< 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 the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, he had dreams. His mind was troubled, and 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,
Then the king summoned the magicians and those who claimed to speak with the dead. He also called the sorcerers and wise men. He wanted them to tell him about his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
3 ọ sịrị ha, “Arọrọ m nrọ nke na-enye m nsogbu nʼobi. Achọrọ m ịma ihe ọ pụtara.”
The king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my mind is anxious 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.”
Then the wise men spoke to the king in Aramaic, “King, live forever! Tell the dream to us, your servants, and we will reveal the meaning.”
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.
The king replied to the wise men, “This matter has been settled. If you do not reveal the dream to me and interpret it, your bodies will be torn apart and your houses made into rubbish heaps.
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 will tell me the dream and its meaning, you will receive gifts from me, a reward, and great honor. So tell to me the dream and its meaning.”
7 Ọzọkwa, ha zaghachiri, “Ka eze gwa ndị ohu ya ihe ọ rọrọ na nrọ, anyị ga-akọwakwa ya.”
They replied again and said, “Let the king tell us, his servants, the dream and we will tell you its meaning.”
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 answered, “I know for certain that you want more time because you see how firm my decision is about this.
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.”
But if you do not tell me the dream, there is only one sentence for you. You have decided to prepare false and deceptive words that you agreed together to say to me until I change my mind. So then, tell me the dream, and then I will know you can interpret it for me.”
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 wise men replied to the king, “There is not a man on earth able to meet the king's demand. There is no great and powerful king who has demanded such a thing from any magician, or from anyone who claims to speak with the dead, or from a wise man.
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 the king demands is difficult, and there is no one who can tell it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”
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 angry and very furious, and he gave an order to destroy all those in Babylon who were known for their wisdom.
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.
So the decree went out that all those who were known for their wisdom were to be put to death. Because of this decree, they searched for Daniel and his friends so they could be put to death.
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.
Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch the commander of the king's bodyguard, who had come to kill all those in Babylon who were known for their wisdom.
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 the king's commander, “Why is the king's decree so urgent?” So Arioch told 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.
Then Daniel went in and requested an appointment with the king so that he could present the interpretation to the king.
17 Emesịa, Daniel lara nʼụlọ nke ya gaa kọọrọ Hananaya, na Mishael, na Azaraya, ndị enyi ya ihe merenụ.
Then Daniel went to his house and explained to 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.
He urged them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and they might not be killed with the rest of the men of Babylon who were known for their wisdom.
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.
and said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and power belong to him.
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 changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and places kings on their thrones. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 Ọ na-ekpughe ihe dị omimi na ihe zoro ezo; Ọ maara ihe dị nʼọchịchịrị, ma ìhè binyekwara ya.
He reveals the deep and hidden things because he knows what is in the darkness, and the light lives with him.
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 of my ancestors, I thank you and praise you for the wisdom and power you gave to me. Now you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the matter that concerns the king.”
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 Daniel went in to see Arioch (the one the king appointed to kill everyone who was wise in Babylon). He went and said to him, “Do not kill the wise men in Babylon. Take me to the king and I will show the king the interpretation of 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.”
Then Arioch quickly brought in Daniel before the king and said, “I have found among the exiles of Judah a man who will reveal the meaning of the king's dream.”
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 Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me the dream that I saw and its meaning?”
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.
Daniel answered the king and said, “The mystery that the king has asked about cannot be revealed by those who have wisdom, nor by those who claim to speak with the dead, nor by magicians, and not by astrologers.
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:
Nevertheless, there is a God who lives in the heavens, who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, what will happen in the days to come. These were your dream and the visions of your mind as you lay 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.
As for you, king, your thoughts on your bed were about things to come, and the one who reveals mysteries has made known to you what is about 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.
As for me, this mystery was not revealed to me because of any wisdom that I have more than any other living person. This mystery was revealed to me so that you, king, may understand the meaning, and so that you may know the thoughts deep within you.
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.
King, you looked up and you saw a large statue. This statue, which was very powerful and bright, stood before you. Its brightness was 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 made of fine gold. Its breast and arms were of silver. Its middle and its 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.
and its legs were made of iron. Its feet were made partly of iron and partly of 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.
You looked up, and a stone was cut out, although not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it shattered them.
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 iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold at the same time were broken into pieces and became like the chaff of the threshing floors in the summer. The wind carried them away and there was no trace of them left. 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 your dream. Now we will tell the king the meaning.
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, king, are king of the kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the honor.
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 given into your hand the place where the human beings live. He has given over the animals of the fields and the birds of the heavens into your hand, and he has made you rule over them all. You are the statue's 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.
After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze will rule over all the earth.
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.
There will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks other things into pieces and shatters everything. It will shatter all these things and crush them.
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.
Just as you saw, the feet and toes were partly made of baked clay and partly made of iron, so it will be a divided kingdom; some of the strength of iron will be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft 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 of the feet were partly made of iron and partly made of clay, so 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.
As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so the people will be a mixture; they will not stay together, just as iron does not mix with clay.
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.
In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be conquered by another people. It will break the other kingdoms into pieces and put an end to all of them, and it 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.”
Just as you saw, a stone was cut out of the mountain, but not by human hands. It broke the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to you, king, what will happen after this. The dream is true and this interpretation is reliable.”
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.
King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face before Daniel and honored him; he commanded that an offering be made and that incense be offered up 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, and the one who reveals 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 made Daniel highly honored and gave him many wonderful gifts. He made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon. Daniel became chief governor over the wisest 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.
Daniel made a request of the king, and the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be administrators over the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court.