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.
During the third year that Cyrus was the king of Persia, I Daniel, [who had been given the] name Belteshazzar, received [another] message [from God]. The message was true, but it was very difficult for me to understand it. But [later] I understood the message because of the vision that I had seen.
2 Ngalezonsuku, mina Daniyeli ngangilila okwamaviki amathathu agcweleyo.
At that time I had been sad for three weeks [about what had happened to Jerusalem].
3 Kangidlanga sinkwa esiloyisekayo, njalo kakuzanga nyama kumbe iwayini emlonyeni wami, futhi kangizigcobanga ngitsho, kwaze kwagcwaliseka amaviki amathathu ezinsuku.
I did not eat any tasty food or any meat or drink any wine. I did not even put any perfumed oil on my [face or hair] for those three weeks.
4 Kwathi ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yokuqala, mina ngiseceleni komfula omkhulu, oyiHidekeli;
[When those three weeks ended, ] on April 23, [my companions and] I were standing on the bank of the great Tigris River.
5 ngasengiphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona, khangela-ke umuntu othile egqoke ilembu elicolekileyo, okhalo lwakhe lwalubhincwe ngegolide elicwengekileyo leUfazi.
I looked up and saw someone there who was wearing fine white/linen clothes and a belt [made of] pure gold.
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 [shone] like a precious beryl stone. His face was as [bright as] a flash of lightning. His eyes [were/shone] like flaming torches. His arms and legs [shone] like polished bronze. And his voice was [very loud], like the roar of a huge crowd.
7 Yimi ngedwa uDaniyeli engabona lowombono, ngoba abantu ababelami kabawubonanga umbono. Kodwa ukuqhuqha okukhulu kwabehlela, baze babaleka ukuze bacatshe.
I, Daniel, was the only one who saw this vision. The men who were with me did not see anything, but [they sensed that someone was there, and they] became terrified. They ran away 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 there by myself, looking at this very unusual vision. I had no strength left. My face became very pale, with the result that no one would have recognized me.
9 Ngasengisizwa ilizwi lamazwi akhe; njalo lapho ngisizwa ilizwi lamazwi akhe, mina ngehlelwa yibuthongo obukhulu ebusweni bami, lobuso bami bungasemhlabathini.
I saw a man there, and when I heard him speak, I fell to the ground. I (fainted/became unconscious), [and I lay there] with my face on the ground.
10 Khangela-ke, isandla sangithinta, sangimisa ngithuthumela ngamadolo ami lempama zezandla zami.
Suddenly someone’s hand took hold of me and lifted me, with the result that I was on my hands and knees, [but I was still] trembling.
11 Wasesithi kimi: Daniyeli, umuntu othandwe kakhulu, zwisisa amazwi engiwakhuluma kuwe, ume ngokuma kwakho, ngoba khathesi ngithunywe kuwe. Esekhulume lelilizwi kimi, ngema ngithuthumela.
The man said to me, “Daniel, [God] loves you very much. Stand up and listen to what I am going to say to you, because [God] sent me to you.” When he said that, I stood up, [but I was still] 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.
Then he said to me, “Daniel, do not be afraid. God has heard what you have prayed ever since the first day that you determined to humble yourself in order to understand [the vision]. I have come to you because of what you prayed.
13 Kodwa isiphathamandla sombuso wamaPerisiya samelana lami okwensuku ezingamatshumi amabili lanye; kodwa khangela, uMikayeli omunye weziphathamandla zakuqala weza ukuzangisiza; mina ngasengisala khona ngasemakhosini ePerisiya.
The [evil spirit who] rules the kingdom of Persia resisted/hindered me for 21 days, but Michael, who is one of God’s chief angels, came to help me. I left him there in Persia [to resist] that evil spirit who rules there.
14 Khathesi ngizile ukuthi ngikwenze uqedisise okuzakwehlela abantu bakho ekucineni kwezinsuku, ngoba umbono usengowezinsuku ezinengi.
I have come here to enable you to understand what will happen to the Israeli people in the future. [Do not forget that] the vision [that you saw] is about [things that will happen in] the distant future, [not about things that will happen very soon].”
15 Esekhulumile amazwi anje kimi, ngakhangelisa ubuso bami emhlabathini, ngaba yisimungulu.
While he was saying that, I stared at the ground and was unable to say anything [because I was very afraid].
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.
Suddenly [the angel], who resembled a human, touched my lips. Then [I was able to speak, and] I said to him, “Sir, because [I have seen] this vision, I have become very weak, with the result that I cannot stop trembling.
17 Ngoba inceku yale inkosi yami ingaba lakho ukukhuluma njani lale inkosi yami? Mayelana lami, kusukela ngalesosikhathi kakusalanga mandla kimi, lokuphefumula kwakungasekho kimi.
I am not able [RHQ] to talk to you, my master. I have no strength left, and it is very difficult for me to breathe.”
18 Wasebuya wangithinta onjengomfanekiso womuntu, wangiqinisa.
But he took hold of me again, and enabled me to become stronger again.
19 Wasesithi: Ungesabi, muntu othandiweyo kakhulu; ukuthula kakube kuwe, qina, yebo, qina. Kwathi esekhulume lami, ngaqiniswa, ngathi: Kayikhulume inkosi yami, ngoba ungiqinisile.
He said to me, “You human, God loves you very much. [So] do not be afraid. I desire/want things to go well for you and that you will be encouraged.” When he had said that, I felt even stronger, and I said, “Sir, tell me [what you want to tell me]. You have enabled me to feel stronger.”
20 Wasesithi: Uyazi yini ukuthi ngizeleni kuwe? Khathesi-ke ngizabuyela ukuzakulwa lesiphathamandla sePerisiya; lalapho sengiphumile, khangela-ke, isiphathamandla seGirisi sizafika.
Then he said, “(Do you know why I came to you?/I will tell you why I came to you.) [RHQ] It is to reveal to you what is written in the book which reveals/contains God’s truth. But now I must return to fight against [the evil spirit] who rules the kingdom of Persia. After I have defeated him, [the evil angel] who guards Greece will appear [and I must defeat him]. Michael, who guards you [Israeli people], will help me, but there is no one else to help me.”
21 Kodwa ngizakutshela lokho okubhaliweyo embhalweni weqiniso; njalo kakho loyedwa obambisana lami kulezizinto, ngaphandle kukaMikayeli isiphathamandla senu.
