< UDanyeli 10 >
1 Ngomnyaka wesithathu kaKoresi inkosi yePerisiya ulutho lwembulelwa uDaniyeli, obizo lakhe labizwa ngokuthi nguBeliteshazari. Njalo lolulutho lwaluliqiniso mayelana lokulwisana okukhulu. Njalo waluqedisisa lolulutho, waba lokuqedisisa ngombono.
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, and it concerned a great conflict. And the understanding of the message was given to him in a vision.
2 Ngalezonsuku, mina Daniyeli ngangilila okwamaviki amathathu agcweleyo.
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.
3 Kangidlanga sinkwa esiloyisekayo, njalo kakuzanga nyama kumbe iwayini emlonyeni wami, futhi kangizigcobanga ngitsho, kwaze kwagcwaliseka amaviki amathathu ezinsuku.
I ate no rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I did not anoint myself with oil until the three weeks were completed.
4 Kwathi ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yokuqala, mina ngiseceleni komfula omkhulu, oyiHidekeli;
On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,
5 ngasengiphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona, khangela-ke umuntu othile egqoke ilembu elicolekileyo, okhalo lwakhe lwalubhincwe ngegolide elicwengekileyo leUfazi.
I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
6 Lomzimba wakhe wawunjengebherule, lobuso bakhe babunjengesimo sombane, lamehlo akhe njengezibane zomlilo, lengalo zakhe lenyawo zakhe njengombala wethusi elikhazimulayo, lelizwi lamazwi akhe njengomsindo wexuku.
His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
7 Yimi ngedwa uDaniyeli engabona lowombono, ngoba abantu ababelami kabawubonanga umbono. Kodwa ukuqhuqha okukhulu kwabehlela, baze babaleka ukuze bacatshe.
Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves.
8 Ngakho mina ngasala ngedwa, ngabona lumbono omkhulu, futhi kakusalanga mandla kimi, lobuhle bami baguquka kimi baba yikonakala, kangisalelwanga ngamandla.
So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless.
9 Ngasengisizwa ilizwi lamazwi akhe; njalo lapho ngisizwa ilizwi lamazwi akhe, mina ngehlelwa yibuthongo obukhulu ebusweni bami, lobuso bami bungasemhlabathini.
I heard the sound of his words, and as I listened, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.
10 Khangela-ke, isandla sangithinta, sangimisa ngithuthumela ngamadolo ami lempama zezandla zami.
Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
11 Wasesithi kimi: Daniyeli, umuntu othandwe kakhulu, zwisisa amazwi engiwakhuluma kuwe, ume ngokuma kwakho, ngoba khathesi ngithunywe kuwe. Esekhulume lelilizwi kimi, ngema ngithuthumela.
He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man who is highly precious. Consider carefully the words that I am about to say to you. Stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had said this to me, I stood up trembling.
12 Wasesithi kimi: Ungesabi, Daniyeli, ngoba kusukela osukwini lokuqala owabeka ngalo inhliziyo yakho ukuqedisisa lokuzithoba phambi kukaNkulunkulu wakho, amazwi akho ezwakala, ngizile-ke mina ngenxa yamazwi akho.
“Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
13 Kodwa isiphathamandla sombuso wamaPerisiya samelana lami okwensuku ezingamatshumi amabili lanye; kodwa khangela, uMikayeli omunye weziphathamandla zakuqala weza ukuzangisiza; mina ngasengisala khona ngasemakhosini ePerisiya.
However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
14 Khathesi ngizile ukuthi ngikwenze uqedisise okuzakwehlela abantu bakho ekucineni kwezinsuku, ngoba umbono usengowezinsuku ezinengi.
Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision concerns those days.”
15 Esekhulumile amazwi anje kimi, ngakhangelisa ubuso bami emhlabathini, ngaba yisimungulu.
While he was speaking these words to me, I set my face toward the ground and became speechless.
16 Khangela-ke, omunye ofanana lomfanekiso wamadodana abantu wathinta indebe zami; ngasengivula umlomo wami, ngakhuluma, ngathi kulowo owayemi phambi kwami: Nkosi yami, ngenxa yombono izinsizi zami seziphendukele phezu kwami, kangaba lamandla.
And suddenly one with the likeness of a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and said to the one standing before me, “My lord, because of the vision, I am overcome with anguish, and I have no strength.
17 Ngoba inceku yale inkosi yami ingaba lakho ukukhuluma njani lale inkosi yami? Mayelana lami, kusukela ngalesosikhathi kakusalanga mandla kimi, lokuphefumula kwakungasekho kimi.
How can I, your servant, speak with you, my lord? Now I have no strength, nor is any breath left in me.”
18 Wasebuya wangithinta onjengomfanekiso womuntu, wangiqinisa.
Again the one with the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me.
19 Wasesithi: Ungesabi, muntu othandiweyo kakhulu; ukuthula kakube kuwe, qina, yebo, qina. Kwathi esekhulume lami, ngaqiniswa, ngathi: Kayikhulume inkosi yami, ngoba ungiqinisile.
“Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
20 Wasesithi: Uyazi yini ukuthi ngizeleni kuwe? Khathesi-ke ngizabuyela ukuzakulwa lesiphathamandla sePerisiya; lalapho sengiphumile, khangela-ke, isiphathamandla seGirisi sizafika.
“Do you know why I have come to you?” he said. “I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I have gone forth, behold, the prince of Greece will come.
21 Kodwa ngizakutshela lokho okubhaliweyo embhalweni weqiniso; njalo kakho loyedwa obambisana lami kulezizinto, ngaphandle kukaMikayeli isiphathamandla senu.
But first I will tell you what is inscribed in the Book of Truth. Yet no one has the courage to support me against these, except Michael your prince.