< 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.
Kabaka Berusazza n’agabula embaga nnene eri abakungu be lukumi, ne banywa omwenge naye.
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].
Awo Berusazza, yali ng’anywa omwenge, n’atumya ebikompe ebya zaabu n’ebya ffeeza, Nebukadduneeza kitaawe bye yaggya mu yeekaalu mu Yerusaalemi, ye n’abakungu be, n’abakyala be n’abazaana be babinyweremu.
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.
Era ne baleeta ebikompe ebya zaabu n’ebya ffeeza ebyaggyibwa mu yeekaalu ya Katonda mu Yerusaalemi, kabaka n’abakungu be, n’abakyala be n’abazaana be ne babinyweramu.
4 They drank to praise/honor their idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and [even] wood and stone.
Ne banywa omwenge ne batandika okutendereza bakatonda aba zaabu n’aba ffeeza, n’ab’ebikomo, n’ab’ekyuma, n’ab’emiti n’ab’amayinja.
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.
Mu kiseera ekyo ne walabika engalo z’omukono gw’omuntu ne ziwandiika ku kisenge okuliraana ettaala mu lubiri lwa kabaka; kabaka n’alaba ekibatu ky’omukono nga kiwandiika.
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.
Entunula ye n’ekyuka, n’atya nnyo, n’amaviivi ge ne gakubagana n’amagulu ge ne galemererwa okumuwanirira.
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.”
Kabaka n’alagira mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka baleete abafumu, n’Abakaludaaya, n’abalaguzi. Kabaka n’agamba abasajja abagezigezi abo ab’e Babulooni nti, “Omuntu yenna anaasoma ekiwandiiko ekyo, n’antegeeza amakulu gaakyo, alyambazibwa engoye ez’effulungu era alyambazibwa omukuufu ogwa zaabu mu bulago, era aliba mukulu owa waggulu ow’ekifo ekyokusatu mu bwakabaka.”
8 But when all those wise men came in, none of them could read the writing, or tell him what it meant.
Awo abasajja ba kabaka abagezigezi bonna ne bajja, naye ne balemwa okusoma ekiwandiiko ekyo newaakubadde okutegeeza kabaka amakulu gaakyo.
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.
Kabaka Berusazza ne yeeyongera nnyo okweraliikirira, n’entunula ye ne yeeyongera okukyuka; n’abakungu be amagezi ne gababula.
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.
Awo muka kabaka bwe yawulira ebigambo ebyatuuka ku kabaka n’abakungu be, n’agenda mu kisenge ekinene embaga mwe yali n’ayogera nti, “Ayi kabaka, owangaale! Leka kweraliikirira, so tokeŋŋentererwa.
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.
Waliwo omusajja mu bwakabaka bwo alimu omwoyo gwa bakatonda abatukuvu. Mu mirembe gya kitaawo yasangibwa okuba n’okutegeera, n’amagezi, ng’aga bakatonda, era Kabaka Nebukadduneeza kitaawo, n’amufuula omukulu w’abasawo, n’abafumu, n’Abakaludaaya, n’abalaguzi.
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.”
Omusajja oyo Danyeri, kabaka gwe yatuuma Berutesazza, yasangibwa ng’alina omwoyo ogw’okutegeera, n’okumanya, n’okulootolola ebirooto, n’okubikkula ebigambo eby’ekyama, n’okutta ebibuuzo ebizibu ennyo. Kale Danyeri ayitibwe, anaakutegeeza amakulu g’ekiwandiiko.”
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.
Awo Danyeri n’aleetebwa mu maaso ga kabaka, kabaka n’amubuuza nti, “Ggwe Danyeri, omu ku abo abaaleetebwa kabaka kitange mu buwaŋŋanguse okuva mu Yuda?
14 I have [also] heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you are very wise and understand many things.
Bantegeezezza ng’omwoyo wa bakatonda abatukuvu ali mu ggwe, era olaba ebitalabibwa bantu abaabulijjo, otegeera era oli w’amagezi amasukkirivu.
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.
Abasajja abagezigezi, n’abafumu baaleeteddwa mu maaso gange basome ekiwandiiko ekyo era bantegeeze n’amakulu gaakyo, naye balemeddwa okukinnyonnyola.
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.”
Naye ntegeezeddwa, ng’oyinza okunnyonnyola amakulu g’ebigambo ebizibu. Kaakano bw’ononsomera ekiwandiiko ekyo, era n’ontegeeza n’amakulu gaakyo, onooyambazibwa engoye ez’effulungu n’omukuufu ogwa zaabu mu bulago, era oliba mukulu owookusatu mu bwakabaka.”
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.
Awo Danyeri n’addamu kabaka nti, “Ebirabo byo byeterekere, n’empeera yo ogiwe omuntu omulala. Naye nzija kukusomera ekiwandiiko era nkutegeeze n’amakulu gaakyo.
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.
“Katonda Ali Waggulu Ennyo yawa Nebukadduneeza kitaawo obwakabaka, n’obuyinza, n’ekitiibwa n’obukulu, ayi kabaka;
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.
era olw’obuyinza bwe yamuwa, abantu bonna n’amawanga gonna n’abantu ab’ennimi zonna baamutyanga era ne bakankana mu maaso ge. Abo kabaka be yayagalanga battibwe, battibwanga; n’abo be yasonyiwanga, baasonyiyibwanga; n’abo be yayagalanga okugulumiza bagulumizibwanga, n’abo be yayagalanga okutoowaza, baatoowazibwanga.
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.
Naye omutima gwe bwe gwegulumiza ne gukakanyala olw’amalala ge, yaggyibwa ku ntebe ye ey’obwakabaka, n’ekitiibwa kye ne kimuggyibwako.
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.
N’agobebwa mu bantu, n’ebirowoozo bye ne biwaanyisibwa n’aba ng’ensolo ey’omu nsiko, n’abeera wamu n’endogoyi ez’omu nsiko, n’alya omuddo ng’ente, n’omubiri gwe ne gutoba omusulo ogw’eggulu, okutuusa lwe yategeera nga Katonda Ali Waggulu Ennyo, y’afuga obwakabaka bw’abantu, era y’ateekawo buli gw’asiima.
22 Now, Belshazzar, you have become the king. You [also] knew all those things, but you have not made yourself humble.
“Naye ggwe mutabani we, Berusazza, teweetoowazizza mu mutima newaakubadde ng’ebyo byonna wabimanya.
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.
Weegulumizizza eri Mukama w’eggulu; ebikompe ebyaggyibwa mu yeekaalu ye, obitumizzaayo; era ggwe, n’abakungu bo, n’abakyala bo, n’abazaana bo mubinywereddemu omwenge, n’oluvannyuma ne mutandika okutendereza bakatonda aba ffeeza, n’aba zaabu, n’ab’ebikomo, n’ab’ebyuma, n’ab’emiti, n’ab’amayinja abatayinza kulaba newaakubadde okuwulira newaakubadde okutegeera. Naye Katonda oyo alina omukka gwo mu ngalo ze, era amanyi engeri zo zonna, tomugulumizizza.
24 So God sent that hand to write a message [for you].
Kale kyeyavudde akusindikira omukono ogwawandiise ebigambo ebyo.
25 This is the message that it wrote: ‘Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’
“Era ebigambo ebyawandiikiddwa bye bino nti: mene, mene, tekel, ufarsin.
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.
“N’amakulu gaabyo ge gano: “Mene: Katonda akendezezza ennaku z’obwakabaka bwo era abukomezza.
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: Opimiddwa ku minzaani, era osangiddwa ng’obulako;
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.”
“Peres: Obwakabaka bwo bugabanyiziddwamu, era buweereddwa Abameedi n’Abaperusi.”
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.
Awo amangwago Berusazza n’alagira Danyeri ayambazibwe engoye ez’effulungu, era bamwambaze omukuufu ogwa zaabu, era n’ekiragiro ne kiyita nga bw’ali omukulembeze owookusatu mu bwakabaka.
30 But that same night [soldiers from Media entered the city and] killed Belshazzar, the King of Babylonia.
Ekiro ekyo Berusazza kabaka w’Abakaludaaya n’attibwa.
31 Darius, the King of Media, became the King [of Babylonia] when he was 62 years old.
Daliyo Omumeedi n’alya obwakabaka nga wa myaka nkaaga mu ebiri.

< Daniel 5 >