< Dhanieri 3 >
1 Mambo Nebhukadhinezari akaita chifananidzo chegoridhe, chakanga chakareba makubhiti makumi matanhatu uye makubhiti matanhatu paupamhi, akachimisa pabani reDhura munyika yeBhabhironi.
King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his men to make a gold statue. It was (90 feet/27 meters) high and (9 feet/2.7 meters) wide. They set it up in the Dura plain in Babylon province.
2 Ipapo akadana machinda, varayiri, madzishe, vapi vamazano, vachengeti vepfuma, vatongi vedzimhosva vakuru, vatongi vedzimhosva vadiki navamwe vabati vose vamatunhu kuti vauye kuzokumikidza chifananidzo chaakanga amisa.
Then he sent messages to all the provincial governors, the district governors, the chief advisors, the counselors, the various judges, and all the other officials in the province. He told them to come to the dedication of the statue that he had set up.
3 Saka machinda, varayiri, madzishe, vapi vamazano, vachengeti vepfuma, vatongi, navatongi vedzimhosva navamwe vabati vose vamatunhu vakaungana kuti vakumikidze chifananidzo chakanga chamiswa naMambo Nebhukadhinezari, vakamira pamberi pacho.
When they all arrived, they all stood in front of that statue.
4 Ipapo mushamarari akadanidzira zvikuru achiti, “Izvi ndizvo zvamunorayirwa kuti muite, imi vanhu, nemi ndudzi nemi vanhu vemitauro yose:
Then an announcer shouted, “You people who come from many countries and many people-groups and [who speak many] languages, listen to what the king has commanded!
5 Pamunongonzwa kurira kwehwamanda, nyere, mutopota, rudimbwa, mbira, mabhosvo nemhando dzose dzezviridzwa, munofanira kuwira pasi mugonamata chifananidzo chegoridhe chakamiswa naMambo Nebhukadhinezari.
When you hear the sounds made by the trumpets, the flutes, the guitars, the harps, the wind instruments, and all the other musical instruments, bow down to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.
6 Ani naani asingawiri pasi achinamata achakandwa muvira romoto pakarepo.”
Anyone who refuses to do that will be thrown into a blazing furnace!”
7 Naizvozvo, pavakangonzwa kurira kwehwamanda, nyere, mutopota, rudimbwa, mbira nemhando dzose dzezviridzwa, vanhu vose, nendudzi dzose navanhu vemitauro yose vakawira pasi ndokunamata chifananidzo chegoridhe chakanga chamiswa naMambo Nebhukadhinezari.
So when all those people who had gathered heard the sounds made by the musical instruments, they all bowed down to worship the statue.
8 Panguva iyi vamwe voruzivo nezvenyeredzi vakauya pamberi vakatuka vaJudha.
But some of the men who studied the stars went to the king.
9 Vakati kuna Mambo Nebhukadhinezari, “Imi mambo, raramai nokusingaperi!
They reported to him, “We hope that you, O king, will live a long time!
10 Makatema chirevo imi mambo, kuti ani naani anonzwa kurira kwehwamanda, nenyere, nomutopota, norudimbwa, nembira namabhosvo uye nemhando dzose dzezviridzwa, anofanira kuwira pasi anamate chifananidzo chegoridhe,
You decreed that all the officials [whom you had gathered] should bow down and worship the gold statue when they heard the sounds made by the musical instruments.
11 uye kuti ani naani asingawiri pasi akanamata achakandwa muvira romoto.
You also decreed that those who refused to do that would be thrown into a blazing furnace.
12 Asi pane vamwe vaJudha vamakagadza pamusoro pamabasa enyika yeBhabhironi, Shadhireki, Meshaki naAbhedhinego, vasingatomboteereri imi mambo. Havamboshumiri vamwari venyu kana kunamata chifananidzo chegoridhe chamakamisa.”
Sir, there are some men from Judah whom you have appointed to be officials in Babylon province who have not obeyed your decree. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They have refused to worship your god and the gold statue that you have set up.”
13 Nebhukadhinezari azere nehasha, akarayira kuti Shadhireki, Meshaki naAbhedhinego vauye. Saka varume ava vakauyiswa pamberi pamambo,
Nebuchadnezzar became very angry. He commanded [his soldiers] to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were brought to him,
14 Nebhukadhinezari akati kwavari, “Ichokwadi here, imi vanaShadhireki, Meshaki naAbhedhinego, kuti hamusi kushumira vamwari vangu kana kunamata chifananidzo chegoridhe chandakamisa?
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true that you three men have refused to worship my gods or the gold statue that I have set up?
15 Zvino pamunonzwa kurira kwehwamanda, nyere, mutopota, rudimbwa, mabhosvo nemhando dzose dzezviridzwa, kana mukagadzirira kuwira pasi, mukanamata chifananidzo chandakaita, zvakanaka hazvo. Asi kana musingachinamati, muchakandwa mumoto pakarepo. Zvino mwari achakurwirai muruoko rwangu ndoupiko?”
[If that is true, ] I will give you one more chance. If you bow down to worship the statue that I have set up when you hear the sounds of the musical instruments, fine. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. Then (what god will be able to rescue you from my power?/no god will be able to rescue you from my power!)” [RHQ]
16 Shadhireki, Meshaki naAbhedhinego vakapindura mambo vakati, “Imi Nebhukadhinezari, isu hatifaniri kuzvirwira pamberi penyu pamusoro penyaya iyi.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend our [actions] to you in this matter.
17 Kana tikakandwa mumoto unopfuta, Mwari watinoshumira anogona kutiponesa pauri, uye achatirwira paruoko rwenyu, imi mambo.
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we worship is able to rescue us. Sir, he will rescue us from your power.
18 Asi kunyange dai akasatirwira, tinoda kuti muzive, imi mambo, kuti hatizoshumiri vamwari venyu kana kunamata chifananidzo chegoridhe chamakamisa.”
But [even] if he does not [rescue us], you need to know that we will never worship your gods or the gold statue that you have set up.”
19 Ipapo Nebhukadhinezari akashatirwa nokuda kwaShadhireki, Meshaki naAbhedhinego, chiso chake chikavashandukira. Akarayira kuti vira romoto riveserwe moto unopisa kwazvo kukunda unosiveserwamo kanomwe.
Nebuchadnezzar was extremely angry. [His being very angry even] showed on his face. He commanded that the furnace should be made seven times as hot as usual.
20 Uye akarayira vamwe vavarwi vehondo yake vakasimba kwazvo kuti vasunge Shadhireki naMeshaki naAbhedhinego vavakande mumoto uyu waipfuta kwazvo.
[After that was done, ] he commanded some of the [very] strong men of his army to tie Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and [then] to throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 Saka varume ava, vakapfeka nguo dzavo, namabhurugwa avo, nenguwani dzavo nedzimwe hembe, vakasungwa ndokukandwa mumoto waipfuta kwazvo.
So [the soldiers] tied them up and threw them into the furnace, while they were wearing their clothes.
22 Kurayira kwamambo kwakava nechimbi chimbi kwazvo uye choto chaipisa kwazvo zvokuti moto wakauraya varwi vakakanda Shadhireki, Meshaki naAbhedhinego,
Because the fire had been made very hot because the king had very strongly ordered them to do that, the flames [leaped out and] killed the soldiers as they were throwing the men into the fire!
23 uye varume vatatu ava vakasungwa zvakasimba, vakawira mumoto unopfuta kwazvo.
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the roaring flames.
24 Ipapo Mambo Nebhukadhinezari akasvetuka achishamisika kwazvo ndokubvunza vanamupamazano vake achiti, “Ko, havasi varume vatatu vatasunga tikakanda mumoto here?” Vakamupindura vachiti, “Ndizvozvo mambo.”
But as Nebuchadnezzar was watching, he was amazed. He suddenly jumped up and shouted to his advisors, “Did we tie up three men and throw them into the flames, or not?” They replied, “Yes, O king, [we did].”
25 Iye akati, “Tarirai! Ndiri kuona vanhu vana vachifamba-famba mumoto, vasina kusungwa uye vasina kutsva, uye wechina anoratidzika somwanakomana wavamwari.”
Nebuchadnezzar shouted, “[Look]! I see four men in the fire! They have no ropes on them, they are walking around, and [the flames] are not hurting them! And the fourth man looks like a divine being!”
26 Ipapo Nebhukadhinezari akaswedera kumuromo wechoto chomoto waipfuta kwazvo akadanidzira akati, “Shadhireki, newe Meshaki naAbhedhinego, imi varanda vaMwari Wokumusoro-soro, budai. Uyai pano!” Saka Shadhireki, Meshaki naAbhedhinego vakabuda mumoto,
Nebuchadnezzar came closer to the opening of the flaming furnace, and he shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you who worship the Supreme God, come out of there! Come here!” So they stepped out of the fire.
27 uye machinda, varayiri, vabati navanamupamazano vamambo vakavaunganira. Vakaona kuti moto wakanga usina kumbokuvadza miviri yavo, uye nebvudzi remisoro yavo harina kumbotsva; uye nguo dzavo hadzina kutsva, uye pakanga pasina kunhuhwa kwomoto pavari.
Then all the king’s officials crowded around them. They saw that the flames had not harmed them. The flames had not [even] singed any of the hair on their heads or scorched any of their clothes! There was not [even] any smell of smoke on them!
28 Ipapo Nebhukadhinezari akati, “Mwari waShadhireki naMeshaki naAbhedhinego ngaarumbidzwe, iye akatuma mutumwa wake kuzorwira varanda vake! Ivo vakavimba naye vakazvidza murayiro wamambo uye vakazvipira kurasikirwa noupenyu hwavo pano kuti vashumire kana kunamata vamwari vapi zvavo kunze kwaMwari wavo.
[Then] Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego [worship]! He sent one of his angels to rescue these [three] men who worship him and trust in him. They ignored my command; they insisted that they would worship only their God, and were willing to die instead of worshiping any other god.
29 Naizvozvo ndinotema kuti vanhu vorudzi rupi kana mutauro upi zvawo vanotaura chinhu chipi zvacho chinopesana naMwari waShadhireki naMeshaki naAbhedhinego vatemwe-temwe uye dzimba dzavo dziitwe madurunhuru amarara, nokuti hakuna mumwe mwari angaponesa nenzira iyi.”
Therefore, I am [now] making this decree: ‘If any people, from any country or people-group or any language group, criticize the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego worship, they will be cut in pieces and their houses [will be torn down and] made into a pile of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue people like this!’”
30 Ipapo mambo akasimudzira Shadhireki, Meshaki naAbhedhinego munyika yeBhabhironi.
Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego more important positions in Babylon province than they had before.