< Daniel 3 >

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was eighty-eight feet seven inches, and its breadth eight feet ten inches: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
INkosi uNebhukhadineza yenza isithombe segolide, saphakama izingalo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lobubanzi obuzingalo eziyisificamunwemunye, yasimisa egcekeni laseDura elizweni laseBhabhiloni.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Yasibiza ababusi bezigaba, labalisa, ababusi bemikhono yelizwe, labeluleki,
3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
labaphathizikhwama, labehluleli, labomantshi kanye lazozonke izikhulu zezigaba ukuza emkhosini wokubusisa isithombe leso ayesimisile, bema phambi kwaso.
4 Then the herald cried aloud, "To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,
Umlawuli womkhosi wasememezela kakhulu wathi, “Mahlabezulu, lani zizwe zonke kanye lani bantu bezindimi zonke, nanku elilaywa ukuthi likwenze:
5 that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up;
Lingavele lizwe ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho, lezindweba layo yonke imihlobo yokuhlabela ngokukhalisa iziginci libokuthi mbo phansi lisikhonze isithombe segolide esimiswe yinkosi uNebhukhadineza.
6 and whoever doesn't fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
Iloba ngubani ongayi kukhothama asikhonze uzahle aphoselwe esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.”
7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Yikho, bonela ukuzwa ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho lemihlobo yonke yeziginci, bonke abantu, lezizwe labantu bezindimi zonke bathi mbo phansi bakhonza isithombe segolide inkosi uNebhukhadineza eyayisimisile.
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews.
Ngalesisikhathi ezinye izingcazi zezinkanyezi zeza zachothoza amaJuda.
9 They answered Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, live for ever.
Zathi enkosini uNebhukhadineza, “Bayethe nkosi, mana njalo!
10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image;
Ukhuphile isimemezelo, wena nkosi, wathi wonke okuzwayo ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho lezindweba kanye lazozonke iziginci ezikhaliswayo kathi mbo phansi akhonze isithombe segolide,
11 and whoever doesn't fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
lokuthi loba ngubani ongathi mbo phansi akhonze uzaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.
12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not regarded you: they do not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up."
Kodwa bakhona abanye amaJuda obabeke ukuphatha ilizwe laseBhabhiloni, uShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, abangakhathali lutho ngawe, wena nkosi. Kababakhonzi onkulunkulu bakho njalo kabasikhonzi isithombe lesi osimisileyo.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
Wazonda wadla inja uNebhukhadineza, wasebiza oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko. Yikho amadoda la alethwa phambi kwenkosi,
14 Nebuchadnezzar answered them, "Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
uNebhukhadineza wathi kubo, “Kuliqiniso yini, Shadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, ukuthi kalibakhonzi onkulunkulu bami njalo kalisikhonzi isithombe segolide engisimisileyo?
15 Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if you do not worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?"
Manje nxa lingezwa ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho, lezindweba layo yonke imihlobo yezikhaliswayo, nxa selizimisele ukuthi mbo phansi lisikhonze isifanekiso engasenzayo, kulungile. Kodwa nxa lingasikhonzi lizaphoselwa ngokuphangisa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. Pho nguphi unkulunkulu ozalilamulela esandleni sami na?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
OShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko bayiphendula inkosi bathi, “Nkosi Nebhukhadineza, kasidingi kuzilwela phambi kwakho ngale indaba.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
Singaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo, uNkulunkulu esimkhonzayo ulamandla okusisindisa kuwo, njalo uzasilamulela esandleni sakho, wena nkosi.
18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up."
Loba engasisindisi, sithanda ukuba ukwazi, wena nkosi, ukuthi sivele kasisoze sibakhonze onkulunkulu bakho kumbe sisidumise isifanekiso segolide leso osimisileyo.”
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
Lapho-ke uNebhukhadineza waphuphuma ngolaka kuShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, wahle waguqula indlela aye esebaphatha ngayo. Walaya ukuthi isithando somlilo sibaselwe sitshise okuphindwe kasikhombisa kulenjayelo
20 He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
waphinda walaya ukuthi abanye bamabutho angobambapheqe bempi yakhe bababophe oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko babaphosele esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.
21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Yikho amadoda la abotshwa elokhu egqoke amajazi awo, lamabhulugwe, amaqhiye kanye lezinye izigqoko zawo, aphoselwa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo.
22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Umlayo wenkosi wawuthukuthele kakhulu lesithando somlilo sitshisa okokuthi amalangabi omlilo awabulala amanxusa ayefuqela oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko,
23 These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
kwathi amadoda la womathathu ayebotshwe nko awela phakathi kwesithando somlilo olavuzayo.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up quickly. He spoke and said to his ministers, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered the king, "True, O king."
Khonapho inkosi uNebhukhadineza wathi lothu ngokumangala, wabuza abacebisi bakhe wathi, “Kanti angithi abemathathu amadoda esiwabophileyo sawaphosela emlilweni na?” Baphendula bathi, “Liqiniso lelo, Oh nkosi.”
25 He answered, "Look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are unharmed; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods."
Wathi, “Khangelani! Ngibona amadoda amane ehambahamba phakathi komlilo, engabotshwanga njalo engalinyazwanga lutho, njalo owesine lowo ukhangeleka njengendodana yabonkulunkulu.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth out of the midst of the fire.
UNebhukhadineza wasesondela emlonyeni wesithando somlilo olavuzayo wamemeza wathi, “Shadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani! Wozani lapha!” Ngakho oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko baphuma emlilweni,
27 The satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king's ministers, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed, neither were their trousers changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on them.
kwathi ababusi bezigaba, labalisa, lababusi bemikhono yelizwe labeluleki besikhosini bababunganyela. Babona ukuthi umlilo wawungabalimazanga imizimba yabo, njalo kungahaqazekanga lalunye unwele lwamakhanda abo; izembatho zabo zingahangulekanga, njalo kunganuki mlilo kubo.
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
UNebhukhadineza wasesithi, “Kadunyiswe uNkulunkulu kaShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, othume ingilosi yakhe wasindisa izinceku zakhe! Bathemba kuye badelela umlayo wenkosi njalo bazimisela ukunikela impilo zabo kulokuthi bakhonze loba badumise omunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kowabo uNkulunkulu.
29 Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be reduced to rubble; because there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."
Ngakho sengimisa isimemezelo ukuthi abantu loba ngabasiphi isizwe kumbe ulimi abakhuluma okubi ngoNkulunkulu kaShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko kabaqunywaqunywe izicucu, lezindlu zabo zenziwe izinqwaba zezibi, ngoba kakho omunye uNkulunkulu ongasindisa ngale indlela.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Inkosi yase ibanika izikhundla eziphezulu oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko elizweni laseBhabhiloni.

< Daniel 3 >