< Daniel 3 >

1 King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his men to make a gold statue. It was (90 feet/27 meters) high and (9 feet/2.7 meters) wide. They set it up in the Dura plain in Babylon province.
Fia Nebukadnezar wɔ sikalegba aɖe wòkɔ afɔ blaasiekɛ, eye wòkeke afɔ asiekɛ. Ekɔe da ɖe Dura gbegbe le Babilonianyigba dzi.
2 Then he sent messages to all the provincial governors, the district governors, the chief advisors, the counselors, the various judges, and all the other officials in the province. He told them to come to the dedication of the statue that he had set up.
Esia megbe la, eyɔ amegãwo, anyigba la dzi ɖulawo, mɔmefiawo, gadzikpɔlawo, ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo, sefialawo kple nutomedzikpɔlawo be woava kpɔ legba si yeli la ŋuti kɔkɔ teƒe.
3 When they all arrived, they all stood in front of that statue.
Ale amegãwo, dziɖulawo, aɖaŋudelawo gadzikpɔlawo, ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo, sefialawo kple nutomedzikpɔlawo va ƒo ƒu hena legba si Fia Nebukadnezar li la ŋuti kɔkɔ teƒe kpɔkpɔ, eye wotsi tsitre ɖe eŋgɔ.
4 Then an announcer shouted, “You people who come from many countries and many people-groups and [who speak many] languages, listen to what the king has commanded!
Tete gbeƒãɖela do ɣli sesĩe gblɔ be, “Nu si wode se be miawɔe nye esi: O amewo, dukɔwo kple gbe ɖe sia ɖe gblɔlawo,
5 When you hear the sounds made by the trumpets, the flutes, the guitars, the harps, the wind instruments, and all the other musical instruments, bow down to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.
ne mienya se lãdzowo, dzewo, gakasaŋkuwo, saŋkuwo, evenɔwo ƒe dzewo kple saŋku ƒomevi vovovowo ƒe ɖiɖi ko la, ele be miamlɔ anyi eye miade ta agu na sikalegba si Fia Nebukadnezar li.
6 Anyone who refuses to do that will be thrown into a blazing furnace!”
Ame sia ame si mamlɔ anyi eye wòade ta agu o la, woadae ɖe kpodzo bibi la me enumake.”
7 So when all those people who had gathered heard the sounds made by the musical instruments, they all bowed down to worship the statue.
Eya ta ne amewo nya se lãdzowo, dzewo, gakasaŋkuwo, saŋkuwo, evenɔwo ƒe dzewo kple saŋku ƒomevi vovovowo ƒe ɖiɖi ko la, amewo katã, dukɔwo me tɔwo kple gbe ɖe sia ɖe gblɔlawo mlɔa anyi eye wodea ta agu na sikalegba si Fia Nebukadnezar li.
8 But some of the men who studied the stars went to the king.
Le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, ɣletivimenunyala aɖewo va tso Yudatɔwo nu.
9 They reported to him, “We hope that you, O king, will live a long time!
Wogblɔ na Fia Nebukadnezar be, “O fia, nɔ agbe tegbee.
10 You decreed that all the officials [whom you had gathered] should bow down and worship the gold statue when they heard the sounds made by the musical instruments.
Ède se, O fia, be ne ame sia ame se lãdzowo, dzewo, gakasaŋkuwo, saŋkuwo, evenɔwo ƒe dzewo kple saŋku ƒomevi vovovowo ƒe ɖiɖi la, ele nɛ be wòamlɔ anyi ade ta agu na sikalegba la
11 You also decreed that those who refused to do that would be thrown into a blazing furnace.
eye ame sia ame si mamlɔ anyi ade ta agu o la, woadae ɖe kpodzo si me dzo le bibim le la me.
12 Sir, there are some men from Judah whom you have appointed to be officials in Babylon province who have not obeyed your decree. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They have refused to worship your god and the gold statue that you have set up.”
Ke Yudatɔ aɖewo li, ame siwo nètsɔ ɖo dziɖuɖu ƒe nyawo nu le Babilonia siwo nye Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego, ame siwo metsɔa ɖeke le eme na wò o. O fia, womesubɔa wò mawuwo o, eye womedea ta agu na sikalegba si nèli la o.”
13 Nebuchadnezzar became very angry. He commanded [his soldiers] to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were brought to him,
Nebukadnezar do dɔmedzoe ŋutɔ eye wòɖo du ɖe Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego. Ale wokplɔ ame siawo va fia la ŋkume.
14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true that you three men have refused to worship my gods or the gold statue that I have set up?
Fia la bia wo be, “Nyateƒe wònye, Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego, be miesubɔa nye mawuwo o eye miedea ta agu na sikalegba si meli la o mahã?
15 [If that is true, ] I will give you one more chance. If you bow down to worship the statue that I have set up when you hear the sounds of the musical instruments, fine. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. Then (what god will be able to rescue you from my power?/no god will be able to rescue you from my power!)” [RHQ]
Azɔ la, ne miese lãdzokpẽwo, gakasaŋkuwo, kasaŋkuwo, saŋkuwo, evenɔwo ƒe kpẽwo kple hadzidzi ƒomevi ɖe sia ɖe ƒe ɖiɖi eye miele klalo be yeawoatsyɔ mo anyi ade ta agu na sikalegba si meli la, ekema anyo ŋutɔ gake ne miede ta agu nɛ o la, woada mi ɖe kpodzo bibi la me enumake. Ekema mawu ka ate ŋu aɖe mi tso nye asi me?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend our [actions] to you in this matter.
Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego ɖo eŋu na fia la be, “O fia, mehiã be míaʋli mía ɖokuiwo ta le wò ŋkume le nya sia me o.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we worship is able to rescue us. Sir, he will rescue us from your power.
Ne woda mí ɖo ɖe kpodzoa me la, Mawu si míesubɔna la ate ŋu aɖe mí tso eme eye wòaɖe mí tso wò asi me, O fia.
18 But [even] if he does not [rescue us], you need to know that we will never worship your gods or the gold statue that you have set up.”
Ke ne maɖe mí o hã la, míedi be nànya, O fia, be míasubɔ wò mawuwo loo alo ade ta agu na sikalegba si nèli la o.”
19 Nebuchadnezzar was extremely angry. [His being very angry even] showed on his face. He commanded that the furnace should be made seven times as hot as usual.
Tete Nebukadnezar do dɔmedzoe vevie ɖe Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego ŋu eye eƒe nɔnɔme ɖe wo ŋu trɔ. Eɖe gbe be woado dzo ɖe kpodzo la me wòaxɔ dzo zi adre wu ale si wòxɔa dzoe tsã.
20 [After that was done, ] he commanded some of the [very] strong men of his army to tie Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and [then] to throw them into the blazing furnace.
Eɖe gbe na eƒe asrafo sesẽtɔwo le eƒe aʋakɔ me be woabla Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego eye woada wo ɖe kpodzo la me.
21 So [the soldiers] tied them up and threw them into the furnace, while they were wearing their clothes.
Ale ame siawo, ame siwo do awu ʋlayawo, tablanuwo kple awu bubuwo la, wobla wo eye wokɔ wo ƒu gbe ɖo ɖe kpodzo si xɔ dzo ŋutɔŋutɔ la me.
22 Because the fire had been made very hot because the king had very strongly ordered them to do that, the flames [leaped out and] killed the soldiers as they were throwing the men into the fire!
Fia la ƒe gbeɖeɖe nu sẽ, eye dzokpo la hã ƒe dzoxɔxɔ nu sẽ ale gbegbe be dzo la ƒe aɖewo wu asrafo siwo kɔ Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego ƒu gbe ɖe kpodzo la me.
23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the roaring flames.
Ke ame etɔ̃ siawo, ame siwo wobla sesĩe la, ge dze dzo bibi la me.
24 But as Nebuchadnezzar was watching, he was amazed. He suddenly jumped up and shouted to his advisors, “Did we tie up three men and throw them into the flames, or not?” They replied, “Yes, O king, [we did].”
Tete Fia Nebukadnezar ƒe nu ku. Etso kpla eye wòbia eƒe aɖaŋudelawo be, “Menye ame etɔ̃e nɔ afi ma, ame siwo míebla tsɔ ƒu gbe do ɖe kpodzoa me oa?” Woɖo eŋu be, “Nenemae, O fia.”
25 Nebuchadnezzar shouted, “[Look]! I see four men in the fire! They have no ropes on them, they are walking around, and [the flames] are not hurting them! And the fourth man looks like a divine being!”
Fia la gblɔ be, “Mikpɔ ɖa! Mekpɔ ame ene, wole tsa ɖim le dzo la me; womebla wo o, nuvevi aɖeke mewɔ wo hã o eye ame enelia ɖi mawuwo ƒe viŋutsuvi aɖe.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar came closer to the opening of the flaming furnace, and he shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you who worship the Supreme God, come out of there! Come here!” So they stepped out of the fire.
Tete Fia Nebukadnezar te ɖe kpodzo la ƒe ʋɔtru ŋu, eye wòdo ɣli be, “Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego, Mawu Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la ƒe subɔlawo, mido go. Miva afi sia!” Ale Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego do go le kpodzo la me
27 Then all the king’s officials crowded around them. They saw that the flames had not harmed them. The flames had not [even] singed any of the hair on their heads or scorched any of their clothes! There was not [even] any smell of smoke on them!
eye amegãwo, anyigbadzinunɔlawo, aʋafiawo kple aɖaŋudelawo va ƒo xlã wo. Wokpɔ be dzo la mewɔ nuvevi aɖeke woƒe ŋutilã o, dzo la mefia woƒe taɖa ɖeka pɛ hã loo alo woƒe awuwo o. Gawu la, dzo la ƒe ʋeʋẽ menɔ wo dometɔ aɖeke ŋu o.
28 [Then] Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego [worship]! He sent one of his angels to rescue these [three] men who worship him and trust in him. They ignored my command; they insisted that they would worship only their God, and were willing to die instead of worshiping any other god.
Tete Nebukadnezar gblɔ be, “Woakafu Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego ƒe Mawu, ame si ɖo eƒe mawudɔla ɖa eye wòɖe eƒe dɔlawo! Woxɔ edzi se eye wogbe fia la ƒe se dzi wɔwɔ, wolɔ̃ be yewoatsɔ yewoƒe agbewo ana wu be yewoasubɔ alo ade ta agu na mawu bubu negbe woawo ŋutɔ ƒe Mawu ko
29 Therefore, I am [now] making this decree: ‘If any people, from any country or people-group or any language group, criticize the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego worship, they will be cut in pieces and their houses [will be torn down and] made into a pile of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue people like this!’”
eya ta mele se dem be dukɔ sia dukɔ me tɔ alo gbe aɖe gblɔla si agblɔ nya vɔ̃ aɖe ɖe Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego ƒe Mawu ŋu la, woaflii kakɛkakɛ eye woana eƒe aƒe nazu aɖukpo elabena mawu bubu aɖeke mate ŋu aɖe ame le mɔ sia nu o.”
30 Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego more important positions in Babylon province than they had before.
Tete fia la do Sadrak, Mesak kple Abednego ɖe ŋgɔ le Babilonia nutoa me.

< Daniel 3 >