UDanyeli 8
1 Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kwenkosi uBhelishazari mina Danyeli ngaba lombono ohambelana lalowo owake wangifikela ngaphambili.
In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, I, Daniel, had a vision appear to me (after the one that appeared to me at first).
2 Embonweni wami ngazibona ngisenqabeni yaseSusa esigabeni sase-Elamu; embonweni ngangisekhunjini lomgelomfula u-Ulayi.
I saw in the vision, as I was looking, that I was in the fortress of Susa in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision that I was beside 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 before me a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal. One horn was longer than the other, but the longer one grew more slowly than the shorter and was passed up in length by it.
4 Ngayibukela inqama ihlasela isiya entshonalanga, lenyakatho leningizimu. Kwakungelanyamazana eyayingamelana layo, kungekho njalo ongalamulela emandleni ayo. Yazenzela ngokuthanda kwayo yaba yinto enkulu.
I saw the ram charging west, then north, and then south; no other animal could stand before him. None of them was able to rescue anyone out of his hand. He did whatever he wanted, and he became great.
5 Ngilokhu ngicabanga ngalokhu, masinyane kwathutsha imbuzi entshonalanga ilophondo oluqaphileyo phakathi kwamehlo ayo, idabula phakathi komhlaba wonke ingathintanga umhlabathi.
As I was thinking about this, I saw a male goat come from the west, who went across the surface of the whole earth, running fast, not seeming to touch the ground. The goat had a large horn between his eyes.
6 Yasondela enqameni yempondombili engayibona imi ekhunjini lomgelomfula yayihlasela ngolaka olukhulu.
He came to the ram who had two horns—I had seen the ram standing on the bank of the canal—and the goat ran toward the ram in a powerful rage.
7 Yayidumela inqama ngodlakela, yayigqubula yavikiza impondo zombili. Inqama yayingelamandla okumelana layo; impongo le yayilahla phansi inqama yayigxobagxoba, kungekho ongayilamulela emandleni ayo.
I saw the goat come close to the ram. He was very angry at the ram, and he hit the ram and broke off its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand before him. The goat knocked him down to the ground and trampled on him. There was no one who could rescue the ram from his 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.
Then the goat became very large. But when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in its place four other large horns grew up that pointed toward the four winds of the heavens.
9 Kolunye uphondo lwayo kwathutsha olunye uphondo olwaqalisa luluncinyane kodwa lwakhula ngamandla kusiya eningizimu, lasempumalanga laseLizweni Elihle.
Out of one of them grew another horn, little at first, but which became very large in the south, in the east, and in the land of beauty.
10 Lwakhula lwaze lwafinyelela izinkanyezi zezulu, lwaphosela phansi emhlabeni ezinye izinkanyezi lwazigxobagxoba.
It became so large as to engage in war with the army of heaven. Some of that army and some of the stars were thrown down to the earth, and it trampled on them.
11 Lwaziphakamisa ngokuzikhukhumeza njengengomlawuli webutho likaThixo, lwamisa umhlatshelo walo wansuku zonke kuThixo lendawo yakhe yokukhonzela yangcoliswa.
It made itself to be as great as the commander of the army. It took away from him the regular burnt offering, and the place of his sanctuary was polluted.
12 Ngenxa yomvukela, ibutho likaThixo, kanye lomhlatshelo wansuku zonke kwanikelwa kulo. Lwaphumelela kukho konke olwalukwenza, iqiniso alabe lisatsho ulutho.
Because of rebellion, the army will be given over to the goat's horn, and the burnt offering will be stopped. The horn will throw truth down to the ground, and it will succeed in what it does.
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 a holy one speaking and another holy one answering him, “How long will these things last, this vision about the burnt offering, the sin that brings destruction, the handing over of the sanctuary, and heaven's army being trampled on?”
14 Wathi kimi, “Kuzathatha izikhathi zokuhlwa lezokusa ezizinkulungwane ezimbili lamakhulu amathathu; lapho-ke indawo yokukhonzela izangcweliswa kutsha.”
He said to me, “It will last for 2,300 evenings and mornings. After that the sanctuary will be put right.”
15 Kwathi mina Danyeli ngilokhu ngiwubukele umbono lo, ngizama ukuwuzwisisa, kwema khonapho phambi kwami othile owayefana lomuntu.
When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then there stood before me one who looked like a man.
16 Ngasengisizwa ilizwi lomuntu limemeza lisuka e-Ulayi lisithi, “Gabhriyeli, tshela umuntu lo ingcazelo yombono lo.”
I heard a man's voice calling between the banks of the Ulai Canal. He said, “Gabriel, help this man understand the vision.”
17 Wathi esondela engangimi khona, ngezwa ngisesaba, ngawa ngithe thwitshi. Wathi kimi, “Ndodana yomuntu, qedisisa ukuthi umbono umayelana lesikhathi sokucina.”
So he came near where I stood. When he came, I was frightened and prostrated myself on the ground. He said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”
18 Wathi esakhuluma lami, ngalala ubuthongo obunzima ngithe mbo phansi ngobuso. Wasengithinta, wangiphakamisa, wangimisa ngezinyawo zami.
When he spoke to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and made me stand up.
19 Wathi, “Ngizakutshela okuzakwenzakala ngemuva, ngesikhathi esimisiweyo esokucina.
He said, “See, I will show you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time for the end.
20 Inqama empondombili owayibonayo imele amakhosi eMede lePhezhiya.
As for the ram you saw, the one that had two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia.
21 Impongo eyisinephu yinkosi yeGrisi, lophondo olukhulu oluphakathi kwamehlo ayo yinkosi yakuqala.
The male goat is the king of Greece. The large horn between his eyes is the first king.
22 Impondo ezine ezathatha indawo yalolo olwephukayo zimele imibuso emine ezaphuma esizweni sakhe kodwa kayiyikuba lamandla alingana lawaso.”
As for the horn that was broken, in the place of which four others arose—four kingdoms will arise from his nation, but not with his great power.
23 Lapho umbuso wabo ususiya ekucineni, abahlamuki nxa sebexhwale beqisa, inkosi elolunya, eliqili kakhulu, izavela.
At the latter time of those kingdoms, when the transgressors shall have reached their limit, a grim-faced king, one who is very intelligent, will arise.
24 Izaqina kakhulu kodwa kungasikho ngenxa yamandla ayo. Izakwenza umonakalo wokubhidliza okukhulu, iphumelele kukho konke ekwenzayo. Izawabhubhisa amaqhawe kanye labantu abangcwele.
His power will be great—but not by his own power. He will be amazing in what he destroys; he will act and succeed. He will destroy powerful people, people among the holy ones.
25 Izakwandisa inkohlakalo, izibone yona isedlula bonke abanye. Bazakuthi besithi sebezinzile, izabhubhisa abanengi ibe isihlasela iNkosi yamakhosi. Ikanti yona izabhujiswa kodwa hatshi ngezandla zomuntu.
By his craftiness he will make deceit prosper under his hand. He will become great in his own mind. He will unexpectedly destroy many people. He will even rise up against the King of kings, and he will be broken, but not by any human hand.
26 “Umbono owuphiweyo owezikhathi zokuhlwa lezokusa uliqiniso, kodwa ugcike umbono lo, ngoba uphathelane lesikhathi esizayo esikhatshana.”
The vision about the evenings and mornings that has been told is true. But seal up the vision, for it refers to many days in the future.”
27 Mina Danyeli, ngadinwa kakhulu ngalala ngingogulayo okwensuku ezimbalwa. Ngasengivuka ngaqhubeka ngomsebenzi wami wenkosi. Ngadideka ngombono lowo; wawungaphezu kwengqondo.
Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay weak for several days. Then I got up, and went about the king's business. But I was appalled by the vision, and there was no one who understood it.
