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.
[One night] during the second year that Nebuchadnezzar ruled, he had a dream. The dream worried him very much; and [as a result] he could not 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,
[The next morning] he summoned his men who worked magic, fortune-tellers, those who worked sorcery, and those who studied the stars. [Because he had forgotten what he had dreamed, ] he insisted that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood there in front of the king,
3 ọ sịrị ha, “Arọrọ m nrọ nke na-enye m nsogbu nʼobi. Achọrọ m ịma ihe ọ pụtara.”
he said, “I had a dream [last night] that worries me. [Tell me what I dreamed, because] I want to know what the dream [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 men who studied the stars replied to the king, speaking in the Aramaic [language]. They said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we hope that you will live a long time! Tell us what you dreamed, and [then] we will tell you what it means!”
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.
But the king replied, “I have firmly decided that you must tell me the dream, and [also tell me] what it means. If you do not do that, I will [order my soldiers to] cut you into pieces, and to cause your houses to become only piles of stones!
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 tell me what I dreamed and what it means, I will reward you. I will give you wonderful gifts and greatly honor you. So tell me what I dreamed and what it means!”
7 Ọzọkwa, ha zaghachiri, “Ka eze gwa ndị ohu ya ihe ọ rọrọ na nrọ, anyị ga-akọwakwa ya.”
But again they said, “Tell us what you dreamed, and [then] we will tell you 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.
The king replied, “I know that you are just trying to get more time, because you know that I will do to you what I said that I would do.
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 do not tell me what I dreamed, you will be punished. [I think that] you have all agreed to tell me lies and [other] wicked things, because you hope that I will change ([my mind/what I am thinking]). But tell me the dream, and [then] I will know that you can [also] tell me 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 men who studied the stars replied, “There is no one on the earth who can do what you ask! There is no king, [even] a great and mighty king, who has [ever] asked his men who work magic or his fortune-tellers or men who study the stars to do something like that!
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 you are asking [us to do] is impossible. Only the gods can tell you what you dreamed, and they do not live among us!”
12 Nke a mere ka eze jupụta nʼoke iwe na ọnụma, o nyere iwu ka e gbuchaa ndị amamihe niile nke Babilọn.
The king was very angry when he heard that, so he commanded [his soldiers] that they execute all such wise men in Babylon.
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.
And because of what the king commanded, they sent some men to find me and my [three] friends, to execute us [also].
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.
Arioch, the commander of the king’s guards, came to kill us. But I spoke to him very wisely and tactfully/skillfully.
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.
I asked Arioch, “Why has the king made such a harsh/terrible decree?” So Arioch told me all that had happened [because of the king’s dream].
16 Mgbe ahụ, Daniel banyere nʼụlọeze, ịhụ ya. Ọ rịọrọ eze ka o nyetụ ya nwa oge iji kọwaakwara ya ihe nrọ ahụ pụtara.
I [immediately] went to talk to the king and requested that the king give me some time, so that I could find out [what the dream was and] what the dream meant.
17 Emesịa, Daniel lara nʼụlọ nke ya gaa kọọrọ Hananaya, na Mishael, na Azaraya, ndị enyi ya ihe merenụ.
Then I went home, and I told my friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, what had happened.
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.
I urged them to ask God, who lives/rules in heaven, to have mercy on us by telling us the secret [meaning of what the king dreamed], in order that we and the other wise men in Babylon would not be executed.
19 Nʼabalị, e mere ka Daniel mata ihe omimi ahụ site nʼọhụ. Mgbe ahụ, Daniel toro Chineke nke eluigwe,
And that night [God] gave to me a vision in which he revealed the secret. Then I praised God,
20 Daniel sịrị, “Otuto dịrị aha Chineke ruo mgbe ebighị ebi; amamihe na ike dị nʼaka ya.
saying, “We should praise God [MTY] forever, because [only] he truly 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 determines what events will happen through the years. He removes [some] kings and gives their authority to [new] kings. He is the one who causes people to become wise and enables those who study to understand [many] things.
22 Ọ na-ekpughe ihe dị omimi na ihe zoro ezo; Ọ maara ihe dị nʼọchịchịrị, ma ìhè binyekwara ya.
He reveals things that are very mysterious; he is surrounded by light, but he knows things that are hidden [as though they were] in the darkness.
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.”
God, whom my ancestors [worshiped], I thank you and I praise you, because you have caused me to be wise and made me strong. You have told me what my friends and I asked you to tell us; and you have revealed to us what the king demanded to know.”
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.”
Then I went to Arioch, the man whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men in Babylon. I said to him, “Do not kill those wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means.”
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.”
So Arioch quickly took me to the king. He said to the king, “I have found [this man], one of the men whom we brought from Judah who [says he can] can tell you 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 said to me, whose [new] name was Belteshazzar, “[Is this true]? Can you tell me what I dreamed 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.
I replied, “There are no wise men or fortune-tellers or men who work magic or men who work sorcery who can tell such things to you.
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 secrets. And he has shown in [your dream] what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you what you dreamed, the vision you saw [as you were lying] on your bed.
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.
O King, while you were sleeping, you dreamed about events that will happen in the future. The one who reveals mysteries has shown you what is going to happen.
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.
And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else on earth that I know the meaning of this mysterious dream. It is because God wanted you to understand what you were thinking.
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.
O King, [in your vision] you saw in front of you a huge and terrifying statue [of a man. It was] shining very brightly, and it was frightening and awesome.
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 [made] of pure gold. Its chest and arms [were made of] silver. Its belly and thighs [were made of] 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 made of] iron, and its feet were a mixture of clay and iron.
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.
As you watched, something cut a rock [from a mountain, but it was] not a human [who cut it]. The rock [tumbled down and] smashed the feet of the statue, feet [that were made of] iron and clay. It smashed them to bits.
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 collapsed into a big heap of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. The pieces of the statue were as small as bits of chaff on the ground where it is threshed, and the wind blew away all the tiny pieces. There was nothing left. But the rock that smashed the statue became a large mountain that covered the whole earth.
36 “Eze, nke a bụ nrọ ahụ. Ugbu a ka anyị kọwaara gị ihe nrọ ahụ pụtara.
That was what you dreamed. Now I will tell you what it means.
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;
You are a king [who rules] over [many other] kings. The God who rules in heaven has caused you to rule over them and has given you great power [DOU] and has honored you.
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 has caused you to be the ruler over all people, and [even] the animals and birds are controlled by you. [So] the head [of the statue] represents you.
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 your [kingdom/rule] ends, there will be another [great] kingdom, [but it] will not be as great as yours. [The silver parts of the statue represent that kingdom]. Then there will be a third [great] kingdom [whose king] will rule over the whole earth. The bronze parts [of the statue represent] that kingdom.
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.
After that kingdom ends, there will be a fourth [great] kingdom. The iron [parts of the statue represent that kingdom]. [The army of] that kingdom will smash the previous kingdoms, just like iron smashes everything that it strikes.
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.
The feet and toes of the statue that you saw, that were a mixture of iron and clay, indicate that the kingdom they represent will [later] be divided.
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.
Some parts of that kingdom will be as strong as iron, but some parts will not remain together, just as iron and clay do not stick together.
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.
The mixture of iron and clay [in the statue] shows also that the rulers of those kingdoms that separate from each other will try to form alliances with each other as a result of members of the royal families of those kingdoms marrying each other. But that will not succeed, just as iron and clay do not stick together.
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.
But while those kings are ruling, God who rules in heaven will establish a kingdom that will never end. No one will ever defeat its king. He will completely destroy all those kingdoms, but his kingdom will remain 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.”
That is the meaning of the rock that something cut from the mountain, the rock that will crush to tiny bits the statue that is made of iron, bronze, silver, and gold. O king, the great God has shown you what will truly happen in the future. And you can trust [what I told you about] the meaning of the dream.”
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 prostrated himself in front of me [in great respect]. He commanded [his people] that they burn incense and burn an offering of grain to honor me.
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 me, “[Your God has enabled] you to tell me the meaning of this dream/mystery, so now I truly know that your God is greater than all the other gods and all other kings. He reveals [to people] things that they cannot know.”
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 gave many gifts to me, and he [also] appointed me to rule over the entire province of Babylon, and [also] to be the boss of all his wise men.
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.
I asked the king to appoint Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to [also] have important positions in Babylon province, and the king did what I asked him to do. But [I did my work while] I stayed at the king’s palace.
