UDanyeli 5
1 UBelishazari inkosi wenzela iziphathamandla zakhe eziyinkulungwane idili elikhulu, wanatha iwayini phambi kwaleyonkulungwane.
[Several years later, ] Belshazzar [became the] king [of Babylon. One day] he invited 1,000 of his officers to a big feast, and he drank [a lot of] wine with them.
2 UBelishazari, esalinambitha iwayini, walaya ukuthi balethe izitsha zegolide lezesiliva uyise uNebhukadinezari ayezikhuphe ethempelini elaliseJerusalema; ukuze inkosi, leziphathamandla zayo, omkayo, labafazi bayo abancane, banathele kizo.
While he was drinking, he commanded [his servants] bring to him the gold and silver cups that the previous king, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. [He did that] because he wanted himself and his officials, his wives, and [even] his (concubines/slave wives) to drink from them, [making fun of the god that we Israelis worshiped].
3 Lapho baletha izitsha zegolide ezazikhutshwe ethempelini lendlu kaNkulunkulu eyayiseJerusalema; njalo inkosi, leziphathamandla zayo, omkayo, labafazi bayo abancane, banathela kizo.
So his servants brought in [all] those gold cups, that had been taken [many years previously] from the temple of [the true] God in Jerusalem. Then the king and his officials and his wives and his slave wives drank [wine] from those cups.
4 Banatha iwayini, badumisa onkulunkulu begolide, labesiliva, abethusi, abensimbi, abesigodo, labelitshe.
They drank to praise/honor their idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and [even] wood and stone.
5 Ngalesosikhathi kwaphuma iminwe yesandla somuntu, yabhala maqondana lesiqobane sesibane phezu kokubhadiweyo komduli wesigodlo senkosi; inkosi yasibona inhlanekela yesandla esasibhala.
Suddenly they saw a man’s hand writing on the plaster of the wall opposite the lampstand. The king also saw the hand as it was writing.
6 Khonokho ukucwebezela kobuso benkosi kwaphenduka, lemicabango yayo yayihlupha, kwaze kwaxega amalunga okhalo lwayo, lamadolo ayo atshayana.
He became very frightened, and his face became pale/white. His knees started shaking, and his legs became very weak, with the result that he could not stand up.
7 Inkosi yamemeza ngamandla ukuthi balethe izangoma, amaKhaladiya, labalumbi. Inkosi yaphendula, yathi kwabahlakaniphileyo beBhabhiloni: Wonke umuntu ongafunda lumbhalo, angitshengise ingcazelo yawo, uzagqokiswa okuyibubende, leketane yegolide entanyeni yakhe, abe ngumbusi wesithathu embusweni.
[Then] he shouted to summon the men who worked magic, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers. He said, “I will [greatly honor] any one of them who can read this writing and tell me what it means. I will give him a purple [robe like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around his neck. He will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than he will be.”
8 Lapho bangena bonke abahlakaniphileyo benkosi; kodwa babengelakho ukuwubala umbhalo, lokwazisa inkosi ingcazelo yawo.
But when all those wise men came in, none of them could read the writing, or tell him what it meant.
9 Lapho inkosi uBelishazari yethuka kakhulu, lokucwebezela kobuso bayo kwaphenduka kuyo, leziphathamandla zayo zadideka.
So King Belshazzar became more afraid. His face became [even] paler/whiter. And [all] his officials [who were there at the feast] did not know what to do.
10 Indlovukazi, ngenxa yamazwi enkosi leziphathamandla zayo, yangena endlini yedili. Indlovukazi yaphendula yathi: Nkosi, phila kuze kube nininini! Imicabango yakho kayingakwethusi, lokucwebezela kobuso bakho kakungaphenduki.
But when the mother of the king (OR, of the previous king) heard the king and his officials talking [loudly about what had happened], she entered the room where they were having the feast. She said [to Belshazzar], “(Your majesty/O King), I hope you will live for a long time! But do not be pale and afraid about this.
11 Kulomuntu embusweni wakho okulomoya wabonkulunkulu abangcwele kuye; ngoba ensukwini zikayihlo kwatholwa kuye ukukhanya lokuqedisisa lenhlakanipho, njengenhlakanipho yabonkulunkulu; ngakho inkosi uNebhukadinezari uyihlo wamenza waba yinduna yezanuse, yezangoma, yamaKhaladiya, yabalumbi, uyihlo, nkosi.
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. When Nebuchadnezzar was ruling, they discovered that this man understood many things and was wise, just like the gods. The man who was king previously, Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him to be in charge of all the men [in Babylon] who worked magic, the men who worked sorcery, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers.
12 Ngoba umoya owedlulisileyo, lolwazi, lokuqedisisa, ukuchasisa amaphupho, lokuchasisa imizekeliso, lokutshombulula amafindo, kwatholakala kuye, kuDaniyeli, inkosi eyamutha ibizo elithi uBeliteshazari. Khathesi kabizwe uDaniyeli, uzatshengisa ingcazelo.
That man’s name is Daniel; the king gave him a [new] name, Belteshazzar. He is very intelligent and is able to know and understand many things. He is [even] able to tell the meaning of dreams, and explain riddles, and explain things that are very difficult to understand. Summon him, and he will tell you what [this writing] means.”
13 Lapho uDaniyeli walethwa phambi kwenkosi; inkosi yaphendula yathi kuDaniyeli: UngulowoDaniyeli, ongowabathunjwa bakoJuda, inkosi ubaba eyabaletha bevela koJuda yini?
So they [went and] brought me in. The king asked me, “You [must] be Daniel [RHQ]! [They told me that you are] one of those who was brought [here] from Judah by the previous king.
14 Sengizwile ngawe ukuthi umoya wabonkulunkulu ukuwe, lokuthi ukukhanya, lokuqedisisa, lenhlakanipho edlulisileyo kutholakala kuwe.
I have [also] heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you are very wise and understand many things.
15 Khathesi sebengenisiwe phambi kwami abahlakaniphileyo, izangoma, ukuze bawufunde lumbhalo, bangazise ingcazelo yawo; kodwa bebengelakho ukutshengisa ingcazelo yalinto.
My wise men and men who work magic have tried to read the writing on this wall and tell me what it means, but they are not able to do it.
16 Kodwa mina ngizwile ngawe, ukuthi ulakho ukuchasisa izingcazelo, lokutshombulula amafindo. Khathesi uba ulakho ukufunda lumbhalo, ungazise ingcazelo yawo, uzagqokiswa okuyibubende, leketane yegolide entanyeni yakho, ube ngumbusi wesithathu embusweni.
[Someone] told me that you can tell what dreams mean and explain things that are very difficult to understand. If you can read these words and tell me what they mean, [I] give you a purple robe [like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around your neck. You will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than you will be.”
17 Lapho uDaniyeli waphendula wathi phambi kwenkosi: Izipho zakho kazibe ngezakho, lemivuzo yakho uyinike omunye. Loba kunjalo ngizayifundela inkosi umbhalo, ngiyazise ingcazelo.
I replied, “[I do not want] your gifts; keep them, or give them to someone else. But I will read for you the writing [on the wall], and I will tell you what it means.
18 Wena nkosi, uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wanika uNebhukadinezari uyihlo umbuso, lobukhulu, lodumo, lenkazimulo.
(Your Majesty/O king), the Supreme God caused the man who was king before you, Nebuchadnezzar, to become a great ruler, who was greatly praised and honored.
19 Langenxa yobukhulu amnika bona, bonke abantu, izizwe, lezindimi, bathuthumela besaba phambi kwakhe; lowo ayethanda wambulala, lalowo ayethanda wamgcina ephila, lalowo ayethanda wamphakamisa, lalowo ayethanda wamehlisela phansi.
Because God caused him to become [very] great, people of many [HYP] people-groups and nations and who spoke many different languages were very much afraid of him. He [commanded his soldiers to] kill those whom he wanted to be killed, and he (spared/allowed to live) those whom he wanted to spare. He honored those whom he wanted to honor, and he caused to be disgraced those whom he wanted to be disgraced.
20 Kodwa lapho inhliziyo yakhe yaziphakamisa, lenhliziyo yakhe yaba lukhuni ngokuzigqaja, wehliswa esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi sombuso, bamthathela udumo lwakhe.
But when he became very proud and stubborn [IDM], he was removed from being king [MTY]. People did not consider him to be glorious/great any more.
21 Wasexotshwa ebantwaneni babantu, lenhliziyo yakhe yenziwa yafanana leyenyamazana, lendawo yakhe yokuhlala yaba labobabhemi beganga; bamdlisa utshani njengenkabi, lomzimba wakhe waba manzi ngamazolo amazulu, waze wazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke uyabusa embusweni wabantu, lokuthi umisa phezu kwawo loba ngubani amthandayo.
[His officials] sent him away in order that he would not be near [other] people. [God] caused him to have a mind like animals have. He lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cows do, and dew from the sky caused his body to be damp/wet [each morning]. [He was like that] until he learned that the Supreme God is [really the one who] rules the kingdoms of this world, and that he appoints whomever he chooses to rule those kingdoms.
22 Wena-ke, ndodana yakhe, Belishazari, kawuyithobisanga inhliziyo yakho, lanxa ukwazile konke lokhu.
Now, Belshazzar, you have become the king. You [also] knew all those things, but you have not made yourself humble.
23 Kodwa uziphakamisile wamelana leNkosi yamazulu; njalo baletha izitsha zendlu yayo phambi kwakho; wena-ke, leziphathamandla zakho, omkakho, labafazi bakho abancane, lanathela kuzo iwayini; udumisile onkulunkulu besiliva, labegolide, abethusi, abensimbi, abesigodo, labelitshe, abangaboniyo labangezwayo, labangaziyo; kodwa uNkulunkulu omphefumulo wakho usesandleni sakhe, lozindlela zakho zonke zingezakhe, kawumdumisanga.
You have considered yourself to be greater than [God], the Lord of heaven. [So you have commanded your servants to] bring to you these sacred cups, [which were dedicated to the Supreme God, and which were taken] from his temple [in Jerusalem]. You and your officials and your wives and your (concubines/slave wives) have been drinking wine from these cups, while you have been praising [your own] gods—gods which are made of gold and silver and bronze and iron and wood and stone. [Those are gods] that cannot see, that cannot hear, and that do not know anything! You have not honored the God who gives you breath and who controls everything that happens to you.
24 Khonokho le inhlanekela yesandla yathunywa ivela kuye; lumbhalo wasubhalwa.
So God sent that hand to write a message [for you].
25 Njalo nanku umbhalo owabhalwayo: MENE, MENE, TEKELI, UFARISINI.
This is the message that it wrote: ‘Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’
26 Nansi ingcazelo yalolulutho: MENE: UNkulunkulu ubalile umbuso wakho, wawuqeda.
This is what those words mean: Mene [means] ‘numbered/counted’. [That means that] God has been counting the days that you will rule, and he has [now] decided that you will not rule any more.
27 TEKELI: Ulinganisiwe esilinganisweni, watholwa usilela.
Tekel [means ‘weighed’. It is as though God] has weighed you on a scale, and you do not weigh what you should, [which means that you have not been doing what you should; you are not fit to be a king] [MET].
28 UPERESI: Umbuso wakho wehlukanisiwe, wanikwa amaMede lamaPerisiya.
Parsin [means ‘divided’. That means that God] has divided your kingdom. Some of it will be ruled by people from Media and some will be ruled by people from Persia.”
29 Lapho uBelishazari walaya, basebemgqokisa uDaniyeli ngokuyibubende, leketane yegolide entanyeni yakhe, basebememezela ngaye ukuthi abe ngumbusi wesithathu embusweni.
Then Belshazzar [did what he had promised]. He put on me a purple robe [like the one he himself wore. He] put a gold chain around my neck. And he proclaimed that there would be only two others who would be more important than me in his kingdom.
30 Ngalobobusuku uBelishazari inkosi yamaKhaladiya wabulawa.
But that same night [soldiers from Media entered the city and] killed Belshazzar, the King of Babylonia.
31 UDariyusi umMede wasesemukela umbuso, eleminyaka phose engamatshumi ayisithupha lambili.
Darius, the King of Media, became the King [of Babylonia] when he was 62 years old.
