< Daniel 2 >
1 In the second year of [his] reign Nabuchodonosor dreamed a dream, and his spirit was amazed, and his sleep departed from him.
Ngomnyaka wesibili wokubusa kwakhe, uNebhukhadineza waphupha amaphupho; wahlupheka engqondweni, wehluleka lokulala.
2 And the king gave orders to call the enchanters, and the magicians, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to declare to the king his dreams. And they came and stood before the king.
Ngakho inkosi yasibiza omasalamusi, lezangoma, labavumisi lezingcazi zezinkanyezi ukuthi bamtshele lokho ayekuphuphile. Sebengenile bema phambi kwayo inkosi,
3 And the king said to them, I have dreamed, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
yathi kubo, “Ngibe lephupho elingihluphayo yikho ngifuna ukwazi ukuthi litshoni.”
4 And the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, [saying], O king, live for ever: do you tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.
Kwasekusithi ingcazi zezinkanyezi zayiphendula inkosi zikhuluma ngesi-Aramu zathi, “Bayethe, nkosi! Phila kuze kube nininini! Zitshele izinceku zakho iphupho lelo, thina sizalichaza.”
5 The king answered the Chaldeans, The thing has departed from me: if you do not make known to me the dream and the interpretation, you shall be destroyed, and your houses shall be spoiled.
Inkosi yaziphendula ingcazi zezinkanyezi yathi, “Nanku esengikumisile: Nxa lingangitsheli ukuthi iphupho lami beliyini beselilichaza, ngizakuthi liqunywaqunywe iziqa, izindlu zenu zidilizwe zibe yinqwaba.
6 But if you make known to me the dream, and the interpretation thereof, you shall receive of me gifts and presents and much honor: only tell me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
Kodwa lingangitshela iphupho kanye lengcazelo yalo ngizalipha izipho lemivuzo lodumo olukhulu. Ngakho ngitshelani iphupho libe selingichazela lona.”
7 They answered the second time, and said, Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.
Baphinda njalo baphendula bathi, “Inkosi kayizitshele izichaka zayo iphupho lelo, thina sizalichasisa.”
8 And the king answered and said, I verily know that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the thing has gone from me.
Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Ngileqiniso ukuthi liqonde ukuchitha isikhathi ngoba libona ukuthi yilokhu esengikumisile ukuthi:
9 If then you do not tell me the dream, I know that you have concerted to utter before me a false and corrupt tale, until the time shall have past: tell me my dream, and I shall know that you will also declare to me the interpretation thereof.
Nxa lingangitsheli iphupho lelo, sinye zwi isijeziso senu. Seliyengene ukuthi lingitshele inkohliso lamanyala, licabanga ukuthi kumbe izinto zizaguquka. Manje-ke ngitshelani iphupho lelo yikho ngizakwazi ukuthi lingangichasisela lona.”
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is no man upon the earth, who shall be able to make known the king's matter: forasmuch as no great king or ruler asks such a question of an enchanter, magician, or Chaldean.
Ingcazi zezinkanyezi zayiphendula inkosi zathi, “Kakulamuntu emhlabeni ongakwenza lokho okufunwa yinkosi! Kayikho inkosi, loba ingenkulu kanganani kumbe ilamandla anganani, eyake yafuna into enjalo laloba kubani oyenza amasalamusi, kumbe isangoma loba ingcazi yezinkanyezi.
11 For the question which the king asks is difficult, and there is no one else who shall answer it before the king, but the gods, whose dwelling is not with any flesh.
Lokhu okufunwa yinkosi kunzima kakhulu. Kakho ongakwambulela inkosi ngaphandle kwabonkulunkulu, njalo kabahlali ebantwini.”
12 Then the king in rage and anger commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Lokhu kwayizondisa inkosi yabila ngolaka yahle yathi zonke izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni kazibulawe.
13 So the decree went forth, and they began to kill the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to kill [them].
Ngakho sakhutshwa isimemezelo sokuthi izazi kazibulawe, yikho kwathunywa amadoda ukuyadinga uDanyeli labakhula bakhe ukuthi babulawe.
14 Then Daniel answered [with] counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the royal guard, who was gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon; [saying],
Kwathi u-Ariyoki, indunankulu yamanxusa enkosi isiphumile ukuyabulala izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni, uDanyeli wakhuluma laye ngokuhlakanipha langokunanzelela.
15 Chief magistrate of the king, therefore has the preemptory command proceeded from the king? So Arioch made known the matter to Daniel.
Wasibuza isikhulu lesi senkosi wathi, “Kungani inkosi ikhuphe isimemezelo esibuhlungu kangaka na?” U-Ariyoki waseyichaza indaba kuDanyeli.
16 And Daniel entreated the king to give him time, and that he might [thus] declare to the king the interpretation of it.
Esekuzwile lokho uDanyeli waya enkosini wacela ukuba ake aphiwe isikhathi, ukuze ayichazele iphupho layo.
17 So Daniel went into his house, and made known the matter to Ananias, and Misael, and Azarias, his friends.
UDanyeli wabuyela endlini yakhe wayatshela abakhula bakhe oHananiya, loMishayeli lo-Azariya ngendaba leyo.
18 And they sought mercies from the God of heaven concerning this mystery; that Daniel and his friends might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Wabakhuthaza ukuthi bacele umusa kuNkulunkulu wasezulwini ngale inkinga eyimfihlakalo, ukuze kuthi yena labakhula bakhe baphephe ekubulaweni kanye lazozonke izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni.
19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night; and Daniel blessed the God of heaven, and said,
Kwathi ebusuku inkinga leyo yambulelwa uDanyeli ngombono. UDanyeli wasemdumisa uNkulunkulu wasezulwini
20 May the name of God be blessed from everlasting and to everlasting: for wisdom and understanding are his.
wathi: “Kalidunyiswe ibizo likaNkulunkulu nini lanini; inhlakanipho lamandla kungokwakhe.
21 And he changes times and seasons: he appoints kings, and removes [them], giving wisdom to the wise, and prudence to them that have understanding:
Uyaguqula izikhathi lezibanga; uyawabeka amakhosi aphinde awaqethule. Unika inhlakanipho kwabahlakaniphileyo lolwazi kwabaqedisisayo.
22 he reveals deep and secret [matters]; knowing what is in darkness, and the light is with him.
Uveza obala izinto ezizikileyo lezifihlakeleyo; uyakwazi okucatshe emnyameni, lokukhanya kuhlala kuye.
23 I give thanks to you, and praise [you], O God of my fathers, for you has given me wisdom and power, and has made known to me the things which we asked of you; and you has made known to me the king's vision.
Ngiyakubonga njalo ngiyakudumisa, Oh Nkulunkulu wabokhokho bami: Ungiphile inhlakanipho lamandla, usungazisile mina lokho esikucelileyo kuwe, ususazisile thina iphupho lenkosi.”
24 And Daniel came to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon, but bring me in before the king, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.
UDanyeli wasesiya ku-Ariyoki owayekhethwe yinkosi ukuba abulale izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni, wathi kuye, “Ungazibulali izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni. Ngisa enkosini, ngizayichasisela iphupho layo.”
25 Then Arioch in haste brought in Daniel before the king, and said to him, I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judea, who will declare the interpretation to the king.
U-Ariyoki wahle wasa uDanyeli enkosini wathi, “Sengiyifumene indoda kwabathunjiweyo bakwaJuda engayitshela inkosi ukuthi iphupho layo litshoni.”
26 And the king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Baltasar, Canst you declare to me the dream which I saw, and the interpretation thereof?
Inkosi yambuza uDanyeli (njalo othiwa nguBhelitheshazari), “Kambe ungangitshela na engakubonayo ephutsheni lami uphinde ulichasise?”
27 And Daniel answered before the king, and said, The mystery which the king asks [the explanation of] is not [in the power] of the wise men, magicians, enchanters, [or] soothsayers to declare to the king.
Waphendula uDanyeli wathi, “Kasikho isihlakaniphi, noma isangoma, noma oyenza amasalamusi, noma isanuse esingayihlahlulela inkosi imfihlakalo eyidingayo,
28 But there is a God in heaven revealing mysteries, and he has made known to king Nabuchodonosor what things must come to pass in the last days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, are as follows,
kodwa ukhona uNkulunkulu ezulwini owambula zonke imfihlakalo. Utshengise inkosi uNebhukhadineza okuzakwenzakala ngezinsuku ezizayo. Iphupho lakho lemibono eyafika engqondweni yakho ulele embhedeni wakho yile:
29 O king: your thoughts upon your bed arose [as to] what must come to pass hereafter: and he that reveals mysteries has made known to you what must come to pass.
Wathi ulele khonapho nkosi, ingqondo yakho yaphatha izinto ezisezakuza, kwathi umhlahluli wezinkinga wakubonisa okuzakwenzakala.”
30 Moreover, this mystery has not been revealed to me by reason of wisdom which is in me beyond all [others] living, but for the sake of making known the interpretation to the king, that you might know the thoughts of your heart.
Okwami yikuthi ngiyambulelwe imfihlakalo le, kungesukuthi yingoba ngilenhlakanipho eyeqa eyabanye abaphilayo, kodwa ukuze kuthi wena, Oh nkosi, uyazi ingcazelo njalo ukuze uzwisise okwakuphithikana engqondweni yakho.
31 You, O king, saw, and behold an image: that image was great, and the appearance of it excellent, standing before your face; and the form of it was terrible.
Wathi uyakhangela, Oh nkosi, wabona kumi phambi kwakho isithombe esikhulukazi, inkalakatha yesithombe esikhazimulayo, sisesabeka ukukhangeleka kwaso.
32 [It was] an image, the head of which was of fine gold, its hands and breast and arms of silver, [its] belly and thighs of brass,
Ikhanda lesithombe lalenziwe ngegolide elicengekileyo, isifuba saso lezingalo kubunjwe ngesiliva, isisu lemilenze kubunjwe ngethusi,
33 its legs of iron, its feet, part of iron and part of earthenware.
imibala ibunjwe ngensimbi, inyawo zaso zilengxenye yensimbi lenye ingxenye yebumba elitshisiweyo.
34 You saw until a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands, and it struck the image upon its feet of iron and earthenware, and utterly reduced them to powder.
Wathi ulokhu usabukele, kwaqetshulwa ilitshe, kungesingazandla zamuntu. Lasigxoba isithombe ezinyaweni zaso zensimbi lebumba lazihlifiza.
35 Then once for all the earthenware, the iron, the brass, the silver, the gold, were ground to powder, and became as chaff from the summer threshing floor; and the violence of the wind carried them away, and no place was found for them: and the stone which had struck the image became a great mountain, and filled all the earth.
Kwasekusithi insimbi, lebumba, lethusi, lesiliva kanye legolide kwachobozeka kwaba yizicucu kanyekanye kwaba njengomule esizeni ehlobo. Umoya waziphephula izicucu wazikhucula du. Kodwa ilitshe elagxoba isithombe laba yintaba enkulu yagcwala umhlaba wonke.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
Leli bekuyilo iphupho, manje-ke sesizalichazela inkosi.
37 You, O king, are a king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given a powerful and strong and honorable kingdom,
Wena, Oh nkosi uyinkosi yamakhosi. UNkulunkulu wasezulwini ukunikile umbuso, lamandla lobukhulu lodumo;
38 in every place where the children of men dwell: and he has given into your hand the wild beasts of the field, and the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and he has made you lord of all.
uluntu lonke ulunikele ezandleni zakho kanye lezinyamazana zeganga lezinyoni zemoyeni. Loba zihlala ngaphi, ukwenze wena waba ngumbusi wakho konke. Ulikhanda leliyana legolide.
39 You are the head of gold. And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you, an a third kingdom which is the brass, which shall have dominion over all the earth;
Ngemva kwakho, kuzakuba khona omunye umbuso, ophansi kulowakho. Kuzalandela owesithathu owethusi ozabusa umhlaba wonke.
40 and a fourth kingdom, which shall be strong as iron: as iron beats to powder and subdues all things, so shall it beat to powder and subdue.
Ekucineni kuzakuba lombuso wesine oqinileyo njengensimbi ngoba insimbi iyephula ivodloze yonke into, yikho njengoba insimbi isephula izinto zibe yizicucu, kanjalo umbuso lowo uzayichoboza yonke eminye.
41 And whereas you saw the feet and the toes, part of earthenware and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet there shall be in it of the strength of iron, as you saw the iron mixed with earthenware.
Njengoba ubonile ukuthi inyawo lamazwane bekulengxenye yebumba elitshisiweyo lengxenye yensimbi, yikho lo uzakuba ngumbuso odabuke phakathi; loba nje uzakuba lamanye amandla ensimbi phakathi kwawo, njengalokhu uyibonile insimbi ixubene lebumba.
42 And [whereas] the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of earthenware, part of the kingdom shall be strong, and [part] of it shall be broken.
Njengoba amazwane abelengxenye yensimbi, lengxenye yebumba, kanjalo umbuso lo uzakuba lamandla nganxanye, nganxanye ubucuzeke.
43 Whereas you saw the iron mixed with earthenware, they shall be mingled with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave together, as the iron does not mix itself with earthenware.
Njalo njengoba ubonile insimbi ixubene lebumba elitshisiweyo, kanjalo abantu bazakuba yinhlanganisela bahlale bengamanyananga, njengoba insimbi ingahlangani lebumba.
44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and his kingdom shall not be left to another people, [but] it shall beat to pieces and grind to powder all [other] kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
“Ngalesosikhathi samakhosi lawo uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uzabeka umbuso ongasoze wabhidlizwa lanini njalo ongasoze utshiyelwe abanye abantu. Uzayibhidliza yonke leyomibuso iphele, kodwa wona uzakuma laphakade.”
45 Whereas you saw that a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands, and it beat to pieces the earthenware, the iron, the brass, the silver, the gold; the great God has made known to the king what must happen hereafter: and the dream is true, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Le yiyo ingcazelo yombono welitshe elaqhekezwa entabeni, kungasingezandla zomuntu, ilitshe elaphahlaza insimbi, lethusi, lebumba, lesiliva kanye legolide kwaba yizicucu. “UNkulunkulu omkhulu uyitshengisile inkosi okuzakwenzeka ngesikhathi esizayo. Iphupho liliqiniso lengcazelo iqondile.”
46 Then king Nabuchodonosor fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and gave orders to offer to him gifts and incense.
Inkosi uNebhukhadineza wazilahla wathi mbo phambi kukaDanyeli wamkhonza wakhupha ilizwi lokuthi kenzelwe umnikelo atshiselwe impepha njalo.
47 And the king answered and said to Daniel, Of a truth your God is a God of gods, and Lord of kings, who reveals mysteries; for you has been able to reveal this mystery.
Inkosi yathi kuDanyeli, “Ngempela uNkulunkulu wakho nguNkulunkulu wabonkulunkulu leNkosi yamakhosi lomambuleli wezimfihlakalo, ngoba ukwazile ukwambula imfihlakalo le.”
48 And the king promoted Daniel, and gave him great and abundant gifts, and set him over the whole province of Babylon, and [made him] chief satrap over all the wise men of Babylon.
Inkosi yasibeka uDanyeli esikhundleni esiphezulu yelekelela ngezipho ezinengi kuye. Yamenza waba ngumbusi kulolonke ilizwe laseBhabhiloni njalo waba ngumphathi wazo zonke izazi zakhona.
49 And Daniel asked of the king, and he appointed Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel was in the king's palace.
Isicelwe nguDanyeli, yaphinde yabeka uShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko baba ngabaphathi beziqinti zelizwe laseBhabhiloni, kodwa yena uDanyeli wasala esigodlweni.