< Daniel 7 >

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed; then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.
Ngomnyaka wokuqala kaBhelishazari inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, uDanyeli waphupha iphupho, kwaphithika imibono engqondweni yakhe elele embhedeni wakhe. Wakubhala phansi okwakuqukethwe liphupho lakhe.
2 Daniel spoke and said: I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven broke forth upon the great sea.
UDanyeli wathi: “Embonweni wami ebusuku ngakhangela ngabona phambi kwami imimoya emine yasezulwini iqubula ulwandle olukhulu.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
Izilo ezine ezinkulu, yileso singafanani lezinye, zaqhamuka olwandle.
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings; I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon two feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
Esakuqala sasinjengesilwane, njalo silamaphiko engqungqulu. Ngabukela amaphiko aso aze akhutshwa, sasesiphakanyiswa emhlabathini sema ngezinyawo ezimbili njengomuntu, sasesiphiwa inhliziyo yomuntu.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was said thus unto it: 'Arise, devour much flesh.'
Khonapho phambi kwami kwakujame isilo sesibili esasifana lebhele. Sasiphakanyisiwe kwelinye icele laso, njalo emlonyeni waso sasilezimbambo ezintathu emazinyweni aso. Satshelwa kwathiwa, ‘Sukuma udle inyama usuthe!’
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the sides of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
Ngemva kwalokho ngakhangela ngabona phambi kwami esinye isilo esasikhangeleka njengengwe. Emhlane waso sasilamaphiko amane afana lawenyoni. Isilo lesi sasilamakhanda amane, saphiwa amandla okuba sibuse.”
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
Ngemva kwalokho, embonweni wami ebusuku ngakhangela, kwathi phambi kwami kwema isilo sesine esithuthumelisayo, sisesabeka njalo silamandla amakhulu. Sasilamazinyo ensimbi amakhulu; safohloza esikubambileyo sakudla, okuseleyo sakugxobela phansi. Sasingafanani lazozonke izilo zakuqala, sona silempondo ezilitshumi.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Ngisalokhu ngicabanga ngempondo lezo, khonapho phambi kwami kwaba lolunye uphondo oluncinyane olwama phakathi kwazo; kwathi ezintathu zempondo zakuqala zagunyulwa phambi kwalo. Uphondo lolu lwalulamehlo anjengamehlo omuntu lomlomo owawukhuluma okokuzikhukhumeza.
9 I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was as white snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire.
“Ngisakhangele, kwabekwa izihlalo zobukhosi, uSimakade wahlala kwesakhe. Izigqoko zakhe zazimhlophe njengeqhwa; inwele zekhanda lakhe zimhlophe njengoboya bezimvu. Isihlalo sakhe sasilavuka umlilo, lamavili aso wonke evutha umlilo.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Kwakugeleza umfula womlilo, uthutsha ngaphambi kwakhe. Izinkulungwane lezinkulungwane zazimkhonza; izinkulungwane ezilitshumi ziphindwe ngezinkulungwane ezilitshumi zema phambi kwakhe. Inkundla yokwahlulela yahlala phansi, kwasekuvulwa izincwadi.”
11 I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke, I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire.
Ngasengiqhubeka ngilokhu ngibukele ngenxa yamazwi okuzikhukhumeza ayekhulunywa luphondo. Ngala ngilokhu ngikhangele isilo saze sabulawa, isidumbu saso saphoselwa emlilweni ovuthayo.
12 And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
(Leziyana ezinye izilo zase ziphuciwe ubukhulu bazo kodwa zavunyelwa ukuphila okwesikhathi esithile.)
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of days, and he was brought near before Him.
Embonweni wami ebusuku ngakhangela kwabonakala khonapho phambi kwami lowo owayefana lendodana yomuntu esiza ngamayezi ezulu. Yasondela kuSimakade yasiwa phambi kwakhe.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Yaphiwa amandla lobukhosi lamandla okubusa; bonke abantu, lezizwe zonke labantu bendimi zonke bamkhonza. Ubukhosi bakhe yibukhosi obungapheliyo obungayikwedlula, lombuso wakhe kawusoze uchithwe.
15 As for me Daniel, my spirit was pained in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head affrighted me.
Mina Danyeli, ngakhathazeka emoyeni, lemibono eyayidlula engqondweni yami yangidabula.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things:
Ngasondela komunye walabo ababemi khonapho ngambuza okuyikho okutshiwo yikho konke lokhu. Yikho wangitshela wangipha ingcazelo yezinto lezi, wathi:
17 'These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, that shall arise out of the earth.
“Izilo ezine ezinkulu yimibuso emine ezaqhamuka emhlabeni.
18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.'
Kodwa abangcwele bakhe oPhezukonke bazawemukela umbuso ube ngowabo lanininini, yebo, okwanini lanini.”
19 Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceeding terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
Ngase ngifisa ukwazi ingcazelo eqotho eyesilo sesine, esasingafanani lezinye njalo sisesabeka kakhulu, ngamazinyo aso ensimbi lenzipho zethusi, isilo esafohloza sadla esikubambileyo sagxobagxoba okuseleyo.
20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell; even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke great things, whose appearance was greater than that of its fellows.
Ngafuna njalo ukwazi ngempondo ezilitshumi ekhanda laso langalolo olunye uphondo olwamilayo, okwathi ezinye ezintathu zawa phambi kwalo lolophondo olwabonakala kakhulu kulezinye, olwalulamehlo kanye lomlomo owawukhuluma ngokukloloda.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Ngilokhu ngibukele, uphondo lolu lwalusilwa luhlasela abangcwele lubehlula,
22 until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High; and the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom.
kwaze kwafika uMvelinqaki wabalamulela abangcwele bakhe oPhezukonke, kwafika isikhathi bawuthatha umbuso.
23 Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
Wangipha ingcazelo le: Isilo sesine singumbuso wesine ozavela emhlabeni. Uzaba lomahluko kweminye yonke imibuso njalo uzawuthumba wonke umhlaba, uwugxobagxobe, uwufohloze.
24 And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise; and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.
Impondo ezilitshumi ngamakhosi alitshumi azavela kuwo lo umbuso. Ngemva kwawo kuzavela enye inkosi engafani lalayana awokuqala; izanqoba amakhosi amathathu.
25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the seasons and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
Izakhuluma okubi ngoPhezukonke incindezele abangcwele bakhe izame ukuguqula izikhathi ezimisiweyo kanye lemithetho. Abangcwele bazanikelwa kuyo okwesikhathi esithile, izikhathi ezilengxenye yesikhathi.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and his dominions shall be taken away, to be consumed and to be destroy unto the end.
Kodwa umthethwandaba uzahlala phansi, amandla ayo asuswe abhidlizwe okwanini lanini.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.'
Lapho-ke ubukhosi, lamandla lobukhulu bemibuso leyo ngaphansi kwezulu lonke kuzaphiwa abangcwele, abantu bakhe oPhezukonke. Umbuso wakhe uzakuba ngumbuso ongapheliyo, njalo bonke ababusi bazamkhonza bamlalele.
28 Here is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my thoughts much affrighted me, and my countenance was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.
“Lokhu yikho ukuphela kwendaba. Mina Danyeli ngakhathazeka kakhulu ngemicabango yami, ubuso bami bahloba, kodwa indaba le yaba yimfihlo yami.”

< Daniel 7 >