< Daniel 1 >

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has come to Jerusalem, and lays siege against it;
Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda, kwafika uNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni eJerusalema, wayivimbezela.
2 and the Lord gives into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the house of God, and he brings them in [to] the land of Shinar, [to] the house of his god, and the vessels he has brought in [to] the treasure-house of his god.
INkosi yasinikela uJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda esandleni sakhe, lengxenye yezitsha zendlu kaNkulunkulu; wasezisa elizweni leShinari, endlini kankulunkulu wakhe; waletha izitsha endlini yenotho kankulunkulu wakhe.
3 And the king says, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs),
Inkosi yasikhuluma kuAshipenazi induna yabathenwa bayo, ukuthi alethe abanye kubantwana bakoIsrayeli, lakunzalo yesikhosini, lakuziphathamandla;
4 boys in whom there is no blemish, and of good appearance, and skillful in all wisdom, and possessing knowledge, and teaching thought, and who have ability to stand in the palace of the king, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
amajaha okungelalasici kuwo, amahle ngesimo, azingcwethi kuyo yonke inhlakanipho, alolwazi ngolwazi, alokuqedisisa ekwazini, lokwakulamandla kuwo okuma esigodlweni senkosi, lokuthi bawafundise izincwadi lolimi lwamaKhaladiya.
5 And the king appoints for them a rate, day by day, of the king’s portion of food, and of the wine of his drinking, so as to nourish them three years, that at the end thereof they may stand before the king.
Inkosi yasiwamisela into yosuku ngosuku lwayo esabelweni sokudla kwenkosi, lewayinini lokunatha kwayo, lokuthi bawakhulise iminyaka emithathu, ukuze ekupheleni kwayo azekuma phambi kwenkosi.
6 And there are among them out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Njalo kwakukhona phakathi kwabo kubantwana bakoJuda: ODaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, loAzariya.
7 and the chief of the eunuchs sets names on them, and he sets on Daniel, Belteshazzar; and on Hananiah, Shadrach; and on Mishael, Meshach; and on Azariah, Abed-Nego.
Njalo induna yabathenwa yabatha amabizo; ngoba yamutha uDaniyeli ngokuthi nguBeliteshazari; loHananiya ngokuthi nguShadraki; loMishayeli ngokuthi nguMeshaki; loAzariya ngokuthi nguAbedinego.
8 And Daniel purposes in his heart that he will not defile himself with the king’s portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeks of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not defile himself.
Kodwa uDaniyeli wazimisela enhliziyweni yakhe ukuthi angazingcolisi ngesabelo sokudla kwenkosi, langewayini yokunatha kwayo; ngakho wacela enduneni yabathenwa ukuthi angazingcolisi.
9 And God gives Daniel for kindness and for mercies before the chief of the eunuchs;
UNkulunkulu wasemnika uDaniyeli umusa lesihawu phambi kwenduna yabathenwa.
10 and the chief of the eunuchs says to Daniel, “I am fearing my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink, for why does he see your faces sadder than [those of] the boys which [are] of your circle? Then you have made my head indebted to the king,”
Induna yabathenwa yasisithi kuDaniyeli: Ngiyayesaba inkosi yami, inkosi, emise ukudla kwenu lokunathwayo kwenu; ngoba kungani izabona ubuso benu budanile kulamajaha ayintanga yenu? Ngokunjalo lizafaka ikhanda lami engozini enkosini.
11 And Daniel says to the Meltzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs has appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
UDaniyeli wasesithi kumphathi, induna yabathenwa eyayimmise waba phezu kwaboDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, loAzariya:
12 “Please try your servants [for] ten days; and they give to us from the vegetables and we eat, and water, and we drink;
Ake ulinge inceku zakho insuku ezilitshumi; njalo basinike okwemibhida eyimidumba ukuthi sidle, lamanzi ukuthi sinathe.
13 and our appearance is seen before you, and the appearance of the boys who are eating the king’s portion of food, and as you see—deal with your servants.”
Kakuthi-ke izimo zethu zibonakale phambi kwakho, lezimo zamajaha adla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi; wenze-ke ezincekwini zakho njengokubona kwakho.
14 And he listens to them, to this word, and tries them ten days:
Wasebalalela kuloludaba, wabalinga insuku ezilitshumi.
15 and at the end of ten days their appearance has appeared better and fatter in flesh then any of the boys who are eating the king’s portion of food.
Kwathi ekupheleni kwezinsuku ezilitshumi izimo zabo zabonakala zizinhle njalo zizimukile enyameni kulawo wonke amajaha ayesidla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi.
16 And the Meltzar is taking away their portion of food, and the wine of their drink, and is giving to them vegetables.
Ngakho-ke umphathi wasusa isabelo sokudla kwabo, lewayini lokunatha kwabo, wabanika imibhida.
17 As for these four boys, God has given to them knowledge and understanding in every [kind of] literature, and wisdom; and Daniel has given instruction about every [kind of] vision and dreams.
Mayelana lala amajaha amane, uNkulunkulu wawanika ulwazi lokuqedisisa kuzo zonke izincwadi, lenhlakanipho. Njalo uDaniyeli waqedisisa ngayo yonke imibono lamaphupho.
18 And at the end of the days that the king had said to bring them in, the chief of the eunuchs brings them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
Kwathi ekupheleni kwezinsuku inkosi eyayitshilo ukuthi bazawangenisa ngazo, induna yabathenwa yawangenisa phambi kukaNebhukadinezari.
19 And the king speaks with them, and there has not been found among them all like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and they stand before the king;
Inkosi yasikhuluma lawo; njalo phakathi kwawo wonke kakutholwanga onjengoDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, loAzariya; ngakho ema phambi kwenkosi.
20 and [in] any matter of wisdom [and] understanding that the king has sought of them, he finds them ten hands above all the enchanters, the conjurers, who [are] in all his kingdom.
Mayelana lazo zonke izindaba zenhlakanipho lokuqedisisa, inkosi eyayiwabuza ngazo, yawathola esedlula ngokuphindwe katshumi bonke abalumbi lezangoma abasembusweni wayo wonke.
21 And Daniel is to the first year of Cyrus the king.
Njalo uDaniyeli waba khona kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wokuqala wenkosi uKoresi.

< Daniel 1 >