< Daniel 6 >
1 Ọ dị Daraiọs mma ịhọpụta ndịisi dị otu narị na iri abụọ, ndị ga-anọ nʼalaeze ahụ niile dịka ndị nnọchite anya eze.
Darius decided it would be good to place the kingdom under the control of one hundred and twenty provincial governors.
2 O họpụtakwara ndịisi atọ ọzọ dịka ndịisi ha, nke otu onye nʼime ha bụ Daniel. Ndị a bụ ndị ga na-agụkọrọ ha otu ihe si aga, ka ihe ọbụla ghara ifunarị eze.
Three chief ministers were placed over them to look after the king's interests. Daniel was one of the three.
3 Ọ dịghị anya, ọ pụtara ihe nye eze na Daniel kwesiri ntụkwasị obi karịa ndịisi na ndị nlekọta ahụ niile. Nʼihi na amamihe ya, na ike ọrụ ya dị ukwuu. Nke a mere ka eze chee echiche kpebie ime ya onyeisi nʼalaeze niile.
Soon Daniel was shown to be a far better administrator than the other chief ministers and provincial governors. Because of his exceptional ability, the king planned to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.
4 Nʼihi nke a, ndịisi ọkwa ha dị elu na ndịisi ndị ọzọ bidoro chọwa mkpesa ha ga-enye iji megide Daniel nʼihe gbasara ọchịchị. Ma ọ dịghị ihe ebubo ọbụla maọbụ omume ọjọọ ọbụla ha chọpụtara, nʼihi na ọ kwesiri ntụkwasị obi. Ọ dịghịkwa omume ọjọọ maọbụ nke aghụghọ ọbụla a chọpụtara nʼọrụ ya.
As a result the other chief ministers and provincial governors tried to find a pretext against Daniel as to the way he ran the kingdom. But they couldn't find any cause for complaint or any corruption, for he was trustworthy. They could not discover any evidence that Daniel was negligent or corrupt.
5 Nʼikpeazụ, ndị ikom a sịrị, “O nweghị otu anyị ga-esi chọta ihe a ga-eji boo nwoke a bụ Daniel ebubo, karịakwa nʼihe metụtara iwu ofufe Chineke ya.”
So they said to themselves, “We won't find any pretext to attack Daniel unless we use his observance of his God's laws against him.”
6 Ya mere, ndịisi ndị a na ndị ozi ndị ahụ kpebiri jekwuru eze ahụ sị ya, “Eze Daraiọs, dịrịkwa ndụ ruo mgbe niile!
So these chief ministers and provincial governors went together to see the king. “May Your Majesty King Darius live forever!” they said.
7 Ndịisi alaeze gị niile, ndị ukwu na ndị nta, ndị na-anọchi anya eze na ndị ndụmọdụ na ndị ị tinyere ka ha na-achị zukọtara kpebie na eze kwesiri inye iwu nke ga-ekwu na a chọghị ka onye ọbụla rịọọ ihe ọbụla nʼaka chi maọbụ nʼaka mmadụ ọbụla karịa gị eze, site nʼoge i nyere iwu a tutu iri ụbọchị atọ agafee. Onye ọbụla nupuru isi nʼiwu a ka a ga-atụba nʼolulu ọdụm.
“We have all agreed—chief ministers, prefects, provincial governors, counselors, and local governors—that Your Majesty should issue a decree, legally enforced, that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den.
8 Anyị chọkwara ka gị bụ eze kwagide iwu a ma jirikwa aka gị dee aha gị nʼakwụkwọ iwu ahụ. Nʼihi na anyị chọrọ ka ọ bụrụ iwu nke na-agaghị enwe mgbanwe, nke a na-apụghị ịkagbukwa akagbu, dịka iwu ndị Midia na Peshịa si dị.”
Now, Your Majesty, if you will sign the decree and have it issued so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians that cannot be revoked.”
9 Ya mere, Daraiọs jiri aka ya dee aha ya nʼakwụkwọ iwu ahụ.
So Darius signed the decree into law.
10 Ma mgbe Daniel maara na iwu a adịla ire, ọ banyere nʼụlọ ya, nʼelu ụlọ elu nke ebe obibi ya, o meghere oghereikuku ya chere ihu na Jerusalem. Nʼebe ahụ ka ọ na-anọ ekpe ekpere na ekele Chineke ya, ugboro atọ nʼụbọchị dịka ọ na-eme na mbụ.
When Daniel found out that the decree had been signed he went home to his upstairs room where he would pray three times a day, with the windows open facing Jerusalem. There he kneeled down, praying and thanking his God as he always did.
11 Ndị iro ya gbakọtara hụ na Daniel na-ekpe ekpere na-arịọkwa Chineke arịrịọ.
Then the men who had plotted against Daniel went together and found him praying to his God and asking for help.
12 Ha jekwuru eze sị ya, “I chetakwara iwu ahụ i nyere, nke sị na onye ọbụla ekwesighị ịrịọ chi ọzọ maọbụ mmadụ arịrịọ ọbụla karịa gị, tutu iri ụbọchị atọ agafee, na onye ọbụla nupuru isi nʼiwu a ka a ga-atụba nʼolulu ọdụm?” Eze sịrị, “Ya bụ iwu ka dịkwa, dịka iwu ndị Midia na Peshịa nke e nweghị ike ịkagbu akagbu.”
They went to the king right away and asked him about the decree. “Didn't Your Majesty sign a decree that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den?” “I certainly did!” the king replied. “The decree stands. According to the law of the Medes and the Persians it cannot be revoked.”
13 Mgbe ahụ, ha gwara eze, “Daniel, onye bụ otu nʼime ndị si Juda a dọtara nʼagha adịghị aṅa gị ntị, gị onye a na-asọpụrụ, maọbụ nye iwu ahụ i nyere bụ nke e dere nʼakwụkwọ. Ọ nọkwa na-ekpe ekpere ya ugbo atọ nʼụbọchị.”
Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of those captives from Judah, pays no attention to Your Majesty or to the decree you signed and prays three times a day.”
14 Obi jọrọ eze njọ nke ukwuu mgbe ọ nụrụ ihe ndị a. O kpebiri nʼobi ya ime ihe niile ịhụ na Daniel ataghị ahụhụ. Ya mere, ụbọchị ahụ niile, site nʼụtụtụ ruo nʼanyasị, ọ nọ na-eche otu ọ ga-esi mee nke a.
When the king heard this, he was very upset and tried to think of how to save Daniel. He worked hard until sundown trying to rescue him.
15 Mgbe ahụ, ndị ikom ndị a bịakwutere eze sị ya, “Chetakwa, gị eze, na dịka iwu ndị Midia na Peshịa si dị, ọ dịghị iwu ọbụla eze nyere maọbụ ụkpụrụ nke e mere ka o guzosie ike ga-agbanwe.”
Then the men returned together and said to the king, “You know, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians no decree or statute can be changed.”
16 Nʼikpeazụ, eze nyere iwu, ha kpụpụtara Daniel tụba ya nʼolulu ọdụm. Eze gwara Daniel, “Ka Chineke gị, onye ahụ ị na-efe mgbe niile, zọpụta gị.”
Eventually the king gave the order and Daniel was taken and thrown into the lions' den. The king told him, “May the God you so loyally serve save you!”
17 E wetara nkume dị ukwuu jiri mechie ọnụ olulu ọdụm ahụ. Eze jikwa mgbaaka akara ya na mgbaaka ndịisi ọzọ kaa akara e ji nyachie ọnụ olulu ahụ. E mere nke a ka ọnọdụ Daniel hapụ ịgbanwe.
A stone was brought and placed over the entrance to the den and the king sealed it with his own personal seal and those of his nobles so that no one could interfere with what was happening to Daniel.
18 Mgbe eze lọbatara nʼụlọeze ya, o dinara nʼihe ndina ya buo ọnụ, onweghịkwa nri ebutere ya. Nʼabalị ahụ, o nweghị ike rahụ ụra.
Then the king went back to his palace. He ate nothing at all that night and refused any kind of entertainment. He couldn't sleep a wink.
19 Nʼìhè mbụ nke ụtụtụ, mgbe chị na-abọ, eze biliri mee ngwangwa, gaa nʼolulu ọdụm ahụ.
At dawn, as soon as it was light, the king got up and rushed to the lions' den.
20 Mgbe ọ bịaruru nso olulu ahụ, ọ kpọrọ Daniel oku nʼolu obi ntiwa sị, “Daniel, ohu Chineke dị ndụ, Chineke gị ahụ ị na-efe mgbe niile, o nwekwara ike ịzọpụta gị nʼaka ọdụm?”
As he approached the den, he called out anxiously to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God whom you honor so faithfully, was your God able to save you from the lions?”
21 Ya mere, Daniel sịrị eze, “Eze, dịrị ndụ ruo mgbe niile!
Daniel replied, “May Your Majesty the king live forever!
22 Chineke m zitere mmụọ ozi ka o mechie ọnụ ọdụm ndị a, ka ha si otu a hapụ inwe ike ịmetụ m aka, nʼihi na Chineke maara na aka m dị ọcha. Ọ makwaara na o nweghị ihe ọbụla m mere mejọọ gị.”
My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths. They have not hurt me because I was found innocent in his sight. In addition, I have never done you any wrong, Your Majesty.”
23 Ọṅụ juru eze ahụ obi! O nyere iwu ka e si nʼime olulu ahụ dọpụta Daniel. Mgbe a kpọpụtara Daniel, o nweghị ihe ọbụla a hụrụ mere ya nʼahụ, nʼihi na ọ tụkwasịrị Chineke ya obi.
The king was extremely pleased and ordered Daniel brought up from the den. Daniel was lifted up from the den and he was found to have no injuries at all because he had trusted in his God.
24 Mgbe ahụ, eze nyere iwu ka e jide ndị ahụ boro Daniel ebubo. O nyere iwu ka a tụnye ha nʼolulu ọdụm ahụ, ha na ndị nwunye ha na ụmụ ha. Ọdụm ndị ahụ dị nʼime olulu ahụ jidere ndị ahụ dọrie ma ọkpụkpụ ha tupu ha adaruo ala.
Then the king ordered the men who had accused Daniel to be brought and they were thrown into the lions' den along with their wives and children. Before they even reached the floor of the den the lions attacked them, ripping them to pieces.
25 Emesịa, eze Daraiọs depụtara ozi a nʼakwụkwọ nye iwu ka a gụọra ya mmadụ niile, mba niile na asụsụ niile dị iche iche nʼelu ụwa. “Ka ọ dịrị unu na mma.
Then Darius wrote to all the people of the world, the different nations and languages, saying, “I wish you well!
26 “Ana m enye iwu na mmadụ niile nọ nʼalaeze m kwesiri ịtụ egwu na ịma jijiji nʼihu Chineke nke Daniel.
I decree that throughout my entire kingdom everyone should respect and honor the God of Daniel, for he is the living God. He is everlasting and his kingdom will never be destroyed. His reign will never end.
27 Ọ na-agbapụta ndị ya, na-azọpụtakwa.
He is the one who rescues and saves; he does miracles and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He saved Daniel from death in the lions' den.”
28 Ya mere, ihe gaara Daniel nke ọma nʼoge niile Daraiọs bụ eze, na nʼoge Sairọs onye Peshịa chịkwara dịka eze.
Daniel experienced good success during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.