuzavela omunye umbuso omncinyane kulowakho, lomunye owesithathu umbuso wethusi, ozabusa emhlabeni wonke.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron; forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and beateth down all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.
Lombuso wesine uzaqina njengensimbi; ngoba njengoba insimbi ichoboza yehlisele phansi konke, njalo njengensimbi echoboza konke lokhu, ngokunjalo uzachoboza wephule.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the firmness of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
Njalo njengoba wabona izinyawo lamazwane, kuyingxenye yebumba lombumbi lengxenye yensimbi, umbuso uzadatshulwa phakathi. Kodwa kuzakuba kuwo okwamandla ensimbi, njengoba wabona insimbi ihlanganiswe lebumba eliludaka.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so part of the kingdom shall be strong, and part thereof broken.
Njengoba amazwane enyawo ayelengxenye yensimbi lengxenye yebumba; umbuso uzakuba lamandla nganxanye, wephuke lula nganxanye.
43 And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay.
Njalo njengoba wabona insimbi ihlanganiswe lebumba eliludaka, bazazihlanganisa lenzalo yabantu, kodwa kabayikunamathelana, njengoba insimbi ingahlanganiswa lebumba.
44 And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; nor shall the kingdom be left to another people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, but it shall stand for ever.
Langensuku zalamakhosi uNkulunkulu wamazulu uzamisa umbuso, ongayikuchithwa kuze kube phakade; lombuso kawuyikutshiyelwa abanye abantu; uzachoboza uqede yonke limibuso, wona-ke uzakuma kuze kube phakade.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter; and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.'
Ngenxa yokuthi wabona ukuthi ilitshe liqetshulwa entabeni, kungengezandla, lokuthi lachoboza insimbi, ithusi, ibumba, isiliva, legolide; uNkulunkulu omkhulu uyazisile inkosi okuzakwenzeka emva kwalokhu; iphupho liqinisekile, lengcazelo yalo ithembekile.
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odours unto him.
Lapho inkosi uNebhukadinezari yathi mbo ngobuso bayo, yakhuleka kuDaniyeli, yathi kuthululelwe kuye umnikelo lezimpepha.
47 The king spoke unto Daniel, and said: 'Of a truth it is, that your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou hast been able to reveal this secret.'
Inkosi yamphendula uDaniyeli, yathi: Kuliqiniso ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu wabonkulunkulu, leNkosi yamakhosi, lomambuli wezimfihlakalo, ngoba ubelakho ukwembula limfihlakalo.
48 Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
Inkosi yasimenza uDaniyeli waba ngomkhulu, yamupha izipho ezinkulu ezinengi, yamenza waba ngumbusi phezu kwesabelo sonke seBhabhiloni, lenduna yababusi phezu kwabo bonke abahlakaniphileyo beBhabhiloni.
49 And Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel was in the gate of the king.
UDaniyeli wasecela enkosini, njalo yamisa oShadraki, uMeshaki loAbedinego phezu komsebenzi wesabelo seBhabhiloni; kodwa uDaniyeli waba sesangweni lenkosi.

< Daniel 2 >