UDanyeli 8
1 Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kwenkosi uBhelishazari mina Danyeli ngaba lombono ohambelana lalowo owake wangifikela ngaphambili.
During the third year that Belshazzar was the King [of Babylonia], I had another vision.
2 Embonweni wami ngazibona ngisenqabeni yaseSusa esigabeni sase-Elamu; embonweni ngangisekhunjini lomgelomfula u-Ulayi.
In that vision I was in Susa, the capital city of Elam Province. I was [standing] alongside the Ulai Canal.
3 Ngakhangela, ngabona khonapho phambi kwami kwakulenqama elempondo ezimbili imi eceleni komgelo, impondo zazizinde. Olunye lwempondo lwalulude kulolunye kodwa muva lwakhula kakhulu.
I looked up and saw a ram that was standing alongside the canal. It had two [long] horns, but the newest one was longer than the other one.
4 Ngayibukela inqama ihlasela isiya entshonalanga, lenyakatho leningizimu. Kwakungelanyamazana eyayingamelana layo, kungekho njalo ongalamulela emandleni ayo. Yazenzela ngokuthanda kwayo yaba yinto enkulu.
The ram butted/knocked away [with its horns] everything that was west and everything that was north and everything that was south of it. There were no [other] animals that were able to oppose it, and none that could rescue/save [other animals] from its power. The ram did whatever it wanted to do and became very powerful.
5 Ngilokhu ngicabanga ngalokhu, masinyane kwathutsha imbuzi entshonalanga ilophondo oluqaphileyo phakathi kwamehlo ayo, idabula phakathi komhlaba wonke ingathintanga umhlabathi.
While I was thinking [about what I had seen, in the vision] I saw a goat come from the west. It ran across the land so quickly, that [it seemed like] its feet did not touch the ground. This goat had one very large horn between its eyes.
6 Yasondela enqameni yempondombili engayibona imi ekhunjini lomgelomfula yayihlasela ngolaka olukhulu.
It was very angry, and it ran [straight] toward the ram that I had seen [previously, the ram] that was standing alongside the canal.
7 Yayidumela inqama ngodlakela, yayigqubula yavikiza impondo zombili. Inqama yayingelamandla okumelana layo; impongo le yayilahla phansi inqama yayigxobagxoba, kungekho ongayilamulela emandleni ayo.
The goat struck the ram furiously and broke off its two horns, with the result that the ram was unable [to defend itself]. [So] the goat knocked the ram down and trampled on it. No one could rescue the ram from the goat’s power.
8 Impongo (imbuzi) yaba lamandla amakhulu, kodwa kwathi amandla ayo esemakhulu kangako uphondo lwayo olukhulu lwephuka, endaweni yalo kwakhula impondo ezine eziqaphileyo ezakhula zakhangela kuwo wonke amagumbi amane omkhathi.
The goat became very powerful. But when its power was very great, its horn was broken off. But four [other] large horns took its place. They each pointed in a different direction.
9 Kolunye uphondo lwayo kwathutsha olunye uphondo olwaqalisa luluncinyane kodwa lwakhula ngamandla kusiya eningizimu, lasempumalanga laseLizweni Elihle.
[Then] from one of those [large horns] appeared a little horn, which became very big, [and pointed] toward the south and [then] toward the east and [then] toward the beautiful land [of Israel].
10 Lwakhula lwaze lwafinyelela izinkanyezi zezulu, lwaphosela phansi emhlabeni ezinye izinkanyezi lwazigxobagxoba.
[The man who was represented by] that horn became very strong, with the result that he attacked some of the [soldiers of the] army of heaven, and (OR, meaning) the stars in the sky [which represented God’s people]. He threw some of them to the ground and trampled on them.
11 Lwaziphakamisa ngokuzikhukhumeza njengengomlawuli webutho likaThixo, lwamisa umhlatshelo walo wansuku zonke kuThixo lendawo yakhe yokukhonzela yangcoliswa.
He (defied/considered himself to be greater than) the leader of the army [of heaven], and prevented [priests from] offering sacrifices to him. He also (defiled the temple/caused the temple to become unholy).
12 Ngenxa yomvukela, ibutho likaThixo, kanye lomhlatshelo wansuku zonke kwanikelwa kulo. Lwaphumelela kukho konke olwalukwenza, iqiniso alabe lisatsho ulutho.
Then God’s people allowed the [man who was represented by] that horn to control/rule them, with the result that they sinned by offering sacrifices to him. And he threw to the ground the [laws that contained the] true religion. Everything that he did was successful.
13 Ngasengisizwa ongcwele ekhuluma, omunye ongcwele wathi kuye, “Kuzathatha isikhathi esingakanani ukuze umbono lo ugcwaliseke, umbono omayelana lomhlatshelo wansuku zonke, lomvukela oletha incithakalo, lokukhalala indawo yokukhonzela, lezinkanyezi ezizagxotshwagxotshwa zinyawo zabantu bakaThixo?”
Then I heard two angels who were talking to each other. One of them asked, “How long will the things/events that were in this vision continue? How long will the man who rebels against God and causes [the temple] to be defiled be able to prevent [priests from] offering sacrifices? How long will he trample on the temple and on the armies of heaven?”
14 Wathi kimi, “Kuzathatha izikhathi zokuhlwa lezokusa ezizinkulungwane ezimbili lamakhulu amathathu; lapho-ke indawo yokukhonzela izangcweliswa kutsha.”
The other angel replied, “[It will continue] for 1,150 days. During all of that time, [people will not be permitted to offer sacrifices] in the morning or in the evening. After that, the temple will be purified.”
15 Kwathi mina Danyeli ngilokhu ngiwubukele umbono lo, ngizama ukuwuzwisisa, kwema khonapho phambi kwami othile owayefana lomuntu.
While I, Daniel, was trying to understand what the vision meant, suddenly [an angel] who resembled a man stood/appeared in front of me.
16 Ngasengisizwa ilizwi lomuntu limemeza lisuka e-Ulayi lisithi, “Gabhriyeli, tshela umuntu lo ingcazelo yombono lo.”
And I heard a man call out from [the other side of] the Ulai Canal, saying, “Gabriel, explain to him the meaning of the vision [that he saw]!”
17 Wathi esondela engangimi khona, ngezwa ngisesaba, ngawa ngithe thwitshi. Wathi kimi, “Ndodana yomuntu, qedisisa ukuthi umbono umayelana lesikhathi sokucina.”
So Gabriel came and stood beside me. I was very terrified, with the result that I fell onto the ground. But he said to me, “You human, it is necessary for you to understand that [the events that you saw in] the vision will occur [near] the time that [the world] will end.”
18 Wathi esakhuluma lami, ngalala ubuthongo obunzima ngithe mbo phansi ngobuso. Wasengithinta, wangiphakamisa, wangimisa ngezinyawo zami.
While he was speaking, I fainted. I lay there, unconscious, with my face still on the ground. But Gabriel put his hand on me and lifted me up in order that I could stand again.
19 Wathi, “Ngizakutshela okuzakwenzakala ngemuva, ngesikhathi esimisiweyo esokucina.
Then he said, “I [have come here to] tell you what will happen because of [God] being angry. These things will happen near the time when [the world] will end.
20 Inqama empondombili owayibonayo imele amakhosi eMede lePhezhiya.
As for the ram with two horns that you saw, those horns [represent] the kingdoms of Media and Persia.
21 Impongo eyisinephu yinkosi yeGrisi, lophondo olukhulu oluphakathi kwamehlo ayo yinkosi yakuqala.
The goat [that you saw represents] the kingdom of Greece, and the horn that appeared between its eyes [represents] its first king.
22 Impondo ezine ezathatha indawo yalolo olwephukayo zimele imibuso emine ezaphuma esizweni sakhe kodwa kayiyikuba lamandla alingana lawaso.”
As for the four horns that grew after the first horn was broken off, they [represent] four kingdoms into which that first kingdom will be divided [after the first king dies]. Those four kingdoms will not be as strong/powerful as the first kingdom was.
23 Lapho umbuso wabo ususiya ekucineni, abahlamuki nxa sebexhwale beqisa, inkosi elolunya, eliqili kakhulu, izavela.
The people [in those kingdoms] will become very wicked, with the result that it will be necessary for them to be punished. But near the time when those kingdoms will end, one of those kingdoms will have a king who will be very proud/defiant [IDM]. He will [also] be very fierce and very deceitful.
24 Izaqina kakhulu kodwa kungasikho ngenxa yamandla ayo. Izakwenza umonakalo wokubhidliza okukhulu, iphumelele kukho konke ekwenzayo. Izawabhubhisa amaqhawe kanye labantu abangcwele.
He will become very powerful, but it will not be because of what he himself does. He will terribly destroy things in many places, and he will succeed in doing everything that he wants to. He will get rid of [many] powerful men, and [also] some of God’s people.
25 Izakwandisa inkohlakalo, izibone yona isedlula bonke abanye. Bazakuthi besithi sebezinzile, izabhubhisa abanengi ibe isihlasela iNkosi yamakhosi. Ikanti yona izabhujiswa kodwa hatshi ngezandla zomuntu.
Because he is very cunning/clever, he will succeed by doing things that deceive many people. He will be proud of himself. He will destroy many people when they think that they are safe. He will also rebel against [God] [EUP], who is the greatest king. But [God] will destroy him, without the help [MTY] of any human being.
26 “Umbono owuphiweyo owezikhathi zokuhlwa lezokusa uliqiniso, kodwa ugcike umbono lo, ngoba uphathelane lesikhathi esizayo esikhatshana.”
What you saw in the vision about [priests being prevented from making] sacrifices in the morning and in the evening, which [I] explained [to you], will surely happen. But [for the present time], do not reveal the vision [to others], because it will be many years before those things happen.”
27 Mina Danyeli, ngadinwa kakhulu ngalala ngingogulayo okwensuku ezimbalwa. Ngasengivuka ngaqhubeka ngomsebenzi wami wenkosi. Ngadideka ngombono lowo; wawungaphezu kwengqondo.
Then I, Daniel, became weak, and I was sick for several days. Then I arose and [returned to] doing the work that the king [had given to me], but I was perplexed/confused about the vision, and I could not understand it.
