Daniel 5
1 [Several years later, ] Belshazzar [became the] king [of Babylon. One day] he invited 1,000 of his officers to a big feast, and he drank [a lot of] wine with them.
Fia Belsazar ɖo kplɔ̃ gã aɖe na eƒe ame ŋkuta akpe ɖeka eye wòno wain kpli wo.
2 While he was drinking, he commanded [his servants] bring to him the gold and silver cups that the previous king, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. [He did that] because he wanted himself and his officials, his wives, and [even] his (concubines/slave wives) to drink from them, [making fun of the god that we Israelis worshiped].
Esime Belsazar nɔ eƒe wain nom la, eɖe gbe be woatsɔ sikanu kple klosalonu siwo fofoa, Nebukadnezar lɔ tso Yerusalem gbedoxɔ me la vɛ ale be fia la, eƒe ame ŋkutawo, srɔ̃awo kple eƒe ahiãviwo nano wain le wo me.
3 So his servants brought in [all] those gold cups, that had been taken [many years previously] from the temple of [the true] God in Jerusalem. Then the king and his officials and his wives and his slave wives drank [wine] from those cups.
Ale wotsɔ sikanu siwo wolɔ tso Mawu ƒe gbedoxɔ me le Yerusalem la vɛ eye fia la, eƒe ame ŋkutawo, srɔ̃awo kple eƒe ahiãviwo no wain le wo me.
4 They drank to praise/honor their idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and [even] wood and stone.
Esi wonɔ aha la nom la, wokafu sika, klosalo, akɔbli, gayibɔ kple ati kple kpe ƒe mawuwo.
5 Suddenly they saw a man’s hand writing on the plaster of the wall opposite the lampstand. The king also saw the hand as it was writing.
Tete amegbetɔ ƒe asibidɛ dze eye wòŋlɔ nu ɖe gli si ŋu wosi akalo ɖo la eye wòte ɖe akaɖiti si le fiasã la me ŋu. Fia la lé ŋku ɖe asibidɛ la ŋu esi wònɔ nua ŋlɔm.
6 He became very frightened, and his face became pale/white. His knees started shaking, and his legs became very weak, with the result that he could not stand up.
Fia la ƒe mo fu kpĩi eye dzidzi ƒoe ale gbegbe be eƒe klowo de asi wo nɔewo ƒoƒo me kpakpakpa eye eƒe afɔwo gbɔdzɔ le ete.
7 [Then] he shouted to summon the men who worked magic, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers. He said, “I will [greatly honor] any one of them who can read this writing and tell me what it means. I will give him a purple [robe like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around his neck. He will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than he will be.”
Fia la na woyɔ eƒe bokɔwo, ɣletivimenunyalawo kple dzotɔwo vɛ. Tete fia la gblɔ na Babilonia nunyala siawo be, “Ame si axlẽ nuŋɔŋlɔ sia eye wòaɖe egɔme nam la, woado aɖabɛwu nɛ, woade sikakɔsɔkɔsɔ kɔ nɛ eye woana wòazu dziɖula ŋusẽtɔ etɔ̃lia le fiaɖuƒe la me.”
8 But when all those wise men came in, none of them could read the writing, or tell him what it meant.
Tete fia la ƒe nunyalawo katã va, ke womete ŋu xlẽ nuŋɔŋlɔ la alo ɖe egɔme na fia la o.
9 So King Belshazzar became more afraid. His face became [even] paler/whiter. And [all] his officials [who were there at the feast] did not know what to do.
Ale vɔvɔ̃ gaɖo Fia Belsazar ɖe edzi wu eye eƒe mo gafu kpĩi ɖe edzi wu. Eƒe ame ŋkutawo hã tɔtɔ.
10 But when the mother of the king (OR, of the previous king) heard the king and his officials talking [loudly about what had happened], she entered the room where they were having the feast. She said [to Belshazzar], “(Your majesty/O King), I hope you will live for a long time! But do not be pale and afraid about this.
Esi fia dada se fia la kple eƒe ame ŋkutawo ƒe nuƒoƒo la, ege ɖe kplɔ̃ɖoƒe la eye wògblɔ be, “O fia, nɔ agbe tegbee. Mègana wò dzika natso o. Mègana wò mo nafu kpĩi alea o.
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. When Nebuchadnezzar was ruling, they discovered that this man understood many things and was wise, just like the gods. The man who was king previously, Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him to be in charge of all the men [in Babylon] who worked magic, the men who worked sorcery, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers.
Ame aɖe le wò fiaɖuƒe la me, ame si me mawu kɔkɔewo ƒe gbɔgbɔ le. Le fofowò ŋɔli la, wokpɔe be sidzedze, gɔmesese kple nunya le esi abe mawuwo tɔwo ene. Fia Nebukadnezar, fofowò, fia la tsɔe ɖo bokɔwo, akunyawɔlawo, ɣletivimenunyalawo kple dzosalawo nu.
12 That man’s name is Daniel; the king gave him a [new] name, Belteshazzar. He is very intelligent and is able to know and understand many things. He is [even] able to tell the meaning of dreams, and explain riddles, and explain things that are very difficult to understand. Summon him, and he will tell you what [this writing] means.”
Wokpɔe dze sii be Daniel, ame si fia la yɔna be Beltesazar la, nunya kple gɔmesese le tagbɔ nɛ kpe ɖe ŋutete be wòaɖe drɔ̃ewo kple adzowo gɔme ŋu eye wònya nu si woawɔ le nya sesẽwo me. Na woayɔ Daniel ne wòaɖe nuŋɔŋlɔ la gɔme na wò.”
13 So they [went and] brought me in. The king asked me, “You [must] be Daniel [RHQ]! [They told me that you are] one of those who was brought [here] from Judah by the previous king.
Ale wokplɔ Daniel va fia la ŋkume eye fia la biae be, “Wòe nye Daniel, aboyome siwo fofonye, fia la kplɔ vɛ tso Yuda la dometɔ ɖeka?
14 I have [also] heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you are very wise and understand many things.
Mese be mawuwo ƒe gbɔgbɔ le mewò eye be gɔmesese, sidzedze kple nunya deto le mewò.
15 My wise men and men who work magic have tried to read the writing on this wall and tell me what it means, but they are not able to do it.
Wokplɔ nunyalawo kple dzosalawo va nye ŋkume be woaxlẽ nuŋɔŋlɔ la eye woaɖe egɔme nam gake womete ŋu ɖe egɔme nam o.
16 [Someone] told me that you can tell what dreams mean and explain things that are very difficult to understand. If you can read these words and tell me what they mean, [I] give you a purple robe [like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around your neck. You will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than you will be.”
Azɔ la, mese be àte ŋu aɖe nuwo gɔme eye nènya ta na nyadzɔdzɔ sesẽwo. Ne àte ŋu axlẽ nuŋɔŋlɔ la eye nàɖe egɔme nam la, woado aɖabɛwu na wò, woade sikakɔsɔkɔsɔ kɔ na wò eye woana nàzu dziɖula gãtɔ etɔ̃lia le nye fiaɖuƒe la me.”
17 I replied, “[I do not want] your gifts; keep them, or give them to someone else. But I will read for you the writing [on the wall], and I will tell you what it means.
Tete Daniel ɖo eŋu na fia la be, “Àte ŋu atsɔ wò nunana siwo ŋugbe nèdo la na ɖokuiwò eye nàtsɔ wò fetuwo ana ame bubu aɖe faa. Ke maxlẽ nuŋɔŋlɔ la na fia la eye maɖe egɔme nɛ.
18 (Your Majesty/O king), the Supreme God caused the man who was king before you, Nebuchadnezzar, to become a great ruler, who was greatly praised and honored.
“O fia, Mawu Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la na fianyenye, gãnyenye, ŋutikɔkɔe kple dzedzeme fofowò, Nebukadnezar.
19 Because God caused him to become [very] great, people of many [HYP] people-groups and nations and who spoke many different languages were very much afraid of him. He [commanded his soldiers to] kill those whom he wanted to be killed, and he (spared/allowed to live) those whom he wanted to spare. He honored those whom he wanted to honor, and he caused to be disgraced those whom he wanted to be disgraced.
Le teƒe kɔkɔ si Mawu nae ta la, amewo katã kple dukɔwo katã kple gbegbɔgblɔ ɖe sia ɖe gblɔlawo vɔ̃nɛ eye wobunɛ. Ame siwo fia la di be yeawu la, ewua wo. Ame siwo wòdi be yeana woatsi agbe la, enana wotsia agbe. Ame siwo wòdi be yeado ɖe ŋgɔ la, edoa wo ɖe ŋgɔ. Ame siwo wodi be yeabɔbɔ ɖe anyi la, ebɔbɔa wo ɖe anyi.
20 But when he became very proud and stubborn [IDM], he was removed from being king [MTY]. People did not consider him to be glorious/great any more.
Ke esi dada ge ɖe dzi me nɛ eye dada na eƒe dzi me sẽ ta la, Mawu ɖee ɖa le eƒe fiazikpui dzi eye woɖe eƒe ŋutikɔkɔe ɖa le eŋu.
21 [His officials] sent him away in order that he would not be near [other] people. [God] caused him to have a mind like animals have. He lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cows do, and dew from the sky caused his body to be damp/wet [each morning]. [He was like that] until he learned that the Supreme God is [really the one who] rules the kingdoms of this world, and that he appoints whomever he chooses to rule those kingdoms.
Enyae le amegbetɔwo dome eye wotsɔ gbemelã ƒe susu nɛ. Enɔ gbetedziwo dome, eɖu gbe abe nyitsu ene, dziƒozãmu dza ɖe edzi eye wònya be Mawu, Dziƒoʋĩtɔ lae nye fia ɖe amegbetɔwo ƒe fiaɖuƒewo katã dzi eye wòtsɔa ame si dze eŋu la ɖoa wo nu.
22 Now, Belshazzar, you have become the king. You [also] knew all those things, but you have not made yourself humble.
“Ke wò fia, O Belsazar, mèbɔbɔ ɖokuiwo o togbɔ be ènya fofowò ƒe ŋutinyawo katã hafi.
23 You have considered yourself to be greater than [God], the Lord of heaven. [So you have commanded your servants to] bring to you these sacred cups, [which were dedicated to the Supreme God, and which were taken] from his temple [in Jerusalem]. You and your officials and your wives and your (concubines/slave wives) have been drinking wine from these cups, while you have been praising [your own] gods—gods which are made of gold and silver and bronze and iron and wood and stone. [Those are gods] that cannot see, that cannot hear, and that do not know anything! You have not honored the God who gives you breath and who controls everything that happens to you.
Le esiawo katã teƒe la, èdo ɖokuiwò ɖe dzi, ɖe Dziƒo ƒe Aƒetɔ la ŋu. Èna wofɔ eƒe kpluwo tso eƒe gbedoxɔ me vɛ na wò eye wò kple wò ame ŋkutawo, srɔ̃wòwo kple wò ahiãviwo mieno wain le wo me. Èkafu klosalo, sika, akɔbli, gayibɔ, ati kple kpe ƒe mawuwo, mawu siwo metea ŋu kpɔa nu, sea nu alo sea nu gɔme o. Mède bubu Mawu si lé wò agbe kple wò mɔwo katã ɖe eƒe asi me la ŋu o
24 So God sent that hand to write a message [for you].
eya ta Mawu ɖo asi si ŋlɔ nu la ɖa.
25 This is the message that it wrote: ‘Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’
“Nu si wòŋlɔ lae nye, Mene, mene, tekel parsin
26 This is what those words mean: Mene [means] ‘numbered/counted’. [That means that] God has been counting the days that you will rule, and he has [now] decided that you will not rule any more.
“Nya siawo gɔme le ale: “Mene: Mawu ɖo seɖoƒe na wò fiaɖuɖu eye wòna wòwu enu.
27 Tekel [means ‘weighed’. It is as though God] has weighed you on a scale, and you do not weigh what you should, [which means that you have not been doing what you should; you are not fit to be a king] [MET].
“Tekel: Woda wò le nudanu dzi, eye wokpɔ be mèkpe o.
28 Parsin [means ‘divided’. That means that God] has divided your kingdom. Some of it will be ruled by people from Media and some will be ruled by people from Persia.”
“Perez: Woma wò fiaɖuɖu me eye wotsɔe na Mediatɔwo kple Persiatɔwo.”
29 Then Belshazzar [did what he had promised]. He put on me a purple robe [like the one he himself wore. He] put a gold chain around my neck. And he proclaimed that there would be only two others who would be more important than me in his kingdom.
Le Belsazar ƒe gbeɖeɖe nu la, wodo aɖabɛwu na Daniel, de sikakɔsɔkɔsɔ kɔ nɛ eye wona wòzu dziɖula ŋusẽtɔ etɔ̃lia le fiaɖuƒe la me.
30 But that same night [soldiers from Media entered the city and] killed Belshazzar, the King of Babylonia.
Le zã ma ke me la, wowu Belsazar, Babilonia fia la
31 Darius, the King of Media, became the King [of Babylonia] when he was 62 years old.
eye Darius, Mediatɔ la xɔ fiaɖuƒe la esime wòxɔ ƒe blaade-vɔ-eve.
