Daniel 2
1 Nʼime afọ nke abụọ nke ọchịchị ya, eze Nebukadneza rọrọ nrọ dị iche iche. Nrọ ndị a mere ka obi ya gbasasịa, ụra pụkwara ya nʼanya.
In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign the king had dreams that upset him so much that he found it difficult to sleep.
2 Mgbe ahụ, eze kpọrọ ndị majiki, ndị ha na mmụọ ọjọọ na-ekwu okwu, ndị mgbaasị na ndị ihe banyere ngagharị nke kpakpando doro anya ka ha bịa gwa ya ihe ahụ ọ rọrọ na nrọ. Mgbe ha bịara, guzo nʼihu eze,
So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. They came in and stood before him.
3 ọ sịrị ha, “Arọrọ m nrọ nke na-enye m nsogbu nʼobi. Achọrọ m ịma ihe ọ pụtara.”
“I've had a dream that has really upset me,” he told them. “I need to know what it means.”
4 Mgbe ahụ, ndị ahụ na-enyocha kpakpando gwara eze ahụ okwu nʼasụsụ ndị Siria sị, “Ka gị eze dịrị ndụ ruo mgbe ebighị ebi, Ị ga-agwa ụmụodibo gị nrọ a ị rọrọ, anyị ga-akọwara gị ihe ọ pụtara.”
The astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “May Your Majesty the king live forever! Tell us your dream and we your servants will interpret it for you.”
5 Ma eze zara ndị Kaldịa, “Nke a bụ ihe m kpebirila: Ọ bụrụ na unu agwaghị m ihe nrọ a na nkọwa ya bụ, aga m eme ka abọkasịa unu, tikpọkwa ụlọ unu, mee ka ha ghọọ mkpọmkpọ ebe.
“I can't recall it,” the king told the astrologers. “If you can't reveal the dream to me, and its meaning, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be totally destroyed!
6 Ma ọ bụrụ na unu gwa m ihe ahụ m rọrọ na nrọ ma kọwaakwa ya, aga m enye unu onyinye dị iche iche na ụgwọ ọrụ nsọpụrụ dị ukwuu. Ya mere, gwanụ m nrọ ahụ na nkọwa ya.”
But if you can tell me the dream and its meaning you will receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. So tell me the dream and what it means!”
7 Ọzọkwa, ha zaghachiri, “Ka eze gwa ndị ohu ya ihe ọ rọrọ na nrọ, anyị ga-akọwakwa ya.”
Again they said the same thing: “If Your Majesty the king would tell us his servants the dream, we will explain what it means.”
8 Eze zaghachiri, “Ama m na ọ bụ oge ka unu na-achọ inweta nʼihi na unu amatala na ihe a ka m kpebiri ime.
“It's obvious to me that you're just trying to buy time!” said the king. “You can see that I can't remember the dream.
9 Ọ bụrụ na unu agwaghị m nrọ ahụ naanị otu ntaramahụhụ dịịrị unu. Unu agbaala izu ịgwa m okwu ụgha na okwu nduhie na-ele anya na ọnọdụ ga-agbanwe. Ya mere, gwanụ m nrọ ahụ, m ga-amatakwa na unu pụrụ ịkọwara m ya.”
If you can't reveal the dream to me, you will all receive the same punishment! You have conspired against me, telling me lies, hoping things will change. So tell me what my dream was and then I'll know that you can explain what it means.”
10 Ndị Kaldịa zara eze, “Ọ dịghị mmadụ ọbụla nʼelu ụwa a nke nwere ike ime ihe a eze na-achọ. Ọ dịghịkwa eze, nʼagbanyeghị ịdị ukwuu ya na ịdị ike ya, nke jụtụrụla ụdị ihe dị otu a eze na-ajụ nʼaka ndị mgbaasị, ndị na-agba aja ya, ndị ha na mmụọ ọjọọ na-ekwu okwu, na ndị Kaldịa.
The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth could tell the king what he dreamed! Never before has a king, however great and powerful, demanded this of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer!
11 Ihe a ị chọrọ ka anyị mee bụ ihe na-agaghị ekwe omume. Ọ bụ naanị ndị mmụọ nwere ike ịkọrọ gị ihe ị rọrọ na nrọ. Ndị mmụọ anọkwaghị nʼetiti ndị mmadụ.”
What Your Majesty is asking is impossible! No one can tell Your Majesty what you dreamed, except the gods, and they do not live among us mortals.”
12 Nke a mere ka eze jupụta nʼoke iwe na ọnụma, o nyere iwu ka e gbuchaa ndị amamihe niile nke Babilọn.
This made the king extremely angry, and he ordered all the wise men of Babylon executed.
13 Mgbe e kwupụtara iwu onye eze ka e gbuo ndị oke amamihe niile, ndị agha chọkwara ebe Daniel na ndị otu ya nọ ka ha gbuo ha.
The decree was issued. The wise men were about to be executed, and the king's men went looking for Daniel and his friends.
14 Mgbe Ariok, onye bụ onyeisi ndị nche eze pụrụ igbu ndị ikom maara ihe na Babilọn, Daniel ji amamihe na ezi uche gwa ya okwu.
Daniel approached Arioch, the commander of the imperial guard, whom the king had put in charge of the order to execute all the wise men of Babylon. Wisely and tactfully
15 Ọ jụrụ onyeozi eze, bụ Ariok, “Gịnị mere eze ji nye iwu dị ike dị otu a?” Mgbe ahụ, Ariok kọwaara ihe niile nye Daniel.
Daniel asked him, “Why would the king issue such a harsh decree?” So Arioch explained to Daniel what had happened.
16 Mgbe ahụ, Daniel banyere nʼụlọeze, ịhụ ya. Ọ rịọrọ eze ka o nyetụ ya nwa oge iji kọwaakwara ya ihe nrọ ahụ pụtara.
Daniel immediately went to see the king and asked for more time to explain the dream and its meaning to him.
17 Emesịa, Daniel lara nʼụlọ nke ya gaa kọọrọ Hananaya, na Mishael, na Azaraya, ndị enyi ya ihe merenụ.
Then Daniel went home and shared with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what was going on.
18 Ọ gwara ha ka ha rịọọ maka ebere site nʼaka Chineke nke eluigwe banyere ihe nzuzo a, ka a hapụ igbu ya na ndị enyi ya na ndị amamihe fọdụrụ na Babilọn.
He told them to pray to the God of heaven, asking for help regarding this mystery, so that he and his friends would not be killed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Nʼabalị, e mere ka Daniel mata ihe omimi ahụ site nʼọhụ. Mgbe ahụ, Daniel toro Chineke nke eluigwe,
That night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven:
20 Daniel sịrị, “Otuto dịrị aha Chineke ruo mgbe ebighị ebi; amamihe na ike dị nʼaka ya.
“Praise the wonderful nature of God forever and ever, for he is wise and powerful.
21 Ọ na-agbanwe oge na mgbe dị iche iche; Ọ na-ebuli ndị eze na-akwatụkwa ha. Ọ na-enye onye maara ihe amamihe, ma na-enyekwa onye nwere mmụọ nghọta ihe ọmụma.
He is in charge of time and history. He removes kings, and he sets kings in place. He gives wisdom to make people wise; he gives knowledge to people so they can understand.
22 Ọ na-ekpughe ihe dị omimi na ihe zoro ezo; Ọ maara ihe dị nʼọchịchịrị, ma ìhè binyekwara ya.
He reveals deep, mysterious things. He knows what lies in darkness, and light lives in his presence.
23 Ana m ekele gị, na-etokwa gị, Chineke nke nna m ha, nʼihi na i nyela m amamihe na ike. I meela ka m mata ihe anyị rịọrọ gị, i mekwala ka anyị mata nrọ ahụ eze rọrọ.”
I give thanks and praise to you, God of my fathers, for you have given me wisdom and power. Now you have revealed to me what we asked you; you have revealed to us the king's dream.”
24 Nʼihi ya, Daniel jekwuru Ariok, onye ahụ eze nyere iwu igbu ndị ndụmọdụ niile dị na Babilọn, sị ya, “Egbukwala onye ọbụla nʼime ndị amamihe Babilọn. Kama duru m gaa nʼihu eze nʼihi na ejikeere m ịgwa ya ihe ahụ ọ chọrọ ịmata.”
So Daniel went to Arioch whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon and told him, “Don't execute the wise men of Babylon! Take me to see the king and I will explain to him his dream.”
25 Mgbe ahụ, Ariok mere ngwangwa duru Daniel gaa nʼihu eze, sị ya, “Achọpụtala m otu onye nʼime ndị Juda a dọtara nʼagha nwere ike ịgwa eze ihe nrọ ya pụtara.”
Arioch immediately took Daniel to the king and told him, “I've found one of the captives from Judah who can tell Your Majesty what your dream means.”
26 Eze jụrụ Daniel (onye a na-akpọkwa Belteshaza), “I nwere ike ịgwa m ihe ahụ m rọrọ na nrọ, na ịkọwara m ihe ọ pụtara?”
The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you really able to tell me what my dream was, and what it means?”
27 Daniel gwara eze, “O nweghị onye amamihe ọbụla, onye ọbụla ya na mmụọ na-ekwu okwu, onye mgbaasị ọbụla maọbụ onye na-enyocha kpakpando ọbụla pụrụ ịgwa eze ihe omimi a ị chọrọ.
“No wise men or enchanters or magicians or diviners can explain the mystery Your Majesty wants to know,” Daniel replied.
28 Ma o nwere Chineke nọ nʼeluigwe, onye na-ekpughe ihe omimi niile. O gosila Nebukadneza ihe ga-eme nʼụbọchị ndị dị nʼihu. Nrọ gị na ọhụ niile nke gara nʼuche gị mgbe ị dinara nʼihe ndina gị bụ ndị a:
“But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the last days. Your dream and the visions that came to your mind as you were lying in bed were these.
29 “Ihe ị rọrọ na nrọ, gị bụ eze, bụ ihe banyere ihe na-aga imezu nʼoge dị nʼihu. Onye ahụ na-ekpughe ihe nzuzo niile egosikwala gị ihe nke ga-eme.
As Your Majesty lay there, your thoughts turned to the future, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what would take place.
30 Ma mụ onwe m, ekpugheghị ihe omimi a nye m nʼihi na m karịrị mmadụ ọbụla dị ndụ nʼamamihe, kama ọ bụ ka gị bụ eze mata nkọwa ya ma ghọtakwa ihe gabigara nʼuche gị.
It's not because I have any more wisdom than anyone else that this mystery has been revealed to me, but to explain to Your Majesty what you were thinking about so you could understand.
31 “Eze, ihe ị hụrụ nʼọhụ bụ nke a. Ị hụrụ mmadụ a kpụrụ akpụ. Mmadụ a a kpụrụ akpụ buru nnọọ ibu. Ọ na-egbukwa nweghenweghe, bụrụkwa ihe na-eyi onye ọbụla lekwasịrị ya anya egwu.
Your Majesty, as you looked, there before you stood a great statue. The statue standing in front of you was huge, and blazingly bright. It looked terrifying!
32 E ji ọlaedo a nụchara anụcha kpụọ isi mmadụ ahụ, jiri ọlaọcha kpụọ aka ya na obi ya. E jikwa bronz kpụọ afọ ya na apata ụkwụ ya.
The head of the statue was gold, the chest and arms were silver, its middle and thighs were bronze,
33 Ọ bụkwa igwe ka e ji kpụọ ogwe ụkwụ ya abụọ. Ma akụkụ ụkwụ ya, nke a na-azọ nʼala ka e ji igwe a gwara ya na ụrọ kpụọ.
its legs were iron, and its feet were iron and baked clay.
34 Mgbe ị na-ele anya, a wapụtara nkume, ma ọ bụghị aka mmadụ ka e ji wapụta ya. Nkume a kụrụ mmadụ ahụ a kpụrụ akpụ nʼukwu nkume na ụrọ ya, kụpịasịa ha.
While you were watching, a stone was quarried, but not by human hands. It struck the iron and clay feet of the statue and smashed them to pieces.
35 Mgbe ahụ, e tijisịrị igwe ahụ na ụrọ ahụ, bronz ahụ na ọlaọcha ahụ nakwa ọlaedo ahụ niile. Ha dịka igbugbo ọka nke na-adị nʼebe a na-azọcha ọka nʼoge okpomọkụ. Ifufe fechapụsịrị ha na-ahapụghị ihe ngosi ọbụla. Ma nkume ahụ dakwasịrị ihe ahụ awuru awu mechara ghọọ ugwu dị ukwuu, nke jupụtara ụwa niile.
Then the rest of the statue—the bronze, the silver, and the gold—broke into pieces like the iron and clay. The wind blew them all away like chaff from the summer threshing floor, so that no trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 “Eze, nke a bụ nrọ ahụ. Ugbu a ka anyị kọwaara gị ihe nrọ ahụ pụtara.
This was the dream, and now we will explain what it means to the king.
37 Gị onwe gị, eze, bụ eze nke ọtụtụ ndị eze ọzọ nọ nʼokpuru ya, onye Chineke nke eluigwe nyere ike ọchịchị, nʼocheeze niile, na ike na otuto;
Your Majesty, you are the king of kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, and power, strength, and glory.
38 nyefeekwa nʼaka gị ụmụ mmadụ niile na ụmụ anụmanụ bi nʼime ọhịa, na ụmụ nnụnụ nke igwe, e mere ka ị bụrụ eze ihe niile ndị a, gị bụ isi ahụ e ji ọlaedo kpụọ.
He gave you control over all peoples, as well as the wild animals and birds. He made you ruler of all of them. You are the head of gold.
39 “Mgbe ị chịchara alaeze ọzọ ga-ebili, ma ọ gaghị adị ukwuu dịka nke gị, mgbe nke a gasịrị, alaeze ọzọ bụ nke atọ, nke ga-adị ka bronz ga-ebilikwa, ọ ga-achị ụwa niile.
But after you another kingdom will rise that is inferior to your kingdom and will replace yours. After that a third kingdom that is bronze will rise and rule over the whole world.
40 A ga-enwekwa alaeze nke anọ, nke ga-esi ike dịka igwe. Dịka igwe nke na-akụri ihe niile, ọ ga-egwepịa ma kụrikwaa ndị a niile.
The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron and in the same way that iron crushes and smashes everything; it will crush and smash all others.
41 Ma ebe ị hụrụ na ọbụ ụkwụ ahụ na mkpịsịụkwụ ya niile na ụfọdụ nʼime ha bụ ụrọ ọkpụ ite na ụfọdụ bụkwa igwe, alaeze nke ekewara ekewa ka ọ ga-abụ, ma ọ ga-esitụ ike dịka igwe nke dị nʼime ya, nʼihi na ị hụrụ igwe ahụ na agwakọtara ya na ụrọ apịtị.
You saw the feet and toes made from iron and baked clay, and this indicates it will be a divided kingdom. It will have some of the strength of iron but mixed with clay.
42 Dịka mkpịsịụkwụ ya, nke ụfọdụ nʼime ya bụ igwe, ụfọdụ bụkwa ụrọ, na-egosi na akụkụ ụfọdụ nke alaeze ahụ ga-esi ike ma akụkụ ụfọdụ agaghị esi ike ntiwa.
As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
43 Dịka otu ahụ ị hụrụ e siri gwakọta igwe na ụrọ ọnụ, otu a ka ọchịchị alaeze ndị a ga-achọ njikọta alaeze na ibe ya, ma nke a agaghị ekwe mee, dịka ọ gaghị ekwe omume bụ ịgwakọta igwe na ụrọ.
In the same way that you saw the iron mixed with ordinary clay, so the people will mix but they will not stick together just as iron and clay do not mix.
44 “Nʼoge ahụ, ndị eze ndị a ga-anọ nʼọchịchị, Chineke nke eluigwe ga-eme ka alaeze ọzọ bido. Ọ bụkwa alaeze nke a na-apụghị imebi emebi. O nwekwaghị onye ọbụla pụrụ imeri alaeze ahụ. Ọ ga-ala alaeze ndị ọzọ nʼiyi, mee ka ha bụrụ ihe efu, ma ọ ga-adịrị na-aga nʼihu ruo ebighị ebi.
During the time of these kings the God of heaven will set up an eternal kingdom that will never be destroyed or taken over by others. It will crush all these kingdoms, bringing them to an end, and it will last forever,
45 Dịka i siri hụ nkume ahụ dị ukwuu e sitere nʼugwu wapụta, nke a na-ejighị aka wapụta were kụrichaa igwe ahụ, bronz ahụ, ụrọ ahụ, ọlaọcha ahụ na ọlaedo ahụ. “Chineke dị ukwuu emeela ka eze mara ihe na-aga ime nʼoge dị nʼihu. Nrọ a bụ eziokwu, nkọwa ya kwesikwara ntụkwasị obi.”
in the same way that you saw the stone quarried from the mountain, but not by human hands, crush the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God has revealed to Your Majesty what is to come. The dream is true, and the explanation is trustworthy.”
46 Mgbe ahụ, eze Nebukadneza dara nʼala nʼihu Daniel nye ya nsọpụrụ. O nyekwara iwu ka eweta onyinye na ụda na-esi isi ụtọ were chụnyere ya aja.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell down before Daniel and worshiped him, and ordered offerings of grain and incense to be made to him.
47 Onye eze gwakwara Daniel, “Nʼezie, Chineke gị bụ Chineke kachasị chi niile. Ọ bụ ya na-achị eze niile bi nʼụwa, bụrụkwa Onye na-ekpughepụ ihe omimi niile, nʼihi na lee, i nwere ike ịkọwa ihe omimi nke a.”
The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, the revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
48 Emesịa eze nyere Daniel ọkwa dị ukwuu, nyekwa ya ọtụtụ onyinye dị iche iche. O mere ya onyeisi na-achị ala Babilọn niile, meekwa ya onyeisi ndị ndụmọdụ eze niile.
Then the king promoted Daniel to a high position and gave him many expensive gifts, making him governor over the whole province of Babylon and head of all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Ma dịka Daniel siri rịọ eze, o mekwara ka Shedrak, Mishak na Abednego bụrụ ndị na-elekọta ihe niile a na-eme eme nʼala Babilọn, Daniel nʼonwe ya nọdụrụ nʼogige eze.
At Daniel's request, the king placed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in charge of the province of Babylon, and Daniel remained at the king's court.
