UDanyeli 4
1 Inkosi uNebhukhadineza, Ezizweni zonke lebantwini benhlanga zonke abahlala emhlabeni wonke: Sengathi inganda kini inhlalakahle!
King Nebuchadnezzar, to people of every nation and language in the whole world: I wish you well!
2 Kuyintokozo kimi ukulitshela ngezibonakaliso ezimangalisayo lezinkinga uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke angenzele zona.
It is my pleasure to share with you an account of the signs and wonders the Most High God has done for me.
3 Zinkulu kangakanani izibonakaliso zakhe,
His signs are incredible. His wonders are amazing! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and his rule will last for all generations!
4 Mina, Nebhukhadineza, ngangisekhaya esigodlweni sami, nganelisiwe njalo ngikhomba ngophakathi.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was doing well at home, living happily in my palace.
5 Ngehlelwa liphupho elangitshayisa uvalo. Ngathi ngilele embhedeni wami kwafika engqondweni yami izifanekiso lezibonakaliso ezangithuthumelisayo.
But then one night I had a dream that really scared me—I saw visions that terrified me while I lay in my bed.
6 Ngasengilaya ukuthi zonke izihlakaniphi zaseBhabhiloni zilethwe phambi kwami ukuthi zingihlahlulele lelophupho.
So I ordered all the wise men of Babylon brought before me to explain the dream to me.
7 Kwathi sebefikile omasalamusi, lezangoma, lezingcazi zezinkanyezi lezanuse ngazitshela lelophupho kodwa zehluleka ukungichasisela lona.
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in I told them the dream, but they couldn't explain to me what it meant.
8 Ekucineni uDanyeli wafika kimi ngamtshela ngephupho lelo. (Uthiwa nguBhelitheshazari, ngokuphathelene lebizo likankulunkulu wami, njalo umoya wabonkulunkulu abangcwele uphakathi kwakhe.)
In the end Daniel came before me and I told him the dream. (He is also called Belteshazzar after my god, and he has the spirit of the holy gods in him.)
9 Ngathi kuye, Bhelitheshazari, nduna yabomasalamusi, ngiyazi ukuthi umoya wabonkulunkulu abangcwele uphakathi kwakho, njalo kakukho okuyinkinga kuwe. Nanti iphupho lami; ngihlahlulela lona.
“Belteshazzar, chief of magicians,” I said, “I certainly know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is difficult for you to explain. So tell me about what I saw in my dream and explain what it means.
10 Yile imibono eyangivelelayo ngilele embhedeni wami: Ngakhangela, ngabona kumi phambi kwami isihlahla phakathi komango. Ubude baso babule.
As I lay in bed dreaming, I saw a tree in the middle of the earth—a really large tree.
11 Isihlahla sakhula saba sikhulu saqina, isiqongo saso sakhotha umkhathi; sasibonakala lasemikhawulweni yomhlaba.
It grew strong and tall, reaching high into the sky so it could be seen by everyone in the whole world.
12 Amahlamvu aso ayebukeka, izithelo zaso zinengi kuso kukhona ukudla kwakho konke. Ngaphansi kwaso izinyamazana zeganga zafumana isiphephelo lezinyoni zemoyeni zazihlala emagatsheni aso; zonke izidalwa zisongiwa kuso.
Its leaves were beautiful, and it was full of fruit for all to eat. Wild animals rested in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. It fed all living creatures.
13 Ezibonakalisweni ezeza ngilele embhedeni wami, ngakhangela, ngabona khonapho phambi kwami kulesithunywa, singongcwele, sisehla sisuka ezulwini.
As I went on dreaming, lying on my bed, I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14 Samemeza ngelizwi elikhulu sathi: Gamulelani phansi isihlahla licakaze amagatsha aso; liwaphundle amahlamvu aso lihlakaze izithelo zaso. Yekelani izinyamazana zibaleke ngaphansi kwaso kanye lezinyoni emagatsheni aso.
He cried out in a loud voice, ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Drive the animals away from its shade, and scare off the birds from its branches.
15 Kodwa akuthi isidindi saso kanye lempande zakhona kusale kugxumekile emhlabathini phakathi kotshani beganga, kubotshiwe ngensimbi langethusi. Kagxanxwe ngamazolo avela phezulu, njalo kahlale lezinyamazana phakathi kwezihlahla zeganga.
But leave the stump and its roots in the ground, and bind it with iron and bronze, surrounded by the new grass of the field. Let him become soaked with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals outside in the undergrowth.
16 Ingqondo yakhe kayiguqulwe isuke ebuntwini, aphiwe ingqondo yenyamazana, kuze kudlule iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
Let his mind become like that of an animal. Let him be like this for seven times.
17 “‘Isinqumo lesi sibikwa yizithunywa, zona ezingcwele yizo ezimemezela lesi isigwebo, ukuze kuthi abaphilayo bazi ukuthi oPhezukonke unguThixo yemibuso yabantu njalo uyabanikela loba kukubani amfunayo futhi enze babuswe ngumuntukazana.’
This is the decree conveyed by the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones in order that everyone alive may know that the Most High rules over human kingdoms. He gives them to whoever he chooses—he puts the most humble individuals in charge.’
18 Yilo iphupho engibe lalo mina inkosi uNebhukhadineza. Manje-ke Bhelitheshazari, ngitshela ukuthi litshoni, ngoba kasikho isihlakaniphi embusweni wami esingangihlahlulela lona. Kodwa wena ungakwenza, ngoba umoya wabonkulunkulu abangcwele uphakathi kwakho.”
This is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw in my dream. Now it's up to you, Belteshazzar, to give me the explanation as you have before. None of the wise men in my kingdom could explain it to me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19 Yikho uDanyeli (njalo othiwa nguBhelitheshazari) wakhathazeka kakhulu okwesikhathi esithile, imicabango yakhe yamethusa. Yikho inkosi yasisithi, “Bhelitheshazari, ungethuswa liphupho lelo kumbe yincazelo yalo.” UBhelitheshazari waphendula wathi, Nkosi yami, sengathi ngabe iphupho lelo liqonde labo abayizitha zakho lengcazelo yalo ikhomba labo abakuzondayo!
When Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) heard this, he was upset for a while, disturbed as he thought about it. The king told him, “Belteshazzar, don't be worried about the dream and what it means.” “My lord, I only wish this dream was for those who hate you and the explanation for your enemies,” Daniel replied.
20 Isihlahla osibonileyo, esakhula saba sikhulu saqina, isiqongo saso sikhotha isibhakabhaka size sibonakale emhlabeni wonke,
“The tree you saw was growing strong and tall, reaching high into the sky so it could be seen by everyone in the whole world.
21 silamahlamvu abukekayo lezithelo ezinengi, sisipha ukudla kukho konke, siphe isiphephelo izinyamazana zeganga, emagatsheni aso silezindawo zezidleke zezinyoni zemoyeni,
Its leaves were beautiful, and it was full of fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived under its shade, and birds nested in its branches.
22 wena, Oh nkosi, uyilesosihlahla! Usube mkhulu waba lamandla; ubukhulu bakho sebandile sebuze buthinta isibhakabhaka, lombuso wakho usufinyelela ezindaweni ezikude ezomhlaba.
This is you, Your Majesty. You have grown strong, your power has become so great that it has reached high into the sky, and your rule extends to the ends of the earth.
23 “Wena, Oh nkosi, wabona isithunywa, sona esingcwele, sisehla sivela ezulwini sisithi, ‘Sigamuleleni phansi isihlahla lisicakaze, kodwa litshiye isidindi, sibotshiwe ngensimbi langethusi, siphakathi kotshani beganga, impande zaso zisale emhlabathini. Kagxanxwe ngamazolo aphezulu; kaphile njengezinyamazana zeganga kuze kudlule iminyaka eyisikhombisa.’
Then Your Majesty saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven who said, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump and its roots in the ground, and bind it with iron and bronze, surrounded by the new grass of the field. Let him become soaked with the dew of heaven and let him live with the animals outside in the undergrowth. Let his mind become like that of an animal. Let him be like this for seven times.’
24 Nansi ingcazelo, Oh nkosi, njalo lesi yisimiso soPhezukonke asimisele umhlekazi wami inkosi:
This is what it means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has decreed will happen to my lord the king.
25 Uzaxotshwa ebantwini uyehlala lezinyamazana zeganga: uzakudla utshani njengezinkomo, ugxanxwe ngamazolo aphezulu. Kuzakudlula iminyaka eyisikhombisa uze uvume ukuthi oPhezukonke uyabusa phezu kwemibuso yabantu ayinika ingqe ngulowo amthandayo.
You will be driven away from human society and you will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like the cattle, and you will be soaked with the dew of heaven. You will be like this for seven times until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over human kingdoms, and that he gives them to those he chooses.
26 Umlayo wokutshiya isidindi kanye lezimpande zaso utsho ukuthi umbuso wakho uzabuyiselwa kuwe nxatshana usuvuma ukuthi iZulu liyabusa.
However, as it was decreed, the stump and its roots were to be left in the ground. Your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 Ngakho-ke, Oh nkosi, kuhle ukuthi wamukele ukucebisa kwami: Yekela izono zakho wenze okulungileyo, lobubi bakho ube lomusa kwabancindezelweyo. Lapho-ke mhlawumbe ukuphumelela kwakho kungaqhubeka.”
So, Your Majesty, please take my advice. Stop sinning and do what's right. End your iniquities and be merciful to the oppressed. Maybe then things will continue to go well for you.”
28 Konke lokhu kwenzakala enkosini uNebhukhadineza.
(However, all this did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 Sekudlule izinyanga ezilitshumi lambili, inkosi ihambahamba ephahleni lwesigodlo saseBhabhiloni,
Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon.
30 yathi, “Kakusilo yini iBhabhiloni leli engalakha laba ngumuzi wobukhosi bami na?”
He said, “I was the one who built this great city of Babylon! By my own great power I built it as my royal residence for my majestic glory!”
31 Kwathi amazwi la elokhu esesemlonyeni wakhe kwehla ilizwi livela ezulwini lathi, “Nanku osukunqunyelwe, nkosi Nebhukhadineza: Amandla akho obukhosi asesusiwe kuwe.
The words were still on the king's lips when a voice came from heaven, “King Nebuchadnezzar, this is what is decreed concerning you: the kingdom has been taken away from you.
32 Uzaxotshwa ebantwini uyehlala lezinyamazana zeganga; uzakudla utshani njengezinkomo. Kuzadlula iminyaka eyisikhombisa uze uvume ukuthi oPhezukonke uyabusa phezu kwemibuso yabantu ayiphe ingqe ngubani ngokuthanda kwakhe.”
You will be driven away from human society and you will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like the cattle, and you will become soaked with the dew of heaven. You will be like this for seven times until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over human kingdoms, and that he gives them to whoever he chooses.”
33 Masinyane nje okwakutshiwo ngoNebhukhadineza kwagcwaliseka. Waxotshwa ebantwini wadla utshani njengezinkomo. Umzimba wakhe wagxanxwa ngamazolo aphezulu, inwele zakhe zakhula njengezinsiba zengqungqulu, kwathi inzipho zakhe zaba njengenkumba zenyoni.
Immediately the decree was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven away from human society. He ate grass like the cattle, and his body was soaked with the dew of heaven. His hair grew matted like a vulture, and his nails like bird claws.)
34 Ekupheleni kwalesosikhathi, mina, Nebhukhadineza, ngaphakamisela amehlo ami ezulwini, ingqondo yami yabuya. Ngasengimdumisa oPhezukonke; ngambabaza, ngambonga yena ohlezi kuze kube phakade.
Once the time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven and my sanity returned to me. I blessed and praised the Most High and worshiped the One who lives forever. His rule is an eternal rule, and his kingdom lasts for all generations.
35 Imihlobo yonke yabantu bomhlaba
Everyone who lives on earth are as nothing compared to him. He does whatever he chooses among the heavenly host and among those who live on earth. No one can hold him back from what he does, or ask him, “What are you doing?”
36 Ngasonalesosikhathi ingqondo yami yabuya, udumo lwami lenkazimulo yami kwabuyiswa kimi ukusekela ubukhosi bombuso wami. Abeluleki bami lezikhulu zami bangidinga bangibuyisela esihlalweni sami sobukhosi, ngase ngisiba mkhulu kulakuqala.
When my sanity returned, then my kingdom, majesty, and splendor also returned to me. My advisors and nobles came looking for me, and I was restored as ruler over my kingdom, even greater than before.
37 Ngakho-ke mina, Nebhukhadineza, ngiyayidumisa njalo ngiyayibabaza, ngiyiphakamise iNkosi yezulu, ngoba konke ekwenzayo kuqondile futhi lezindlela zayo zonke zilungile. Njalo bonke abazigqajayo iyabathobisa.
So now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, honor, and glorify the King of Heaven, for everything he does is right, and his ways are true. He is able to humble those who are proud.
