UDanyeli 3
1 INkosi uNebhukhadineza yenza isithombe segolide, saphakama izingalo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lobubanzi obuzingalo eziyisificamunwemunye, yasimisa egcekeni laseDura elizweni laseBhabhiloni.
King Nabuchodonosor made a statue of gold, of sixty cubits high, and six cubits broad, and he set it up in the plain of Dura of the province of Babylon.
2 Yasibiza ababusi bezigaba, labalisa, ababusi bemikhono yelizwe, labeluleki,
Then Nabuchodonosor the king sent to call together the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, the rulers, and governors, and all the chief men of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.
3 labaphathizikhwama, labehluleli, labomantshi kanye lazozonke izikhulu zezigaba ukuza emkhosini wokubusisa isithombe leso ayesimisile, bema phambi kwaso.
Then the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, and rulers, and the great men that were placed in authority, and all the princes of the provinces, were gathered together to come to the dedication of the statue, which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. And they stood before the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.
4 Umlawuli womkhosi wasememezela kakhulu wathi, “Mahlabezulu, lani zizwe zonke kanye lani bantu bezindimi zonke, nanku elilaywa ukuthi likwenze:
Then a herald cried with a strong voice: To you it is commanded, O nations, tribes, and languages:
5 Lingavele lizwe ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho, lezindweba layo yonke imihlobo yokuhlabela ngokukhalisa iziginci libokuthi mbo phansi lisikhonze isithombe segolide esimiswe yinkosi uNebhukhadineza.
That in the hour that you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and of the flute, and of the harp, of the sackbut, and of the psaltery, and of the symphony, and of all kind of music; ye fall down and adore the golden statue which king Nabuchodonosor hath set up.
6 Iloba ngubani ongayi kukhothama asikhonze uzahle aphoselwe esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.”
But if any man shall not fall down and adore, he shall the same hour be cast into a furnace of burning fire.
7 Yikho, bonela ukuzwa ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho lemihlobo yonke yeziginci, bonke abantu, lezizwe labantu bezindimi zonke bathi mbo phansi bakhonza isithombe segolide inkosi uNebhukhadineza eyayisimisile.
Upon this therefore, at the time when all the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music: all the nations, tribes, and languages fell down and adored the golden statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.
8 Ngalesisikhathi ezinye izingcazi zezinkanyezi zeza zachothoza amaJuda.
And presently at that very time some Chaldeans came and accused the Jews,
9 Zathi enkosini uNebhukhadineza, “Bayethe nkosi, mana njalo!
And said to king Nabuchodonosor: O king, live for ever:
10 Ukhuphile isimemezelo, wena nkosi, wathi wonke okuzwayo ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho lezindweba kanye lazozonke iziginci ezikhaliswayo kathi mbo phansi akhonze isithombe segolide,
Thou, O king, hast made a decree that every man that shall bear the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, shall prostrate himself, and adore the golden statue:
11 lokuthi loba ngubani ongathi mbo phansi akhonze uzaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.
And that if any man shall not fall down and adore, he should be cast into a furnace of burning fire.
12 Kodwa bakhona abanye amaJuda obabeke ukuphatha ilizwe laseBhabhiloni, uShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, abangakhathali lutho ngawe, wena nkosi. Kababakhonzi onkulunkulu bakho njalo kabasikhonzi isithombe lesi osimisileyo.”
Now there are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the works of the province of Babylon, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: these men, O king, have slighted thy decree: they worship not thy gods, nor do they adore the golden statue which thou hast set up.
13 Wazonda wadla inja uNebhukhadineza, wasebiza oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko. Yikho amadoda la alethwa phambi kwenkosi,
Then Nabuchodonosor in fury, and in wrath, commanded that Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago should be brought: who immediately were brought before the king.
14 uNebhukhadineza wathi kubo, “Kuliqiniso yini, Shadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, ukuthi kalibakhonzi onkulunkulu bami njalo kalisikhonzi isithombe segolide engisimisileyo?
And Nabuchodonosor the king spoke to them, and said: Is it true, O Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you do not worship my gods, nor adore the golden statue that I have set up?
15 Manje nxa lingezwa ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho, lezindweba layo yonke imihlobo yezikhaliswayo, nxa selizimisele ukuthi mbo phansi lisikhonze isifanekiso engasenzayo, kulungile. Kodwa nxa lingasikhonzi lizaphoselwa ngokuphangisa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. Pho nguphi unkulunkulu ozalilamulela esandleni sami na?”
Now therefore if you be ready at what hour soever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and symphony, and of all kind of music, prostrate yourselves, and adore the statue which I have made: but if you do not adore, you shall be cast the same hour into the furnace of burning fire: and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand?
16 OShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko bayiphendula inkosi bathi, “Nkosi Nebhukhadineza, kasidingi kuzilwela phambi kwakho ngale indaba.
Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago answered and said to king Nabuchodonosor: We have no occasion to answer thee concerning this matter.
17 Singaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo, uNkulunkulu esimkhonzayo ulamandla okusisindisa kuwo, njalo uzasilamulela esandleni sakho, wena nkosi.
For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to save us from the furnace of burning fire, and to deliver us out of thy hands, O king.
18 Loba engasisindisi, sithanda ukuba ukwazi, wena nkosi, ukuthi sivele kasisoze sibakhonze onkulunkulu bakho kumbe sisidumise isifanekiso segolide leso osimisileyo.”
But if he will not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not worship thy gods, nor adore the golden statue which thou hast set up.
19 Lapho-ke uNebhukhadineza waphuphuma ngolaka kuShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, wahle waguqula indlela aye esebaphatha ngayo. Walaya ukuthi isithando somlilo sibaselwe sitshise okuphindwe kasikhombisa kulenjayelo
Then was Nabuchodonosor filled with fury: and the countenance of his face was changed against Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and he commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times more than it had been accustomed to be heated.
20 waphinda walaya ukuthi abanye bamabutho angobambapheqe bempi yakhe bababophe oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko babaphosele esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.
And he commanded the strongest men that were in his army, to bind the feet of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the furnace of burning fire.
21 Yikho amadoda la abotshwa elokhu egqoke amajazi awo, lamabhulugwe, amaqhiye kanye lezinye izigqoko zawo, aphoselwa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo.
And immediately these men were bound and were cast into the furnace of burning fire, with their coats, and their caps, and their shoes, and their garments.
22 Umlayo wenkosi wawuthukuthele kakhulu lesithando somlilo sitshisa okokuthi amalangabi omlilo awabulala amanxusa ayefuqela oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko,
For the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace was heated exceedingly. And the flame of the fire slew those men that had cast in Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago.
23 kwathi amadoda la womathathu ayebotshwe nko awela phakathi kwesithando somlilo olavuzayo.
But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell down bound in the midst of the furnace of burning fire.
24 Khonapho inkosi uNebhukhadineza wathi lothu ngokumangala, wabuza abacebisi bakhe wathi, “Kanti angithi abemathathu amadoda esiwabophileyo sawaphosela emlilweni na?” Baphendula bathi, “Liqiniso lelo, Oh nkosi.”
Then Nabuchodonosor the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and said to his nobles: Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered the king, and said: True, O king.
25 Wathi, “Khangelani! Ngibona amadoda amane ehambahamba phakathi komlilo, engabotshwanga njalo engalinyazwanga lutho, njalo owesine lowo ukhangeleka njengendodana yabonkulunkulu.”
He answered, and said: Behold I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt in them, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
26 UNebhukhadineza wasesondela emlonyeni wesithando somlilo olavuzayo wamemeza wathi, “Shadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani! Wozani lapha!” Ngakho oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko baphuma emlilweni,
Then Nabuchodonosor came to the door of the burning fiery furnace, and said: Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, ye servants of the most high God, go ye forth, and come. And immediately Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago went out from the midst of the fire.
27 kwathi ababusi bezigaba, labalisa, lababusi bemikhono yelizwe labeluleki besikhosini bababunganyela. Babona ukuthi umlilo wawungabalimazanga imizimba yabo, njalo kungahaqazekanga lalunye unwele lwamakhanda abo; izembatho zabo zingahangulekanga, njalo kunganuki mlilo kubo.
And the nobles, and the magistrates, and the judges, and the great men of the king being gathered together, considered these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies, and that not a hair of their head had been singed, nor their garments altered, nor the smell of the fire had passed on them.
28 UNebhukhadineza wasesithi, “Kadunyiswe uNkulunkulu kaShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, othume ingilosi yakhe wasindisa izinceku zakhe! Bathemba kuye badelela umlayo wenkosi njalo bazimisela ukunikela impilo zabo kulokuthi bakhonze loba badumise omunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kowabo uNkulunkulu.
Then Nabuchodonosor breaking forth, said: Blessed be the God of them, to wit, of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that believed in him: and they changed the king’s word, and delivered up their bodies that they might not serve, nor adore any god, except their own God.
29 Ngakho sengimisa isimemezelo ukuthi abantu loba ngabasiphi isizwe kumbe ulimi abakhuluma okubi ngoNkulunkulu kaShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko kabaqunywaqunywe izicucu, lezindlu zabo zenziwe izinqwaba zezibi, ngoba kakho omunye uNkulunkulu ongasindisa ngale indlela.”
By me therefore this decree is made, that every people, tribe, and tongue, which shall speak blasphemy against the God of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, shall be destroyed, and their houses laid waste: for there is no other God that can save in this manner.
30 Inkosi yase ibanika izikhundla eziphezulu oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko elizweni laseBhabhiloni.
Then the king promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the province of Babylon.
