< Daniel 7 >
1 Le Belsazar, Babilonia fia ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe gbãtɔ me la, Daniel ku drɔ̃e esime wòmlɔ eƒe aba dzi eye ŋutega geɖewo to eƒe susu me. Eŋlɔ drɔ̃e la me nyawo da ɖi.
In the first year of Belshazzar's reign as king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream in which visions passed through his mind as he lay in bed. Afterwards he wrote down the dream, describing it in summary form.
2 Daniel gblɔ be, “Le nye ŋutega me la, mekpɔ be dziƒo ƒe ya eneawo nɔ nye ŋkume eye wonɔ atsiaƒu gã la nyamam.
In my vision that I had that night I saw a tremendous storm, blowing from every direction, stirring up a great sea.
3 Lã gã ene siwo to vovo tso wo nɔewo gbɔ la do go tso atsiaƒu la me.
Four very large beasts were coming up from the sea, every one of them different.
4 “Gbãtɔ le abe dzata ene eye wòto hɔ̃ ƒe aʋala. Melé ŋku ɖe eŋu va se ɖe esime wotu aʋala la ɖa le eŋu, wokɔe tso anyigba, ale be wòtsi tsitre ɖe afɔ eve dzi abe amegbetɔ ene eye wotsɔ amegbetɔ ƒe dzi nɛ.
The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. As I watched, its wings were torn off and it was pulled upright so it was standing with its hind legs on the ground and it was given the mind of a human being.
5 “Lã evelia si ɖi sisiblisi la nɔ tsitre ɖe nye ŋkume. Wofɔ eƒe akpa ɖeka ɖe dzi eye agbaƒuti etɔ̃ nɔ eƒe nu me le eƒe aɖuwo dome. Wogblɔ nɛ be, ‘Tso eye nàɖu lã wòasu wò!’
A second beast appeared, looking like a bear, hunched up on one side and holding three ribs in its mouth with its teeth. It was told, “Get up and eat all the flesh you can.”
6 “Le esia megbe la, mekpɔ lã bubu wònɔ nye ŋkume. Lã sia ɖi lãkle. Aʋala ene nɔ dzime nɛ abe xevi ƒe aʋalawo ene. Lã la to ta ene eye wona ŋusẽe be wòaɖu fia.
After this I saw a third beast. It looked like a leopard with four wings like those of a bird on its back, and it had four heads. It was given power to impose its rule.
7 “Le esia hã megbe la, megakpɔ lã enelia le nye ŋutega la me le zã me wònɔ nye ŋkume; ŋɔdzi kple vɔvɔ̃ nɔ eŋu eye wòsẽ ŋu ŋutɔ. Gaɖu titriwo nɔ nu me nɛ. Evuvua lã, ɖunɛ eye wòtua afɔ esi susɔ la dzi. Eto vovo tso lã kemɛawo gbɔ eye wòto dzo ewo.
Then in my vision that I had that night a fourth beast appeared. It was terrifying, frightening, and extremely powerful, with great iron teeth. It tore apart and ate up its victims, and then trampled on what was left. This beast was different to those that came before it, and it had ten horns.
8 “Esi menɔ dzoawo ŋu bum la, dzo bubu aɖe do ɖe nye ŋkume; dzo sue aɖe koe wònye do ɖe wo dome eye wòho dzo etɔ̃ le dzo gbãtɔwo dome le eŋgɔ. Ŋkuwo nɔ dzo sia ŋu abe amegbetɔ ƒe ŋkuwo ene eye nu si ƒoa nu adegbeƒotɔe hã nɔ eŋu.
As I was wondering about the horns, another horn, a little one, came up between them and three of the earlier horns were pulled out before it. It had human-looking eyes and a mouth that made arrogant boasts.
9 “Esi menɔ ŋku lém ɖe eŋu la, “woɖo fiazikpuiwo woƒe nɔƒewo. Tete Blema Mawu va nɔ eƒe nɔƒe. Eƒe awu fu tititi abe sno ene eye eƒe taɖa fu abe ɖetifu ene. Eƒe fiazikpui nɔ bibim kple dzo.
While I was watching, thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothes were white as snow and his hair looked like the purest wool. His throne blazed like flames; its wheels like burning fire.
10 Dzotɔsisi aɖe nɔ sisim le eŋgɔ. Ame akpe akpewo nɔ esubɔm, ame akpe ewo teƒe akpe ewo nɔ tsitre ɖe eŋgɔ. Ʋɔnu la ɖi anyi eye woke agbalẽawo.
A stream of fire poured out, flowing from before him. A thousand thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court sat to begin its judgment, and the books were opened.
11 “Meyi ŋkuléle ɖe nuwo ŋu dzi le adegbeƒonya siwo lãdzo la nɔ gbɔgblɔm la ta. Meyi nukpɔkpɔ dzi va se ɖe esime wowu lã la eye wotsɔ eƒe ŋutilã kukua ƒu gbe ɖe dzo bibi la me.
I was watching because of the boasts the little horn was making. I went on watching until that beast was killed and its body destroyed by burning.
12 Woxɔ ŋusẽ le lã bubuawo si gake wona be woanɔ agbe hena ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe ko.
The rest of the beasts were allowed to go on living for a season and a time, but their power to rule had been taken away.
13 “Le nye ŋutega me le zã me la, mekpɔ ame aɖe si le abe amegbetɔ vi ene wògbɔna kple dziƒo ƒe lilikpowo. Egogo Blema Mawu la eye wokplɔe yi eŋkumee.
As I continued watching in my vision that I had that night I saw one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
14 Wotsɔ ŋusẽ, bubu kple gãnyenye ƒe ŋusẽ nɛ eye amewo katã kple dukɔwo katã kple ame siwo tso gbegbɔgblɔ ɖe sia ɖe me la subɔe. Eƒe dziɖuɖu nye dziɖuɖu si anɔ anyi tegbee, dziɖuɖu si nu matso o eye eƒe fiaɖuƒe nye esi womagbã gbeɖe o.
He was given authority, glory, and the power to rule over all people, the different nations and languages, so they would all worship him. His rule is everlasting—it will never cease, and his kingdom will never be destroyed.
15 “Nye, Daniel, nye gbɔgbɔ tsi dzi le menye eye ŋutega siwo mekpɔ la ɖe fu nam.
I, Daniel, was deeply disturbed—the visions that had passed through my mind frightened me.
16 Mete ɖe ame siwo nɔ tsitre ɖe afi ma la dometɔ ɖeka ŋu eye mebia nu siawo katã ƒe gɔmeɖeɖe nyuitɔ tso egbɔ. “Ale wògblɔe nam eye wòna nu siawo katã ƒe gɔmeɖeɖem.
I went up to one of the attendants and asked him to explain what all this meant. He said he would explain it so I could understand.
17 ‘Lã gã eneawoe nye fiaɖuƒe ene siwo ava dzɔ tso anyigba dzi.
“These four large beasts symbolize four kingdoms that will rise to power on the earth.
18 Ke Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la ƒe ame kɔkɔewo axɔ fiaɖuƒe la eye wòanye wo tɔ tegbee, ɛ̃, tegbetegbe.’
But those dedicated to the Most High will eventually receive the kingdom. They will possess the kingdom forever, for ever and ever.”
19 “Tete medi be manya lã enelia ƒe gɔmeɖeɖe tututu. Lã sia to vovo sãa tso bubuawo gbɔ eye ŋɔdzi nɔ eŋu ŋutɔ kple eƒe gaɖuwo kple akɔblifewo. Enye lã si vuvua nu, ɖua eƒe nu lélewo eye wòtua afɔ nu sia nu si susɔ la dzi.
Then I wanted to know what the fourth beast stood for—the one that was different to the rest and so terrifying. It had iron teeth and bronze claws, and it tore apart and ate up its victims, trampling on what was left.
20 Medi hã be manya nu tso eƒe dzo ewo siwo nɔ eƒe ta kple dzo bubu si wòto, esi ŋgɔ dzo etɔ̃ ho le, dzo si ŋu dzedzeme nɔ wu bubuawo eye esi ŋu ŋkuwo kple nu si ƒoa nu adegbeƒotɔe nɔ la ŋu.
I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that came up later, causing three of the other horns to fall. This horn looked more impressive than the others and had eyes and a mouth that made arrogant boasts.
21 Esi melé ŋku ɖe eŋu la, dzo sia nɔ aʋa wɔm kple ame kɔkɔeawo eye wònɔ wo dzi ɖum.
I watched as this horn attacked God's dedicated people and was conquering them,
22 Va se ɖe esime Blema Mawu la va eye wòtso afia na Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la ƒe ame kɔkɔeawo eye ɣeyiɣia de be fiaɖuƒe la nazu wo tɔ.
until the Ancient of Days came and gave judgment in favor of the dedicated people of the Most High, and at that time they took possession of the kingdom.
23 “Ena gɔmeɖeɖe siam. ‘Lã eneliae nye fiaɖuƒe enelia si ado ɖe anyigba dzi. Ato vovo tso fiaɖuƒe bubuawo katã gbɔ, aɖu anyigba blibo la dzi, atu afɔ edzi eye wòagbãe.
Then he told me, “The fourth beast stands for the fourth kingdom to rule the earth. It will be different to all the rest of the kingdoms. The beast will eat up the whole world, trampling it down and crushing it.
24 Dzo ewoawo nye fia ewo siwo ado tso fiaɖuƒe sia me. Le woawo yome la, fia bubu aɖe ava, ato vovo tso esiwo do ŋgɔ nɛ la gbɔ eye wòaɖu fia etɔ̃ dzi.
The ten horns are ten kings that will come to power from this kingdom. The one who comes later is different from them, and will defeat three of them.
25 Aƒo nu atsi tsitre ɖe Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la ŋu, ate eƒe ame kɔkɔeawo ɖe to eye wòate kpɔ be yeatrɔ ɣeyiɣi ɖoɖowo kple sewo. Woatsɔ ame kɔkɔeawo ade asi nɛ ƒe ɖeka, ƒe eve alo ƒe afã.
He will speak words of defiance against the Most High and oppress the dedicated people of the Most High, and attempt to change times and laws, and they will be placed under his power for a time, two times, and half a time.
26 “‘Ke ʋɔnu la aɖi anyi, woaxɔ eƒe ŋusẽ le esi eye woagbãe gudugudu tegbetegbe.
Then the court will execute judgment and take away his power, destroying it forever.
27 Ekema woatsɔ dziɖuɖu, ŋusẽ kple fiaɖuƒewo ƒe gãnyenye le dziƒo blibo la ana ame kɔkɔeawo, Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la ƒe amewo. Eƒe fiaɖuƒe la anye fiaɖuƒe mavɔ, dziɖulawo katã asubɔe eye woaɖo toe.’
Then the right to rule, the power, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to those dedicated to the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all who rule will serve and obey him.”
28 “Esiae nye nya la ƒe nuwuwu. Nye, Daniel, nye susuwo ɖe fu nam ŋutɔŋutɔ, nye ŋkume fu kpĩi ke medzra nya la ɖo ɖe nye dzi me.”
This is the end of the summary. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts really disturbed me and my face turned pale, but I kept it all to myself.