UDanyeli 7
1 Ngomnyaka wokuqala kaBelishazari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, uDaniyeli wabona iphupho lemibono yekhanda lakhe embhedeni wakhe. Lapho walibhala iphupho, wakhuluma indikimba yezindaba.
In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.
2 UDaniyeli waphendula wathi: Ngabona embonweni wami ebusuku, khangela-ke, imimoya yomine yamazulu yavumbuluka phezu kolwandle olukhulu.
Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.
3 Izilo ezine ezinkulu zakhuphuka elwandle, zehlukile esinye kwesinye.
Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
4 Esokuqala sasinjengesilwane, esilempiko zenkozi. Ngakhangela zaze zacuthwa impiko zaso, sasesiphakanyiswa sisuswa emhlabeni, samiswa ngenyawo njengomuntu, sanikwa inhliziyo yomuntu.
The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man.
5 Khangela-ke esinye isilo, esesibili, sasinjengebhere, sazimisa ehlangothini olulodwa, silembambo ezintathu emlonyeni waso phakathi kwamazinyo aso. Basebesithi njalo kuso: Sukuma, udle inyama enengi.
Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’
6 Emva kwalokhu ngabona, khangela-ke esinye, sasinjengengwe, silempiko ezine zenyoni emhlana waso, njalo isilo sasilamakhanda amane, lokubusa kwaphiwa kuso.
Next, as I watched, another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
7 Emva kwalokhu ngabona emibonweni yebusuku, khangela-ke isilo sesine, esesabekayo, esethusayo, silamandla kakhulukazi, silamazinyo amakhulu ensimbi, sadla safohloza, sanyathela okuseleyo ngenyawo zaso. Njalo sasehlukile kuzo zonke izilo ezazingaphambi kwaso; futhi sasilempondo ezilitshumi.
After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.
8 Ngakhangelisisa izimpondo, khangela-ke, kwenyuka phakathi kwazo olunye uphondo oluncinyane; lezintathu zezimpondo zokuqala zasitshunwa ngezimpande phambi kwalo; khangela-ke, amehlo anjengamehlo omuntu aba sephondweni lolu, lomlomo okhuluma izinto ezinkulu.
While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
9 Ngakhangela, kwaze kwabekwa izihlalo zobukhosi, kwahlala oMdala wezinsuku, ozembatho zakhe zazimhlophe njengeliqhwa elikhithikileyo, lenwele zekhanda lakhe njengoboya bemvu obuhlanzekileyo; isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi sililangabi lomlilo, amavili aso angumlilo ovuthayo.
As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 Isifudlana somlilo sageleza saphuma phambi kwakhe. Inkulungwane zezinkulungwane zamkhonza, lezinkulungwane ezilitshumi zezinkulungwane ezilitshumi zema phambi kwakhe. Isahlulelo sazimisa, lezincwadi zavulwa.
A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
11 Lapho ngakhangela ngenxa yomsindo wamazwi amakhulu uphondo olwawakhulumayo. Ngakhangela saze sabulawa isilo, lomzimba waso wachithwa, wanikelwa emlilweni obhebhayo.
Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
12 Mayelana lezinye izilo, umbuso wazo wasuswa, kanti ukwelulwa empilweni kwanikwa kuzo kwaze kwaba yisikhathi esimisiweyo lethuba.
As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a time.
13 Ngabona emibonweni yebusuku, khangela-ke, onjengendodana yomuntu weza ngamayezi amazulu, wafika kuMdala wezinsuku, basebemsondeza phambi kwakhe.
In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
14 Wasenikwa ukubusa, lodumo, lombuso, ukuze bonke abantu, izizwe, lezindimi kumkhonze. Ukubusa kwakhe kuyikubusa kwaphakade, okungayikudlula, lombuso wakhe ngongayikuchithwa.
And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
15 Mina Daniyeli, umoya wami wadabuka phakathi komzimba, lemibono yekhanda lami yangethusa.
I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.
16 Ngasondela komunye wababemi khona, ngabuza kuye iqiniso lakho konke lokhu. Wasengitshela, wangazisa ingcazelo yezindaba.
I approached one of those who were standing there, and I asked him the true meaning of all this. So he told me the interpretation of these things:
17 Lezizilo ezinkulu, zozine, zingamakhosi amane, azasukuma evela emhlabeni.
‘These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.
18 Kodwa abangcwele boPhezukonke bazakwemukela umbuso, babe lombuso kuze kube phakade, ngitsho kuze kube nini lanini.
But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
19 Lapho ngathanda ukwazi iqiniso ngesilo sesine, esasehlukile kuzo zonke, sisesabeka kakhulukazi, omazinyo aso ayengawensimbi, lenzipho zaso zingezethusi; sadla, safohloza, sanyathela okuseleyo ngenyawo zaso;
Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left.
20 langezimpondo ezilitshumi ezazisekhanda laso, lolunye olwenyukayo, lezawa phambi kwalo ezintathu; ngitsho lolophondo olwalulamehlo, lomlomo owakhuluma izinto ezinkulu, lokubonakala kwalo kwakukukhulu kulezinye.
I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
21 Ngabona, ukuthi loluphondo lusilwa labangcwele, lwabanqoba,
As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,
22 kwaze kwafika oMdala wezinsuku, lesahlulelo saphiwa abangcwele boPhezukonke; kwasekufika isikhathi esimisiweyo sokuthi abangcwele babe lombuso.
until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for them to possess the kingdom.
23 Watsho njalo: Isilo sesine sizakuba ngumbuso wesine emhlabeni, ozakwehluka kuyo yonke imibuso, sidle wonke umhlaba, siwunyathelele phansi, siwufohloze.
This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it.
24 Mayelana lempondo ezilitshumi, amakhosi alitshumi azasukuma evela kulo umbuso, lenye izasukuma emva kwawo. Yona-ke izakwehluka kwawokuqala, iwehlisele phansi amakhosi amathathu.
And the ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king, different from the earlier ones, will rise and subdue three kings.
25 Njalo izakhuluma amazwi imelene loPhezukonke, ihluphe njalonjalo abangcwele boPhezukonke, inakane ngokuguqula izikhathi lomlayo; njalo bazanikelwa esandleni sayo kuze kube yisikhathi lezikhathi lengxenye yesikhathi.
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
26 Kodwa isahlulelo sizahlala, basuse umbuso wayo, ukuthi bawuchithe bawuqede kuze kube sekupheleni.
But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
27 Njalo umbuso lokubusa lobukhulu bemibuso ngaphansi kwamazulu wonke kuzanikwa abantu babangcwele boPhezukonke, ombuso wabo ngumbuso ongulaphakade, lemibuso yonke izamkhonza ilalele.
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
28 Kuze kube lapha yisicino sendaba. Mina Daniyeli, imicabango yami yangethusa kakhulu, lokucwebezela kobuso bami kwaguquka kimi; kodwa ngalugcina udaba enhliziyweni yami.
Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”
