Daniel 7
1 In the first year of Belshazzar the king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and the visions of his head while on his couch: afterward he wrote down the dream, relating the principal things.
Katika mwaka wa kwanza wa utawala wa Belshaza mfalme wa Babeli, Danieli aliota ndoto, nayo maono yakapita mawazoni yake alipokuwa amelala kitandani mwake. Akayaandika mambo aliyoyaona katika ndoto yake.
2 Daniel commenced and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of heaven blew fiercely on the great sea.
Danieli akasema: “Katika maono yangu usiku nilitazama, na hapo mbele yangu kulikuwepo na upepo kutoka pande nne za mbingu, ukivuruga bahari kuu.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, differing one from another.
Wanyama wanne wakubwa, kila mmoja tofauti na mwenzake, wakajitokeza kutoka bahari.
4 the first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I looked till its wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth, and was placed upon its feet as a man, and a human heart was given to it.
“Mnyama wa kwanza alifanana na simba, naye alikuwa na mabawa kama ya tai. Nikatazama mpaka mabawa yake yalipongʼolewa, naye akainuliwa katika nchi, akasimama kwa miguu miwili kama mwanadamu, naye akapewa moyo wa binadamu.
5 And behold there was another, a second beast, like a bear, and on one side was it placed, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth: and thus they said unto it, Arise, eat much flesh.
“Hapo mbele yangu kulikuwa na mnyama wa pili, ambaye alionekana kama dubu. Upande wake mmoja ulikuwa umeinuka, na alikuwa na mbavu tatu katika kinywa chake kati ya meno yake. Akaambiwa, ‘Amka, ule nyama mpaka ushibe!’
6 After this I looked, and lo there was another, like a leopard; and it had four wings of a bird on its back: the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given unto it.
“Baada ya huyo, nilitazama, na mbele yangu kulikuwa na mnyama mwingine, aliyefanana na chui. Juu ya mgongo wake alikuwa na mabawa manne kama ya ndege. Mnyama huyu alikuwa na vichwa vinne, naye akapewa mamlaka ya kutawala.
7 After this I looked in the night visions, and behold there was a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and ground up, and what was left it stamped with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
“Baada ya huyo, katika maono yangu usiku nilitazama, na mbele yangu kulikuwa na mnyama wa nne, mwenye kutisha na kuogofya, tena mwenye nguvu nyingi. Alikuwa na meno makubwa ya chuma; akapondaponda na kuangamiza wahanga wake, na kukanyaga chini ya nyayo zake chochote kilichosalia. Alikuwa tofauti na wanyama wote waliotangulia, naye alikuwa na pembe kumi.
8 I looked carefully at the horns, and, behold, another little horn came up between them, and three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots before the same; and, behold, there were eyes like the eyes of man in this horn, with a mouth speaking presumptuous things.
“Wakati nilipokuwa ninafikiri kuhusu pembe hizo, mbele yangu kulikuwa na pembe nyingine, ambayo ni ndogo, iliyojitokeza miongoni mwa zile kumi; pembe tatu za mwanzoni zilingʼolewa ili kuipa nafasi hiyo ndogo. Pembe hii ilikuwa na macho kama ya mwanadamu, na mdomo ulionena kwa majivuno.
9 I was looking until chairs were set down, and an Ancient of days seated himself, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of whose head was like clean wool; his chair was like flames of fire, and his wheels like fire that burnt;
“Nilipoendelea kutazama, “viti vya enzi vikawekwa, naye Mzee wa Siku akaketi. Mavazi yake yalikuwa meupe kama theluji; nywele za kichwa chake zilikuwa nyeupe kama sufu. Kiti chake cha enzi kilikuwa kinawaka kwa miali ya moto, nayo magurudumu yake yote yalikuwa yanawaka moto.
10 A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; thousand times thousands ministered unto him, and myriad times myriads stood before him: they sat down to hold judgment, and the books were opened.
Mto wa moto ulikuwa unatiririka, ukipita mbele yake. Maelfu elfu wakamhudumia; kumi elfu mara kumi elfu wakasimama mbele zake. Mahakama ikakaa kuhukumu, na vitabu vikafunguliwa.
11 I looked then, because of the sound of the presumptuous words which the horn had spoken, —I looked till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and given over to the burning fire.
“Kisha nikaendelea kutazama kwa sababu ya yale maneno ya majivuno yaliyosemwa na ile pembe. Nikaendelea kuangalia mpaka yule mnyama alipouawa, na mwili wake ukaharibiwa na kutupwa katika ule moto uliowaka.
12 But concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet a longer duration of life was given unto them until the time and period.
(Wanyama wengine walikuwa wamevuliwa mamlaka yao, lakini waliruhusiwa kuishi kwa muda fulani.)
13 I looked in the nightly visions, and, behold, with the clouds of heaven came one like a son of man, and he attained as far as the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
“Katika maono yangu ya usiku nilitazama, na mbele yangu nikamwona anayefanana na mwanadamu, akija pamoja na mawingu ya mbinguni. Akamkaribia huyo Mzee wa Siku, na akaongozwa mbele zake.
14 And there were given him dominion, and dignity, and government, and all people, nations, and languages had to serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom is one which shall never be destroyed.
Akapewa mamlaka, utukufu na ufalme wenye nguvu; nao watu wa kabila zote, mataifa, na watu wa kila lugha wakamwabudu. Utawala wake ni utawala wa milele ambao hautapita, nao ufalme wake ni ule ambao kamwe hautaangamizwa.
15 My spirit was deeply shaken within me, Daniel, in the midst of its tenement, and the visions of my head troubled me.
“Mimi, Danieli, nilipata mahangaiko rohoni, nayo maono yale yaliyopita ndani ya mawazo yangu yalinisumbua.
16 I came near unto one of those that stood by, and asked him something certain concerning all this: and he spoke to me, and made known unto me the interpretation of the things.
Nikamkaribia mmoja wa wale waliosimama pale na kumuuliza maana halisi ya haya yote. “Basi akaniambia na kunipa tafsiri ya vitu hivi:
17 These great beasts, of which there are four, are four kings, who are to arise on the earth.
‘Hao wanyama wanne wakubwa ni falme nne zitakazoinuka duniani.
18 But the saints of the Most High will obtain the kingdom, and possess the kingdom to eternity, even to all eternity for ever.
Lakini watakatifu wa Yeye Aliye Juu Sana watapokea ufalme na kuumiliki milele: naam, milele na milele.’
19 Then I desired what is certain concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all these others, exceedingly dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and whose nails of copper; which devoured, ground up, and stamped with its feet what was left;
“Kisha nilitaka kufahamu maana ya kweli ya mnyama yule wa nne, ambaye alikuwa tofauti na wale wengine wote, tena wa kutisha sana, na meno yake ya chuma na makucha ya shaba: mnyama ambaye alipondaponda na kuangamiza wahanga wake, na kukanyaga chochote kilichosalia.
20 And concerning the ten horns that were in its head, and concerning the other which came up, and before which three fell down, even concerning that horn which had eyes, and a mouth which spoke presumptuous things, and whose appearance was greater than that of its companions.
Pia mimi nilitaka kujua kuhusu zile pembe kumi juu ya kichwa chake, na pia kuhusu ile pembe nyingine iliyojitokeza, ambayo mbele yake zile tatu za mwanzoni zilianguka, ile pembe ambayo ilionekana kuvutia macho zaidi kuliko zile nyingine, na ambayo ilikuwa na macho na kinywa kilichonena kwa majivuno.
21 I had seen how the same horn had made war with the saints, and had prevailed against them:
Nilipoendelea kutazama, pembe hii ilikuwa inapigana vita dhidi ya watakatifu na kuwashinda,
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and procured justice unto the saints of the Most High; and the time came and the saints took possession of the kingdom.
mpaka huyo Mzee wa Siku alipokuja na kutamka hukumu kwa kuwapa ushindi watakatifu wa Yeye Aliye Juu Sana, na wakati ukawadia walipoumiliki ufalme.
23 Thus said he, The fourth beast [signifieth that] a fourth kingdom will be upon earth, which is to be different from all kingdoms, and will devour all the earth, and will tread it down, and grind it up.
“Alinipa maelezo haya: ‘Mnyama wa nne ni ufalme wa nne ambao utatokea duniani. Utakuwa tofauti na falme nyingine zote, nao utaharibu dunia nzima, ukiikanyaga chini na kuipondaponda.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom [signify] that ten kings will arise; and another will rise after them, and he will be different from the first, and three kings will he bring low.
Zile pembe kumi ni wafalme kumi watakaotokana na ufalme huu. Baada yao mfalme mwingine atainuka, ambaye atakuwa tofauti na wale waliotangulia, naye atawaangusha wafalme watatu.
25 And he will speak words against the Most High, and the saints of the Most High will he oppress, and think to change the festivals and the law: and they will be given up into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
Atanena maneno kinyume cha Yeye Aliye Juu Sana na kuwaonea watakatifu wake, huku akijaribu kubadili majira na sheria. Watakatifu watatiwa chini ya mamlaka yake kwa wakati, nyakati mbili, na nusu wakati.
26 But they will sit down to hold judgment, and they will take away his dominion, to destroy and to annihilate it unto the end.
“‘Lakini mahakama itakaa kuhukumu, nayo mamlaka yake yataondolewa na kuangamizwa kabisa milele.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion, and the power over the kingdoms under the whole heaven, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all governments are to worship and obey him.
Ndipo ufalme, mamlaka na ukuu wa falme chini ya mbingu yote utakabidhiwa kwa watakatifu, watu wa Yeye Aliye Juu Sana. Ufalme wake utakuwa ufalme wa milele, nao watawala wote watamwabudu na kumtii yeye.’
28 Thus far is the end of the speech. As for me Daniel, my reflections troubled me greatly, and my color was changed on me; but I kept the speech in my heart.
“Huu ndio mwisho wa jambo lile. Mimi Danieli nilitaabika sana katika mawazo yangu, nao uso wangu ukabadilika, lakini nililiweka jambo hilo moyoni mwangu.”
