< Daniel 6 >

1 Darius deemed it proper, and he set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty lieutenants, who should be over all the kingdom;
UDariyu wathanda ukubeka ababusi bezigaba abalikhulu lamatshumi amabili ukuba babuse kulolonke ilizwe,
2 And over these, three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these lieutenants should give accounts unto them, so that the king might suffer no damage.
wabeka omongameli abathathu phezu kwabo, omunye wabo enguDanyeli. Ababusi bezigaba babesethula kubo konke ukuze inkosi ingalahlekelwa lutho.
3 Then did this Daniel excel [all] the presidents and lieutenants, because a superior spirit was in him: and the king thought to appoint him over the whole kingdom.
UDanyeli waba yisilomo, wedlula abanye omongameli lababusi bezigaba ngokwenza kwakhe, inkosi yaze yafisa ukumbeka phezu kwelizwe lonke.
4 Then sought the presidents and lieutenants to find a pretext against Daniel on account of the management of the kingdom; but they were not able to find any pretext or fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, and no kind of error or fault was to be found on him.
Ngenxa yalokho omongameli lababusi bezigaba badinga amabhada okumangalela uDanyeli ngendlela ayeqhuba ngayo kwezombuso, kodwa behluleka. Kabafumananga kungcola kuye ngoba wayethembekile futhi engasihaga lemali njalo engayekethisi lutho.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any pretext against this Daniel, except we find it against him in the law of his God.
Ekucineni amadoda la athi, “Kasisoze safa salizuza izaba lokwethesa indoda le uDanyeli icala ngaphandle kwalokho okuphathelene lomthetho kaNkulunkulu wakhe.”
6 Then came these presidents and lieutenants tumultuously to the king, and thus said they unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
Ngakho omongameli lababusi bezigaba baya enkosini belixuku bafika bathi: “Oh nkosi Dariyu, mana njalo!
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the superintendents, and the lieutenants, the counsellors, and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm prohibition, that whosoever will ask any thing by prayer of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
Omongameli besikhosini, labalisa, lababusi bezigaba, labeluleki lababusi bemikhono yelizwe bonke sebevumelene ukuthi inkosi kayikhuphe isimemezelo iwugcizelele umlayo othi noma ngubani okhuleka kuwuphi uNkulunkulu noma umuntu phakathi kwalezi insuku ezingamatshumi amathathu, ngaphandle kokukhuleka kuwe wena, Oh nkosi, uzaphoselwa emgodini wezilwane.
8 Now, O king, establish the prohibition, and sign the writing, that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which is not to be repealed.
Manje, Oh nkosi, sikhuphe lesosimemezelo sibhalwe phansi ukuze singaguqulwa njengoba kunjalo ngemithetho yamaMede lamaPhezhiya engaguqulwayo.”
9 In view of this king Darius signed the writing and the prohibition.
Ngakho inkosi uDariyu yawubhala phansi lowomthetho.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went up unto his house, where he had open windows in his upper chamber in the direction of Jerusalem; and three times every day he kneeled upon his knees, and prayed, and offered thanks before his God, as he had been doing before that time.
Kwathi uDanyeli esezwile ukuthi umthetho wawusukhutshiwe, waya ekhaya endlini yakhe ephezulu esitezi eyayilamawindi avulwe akhangela eJerusalema. Kathathu ngelanga wayezilahla phansi ngamadolo akhuleke, ebonga uNkulunkulu wakhe, njengalokho ayevele ekwenza mandulo.
11 Then came in these men tumultuously, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
Kwasekusithi amadoda la aqhubana elixuku afica uDanyeli ekhuleka ecela usizo kuNkulunkulu.
12 Then came they near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's prohibition, Hast thou not signed a prohibition, that every man that will pray [for aught] of any God or man, within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is certainly so, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot he repealed.
Asesiya enkosini ayakhuluma layo ngomthetho owaphuma esigodlweni, athi: “Kawukhuphanga isimemezelo yini sokuthi ngezinsuku ezilandelayo ezingamatshumi amathathu noma ngubani okhuleka komunye unkulunkulu noma umuntu ngaphandle kokukhuleka kuwe, Oh nkosi, uzaphoselwa emgodini wezilwane?” Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Lowomthetho umi njengemithetho yamaMede lamaPhezhiya, engeke iguqulwe.”
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the exiles of Judah, hath paid no regard to thee, O king, nor to the prohibition which thou hast signed; but three times every day he offereth up his prayer.
Asesithi enkosini, “UDanyeli, ongomunye wabathunjwa bakoJuda, kakunanzi, wena nkosi, kanye lomthetho owawubhala phansi. Ulokhu ekhuleka kathathu ngelanga.”
14 Then the king, when he heard this matter, felt very much distressed within himself, and on account of Daniel he sought an excuse to deliver him; and till the going down of the sun he strove hard to rescue him.
Kwathi inkosi isikuzwile lokho yakhathazeka kakhulu; yayizimisele ukukhulula uDanyeli, yenza yonke imizamo yokumsiza ilanga laze layatshona.
15 Then came these men tumultuously unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians. That every prohibition and statute which the king hath established is not to be changed.
Amadoda lawo asehamba elixuku aya enkosini athi kuyo, “Khumbula, Oh nkosi, ukuthi ngomthetho wamaMede lamaPhezhiya kakulasimemezelo loba isimiso esikhutshwe yinkosi esingaguqulwa.”
16 Then gave the king the order, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king commenced and said unto Daniel, May thy God whom thou worshippest continually, truly deliver thee.
Ngakho inkosi yasikhupha umlayo, basebemletha uDanyeli bamphosela emphandwini wezilwane. Inkosi yathi kuDanyeli, “Sengathi uNkulunkulu wakho omkhonzayo njalonjalo angakuhlenga!”
17 And a stone was brought, and placed upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet-ring, and with the signet-ring of his lords, that nothing should be changed in the purpose concerning Daniel.
Kwalethwa ilitshe lafakwa emnyango womgodi, inkosi yasilinameka ngendandatho yayo yobukhosi langezindandatho zezikhulu zayo, ukuze umumo kaDanyeli ungaguqulwa.
18 Then went the king to his palace, and passed the night fasting: and no food was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Yikho inkosi yase ibuyela esigodlweni sayo yazila ukudla lokunatha ubusuku bonke. Yehluleka ukulala.
19 Then arose the king by the morning-dawn, as soon as it was light, and went in great haste unto the den of lions.
Kwathi emadabukakusa inkosi yavuka yaya emgodini wezilwane.
20 And when he came near to the den, he cried with a mournful voice unto Daniel: the king commenced and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, hath thy God, whom thou worshippest continually, been able to deliver thee from the lions!
Ithe isifikile emgodini, yamemeza uDanyeli ngelizwi losizi yathi, “Danyeli, nceku kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, uNkulunkulu wakho omkhonza njalonjalo ukuphephisile yini ezilwaneni?”
21 Then spoke Daniel with the king, O king, live for ever.
UDanyeli waphendula wathi, “Oh nkosi, mana njalo!
22 My God sent his angel, and locked up the mouths of the lions, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, had I done nothing injurious.
UNkulunkulu wami uthume ingilosi yakhe yayivala imilomo yezilwane. Kazingilimazanga ngoba ngifunyanwe ngingelacala phambi kwakhe. Njalo kangikaze ngenze okubi kuwe, Oh nkosi.”
23 Then was the king exceedingly glad within himself, and concerning Daniel he ordered to bring him up out of the den. So was Daniel brought up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God.
Inkosi yathaba yafa yakhupha umlayo wokuba uDanyeli akhutshulwe emgodini lowo. UDanyeli esekhutshiwe emgodini, kakubonakalanga nxeba kuye, ngoba wathemba kuNkulunkulu wakhe.
24 And the king gave the order, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel treacherously, and they cast into the den of lions them, their children, and their wives; and they had not yet touched the bottom of the den when the lions had the mastery over them, and ground up all their bones.
Inkosi yalaya ukuthi balethwe labo ababemangalele uDanyeli ngamanga baphoselwa emgodini wezilwane kanye labafazi babo labantwababo. Bathi bengakathinti phansi emgodini izilwane zabaqaga zabafohloza wonke amathambo abo.
25 Then wrote king Darius unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell on all the earth, May your welfare increase.
Inkosi uDariyu yasilobela bonke abantu, lezizwe zonke lenhlanga zendimi zonke kulolonke ilizwe yathi: “Sengathi impilo enhle inganda kini!
26 From me is it decreed, That in all the dominion of my kingdom men shall tremble and have fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and endureth for ever, and it is his kingdom which will not be destroyed, and his dominion will be unto the end [of things].
Ngimisa isimiso sokuthi kuzozonke izindawo zombuso wami, abantu kabesabe, bakhonze uNkulunkulu kaDanyeli.
27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he displayeth sings and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
Uyakhulula, asindise;
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Ngakho uDanyeli waphumelela ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaDariyu lesokubusa kukaKhurosi umPhezhiya.

< Daniel 6 >