Danieli 1
1 Katika mwaka wa tatu wa utawala wa Yehoyakimu mfalme wa Yuda, Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli alikuja akazingira Yerusalemu kwa jeshi.
In the third year of the rule of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, shutting it in with his forces.
2 Bwana akamtia Yehoyakimu mfalme wa Yuda mkononi mwa Nebukadneza, pamoja na baadhi ya vyombo kutoka Hekalu la Mungu. Hivi akavichukua hadi kwenye hekalu la mungu wake huko Shinari, naye akaviweka nyumbani ya hazina ya mungu wake.
And the Lord gave into his hands Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he took them away into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he put the vessels into the store-house of his god.
3 Kisha mfalme akamwagiza Ashpenazi, mkuu wa maafisa wa mfalme, kumletea baadhi ya Waisraeli kutoka jamaa ya mfalme na kutoka jamaa kuu,
And the king gave orders to Ashpenaz, the captain of his unsexed servants, to take in some of the children of Israel, certain of the king's family, and those of high birth;
4 vijana wanaume wasio na dosari mwilini, wenye sura nzuri, wanaoonyesha kipaji katika kila aina ya elimu, wenye ufahamu mzuri, wepesi kuelewa, na waliofuzu kuhudumu katika jumba la kifalme. Alikuwa awafundishe lugha na maandiko ya Wakaldayo.
Young men who were strong and healthy, good-looking, and trained in all wisdom, having a good education and much knowledge, and able to take positions in the king's house; and to have them trained in the writing and language of the Chaldaeans.
5 Mfalme akawaagizia kiasi cha chakula na divai ya kila siku kutoka meza ya mfalme. Walikuwa wafundishwe kwa miaka mitatu, na hatimaye waingie kwenye utumishi wa mfalme.
And a regular amount of food and wine every day from the king's table was ordered for them by the king; and they were to be cared for for three years so that at the end of that time they might take their places before the king.
6 Baadhi ya hawa vijana walitoka Yuda: nao ni Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria.
And among these there were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7 Mkuu wa maafisa akawapa majina mapya: Danieli akamwita Belteshaza, Hanania akamwita Shadraki, Mishaeli akamwita Meshaki, na Azaria akamwita Abednego.
And the captain of the unsexed servants gave them names; to Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar, to Hananiah the name of Shadrach, to Mishael the name of Meshach, and to Azariah the name of Abed-nego.
8 Lakini Danieli alikusudia kuwa hatajitia unajisi kwa chakula cha mfalme na divai, naye akamwomba mkuu wa maafisa ruhusa ili asijinajisi kwa njia hii.
And Daniel had come to the decision that he would not make himself unclean with the king's food or wine; so he made a request to the captain of the unsexed servants that he might not make himself unclean.
9 Basi Mungu alikuwa amemfanya huyo mkuu wa maafisa kuonyesha upendeleo na huruma kwa Danieli,
And God put into the heart of the captain of the unsexed servants kind feelings and pity for Daniel.
10 lakini huyo mkuu wa maafisa akamwambia Danieli, “Ninamwogopa bwana wangu mfalme, aliyeagizia chakula na kinywaji chenu. Kwa nini aone nyuso zenu zikiwa mbaya kuliko za vijana wengine wa rika lenu? Mfalme atakata kichwa changu kwa sababu yenu.”
And the captain of the unsexed servants said to Daniel, I am in fear of my lord the king, who has given orders about your food and your drink; what if he sees you looking less happy than the other young men of your generation? then you would have put my head in danger from the king.
11 Ndipo Danieli akamwambia mlinzi aliyeteuliwa na huyo mkuu wa maafisa kuwasimamia Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria,
Then Daniel said to the keeper in whose care the captain of the unsexed servants had put Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
12 “Tafadhali wajaribu watumishi wako kwa siku kumi. Usitupe chochote ila nafaka na mboga za majani tule, na maji ya kunywa.
Put your servants to the test for ten days; let them give us grain for our food and water for our drink.
13 Baadaye ulinganishe sura zetu na vijana wanaokula chakula cha mfalme, ukawatendee watumishi wako kulingana na unachoona.”
Then take a look at our faces and the faces of the young men who have food from the king's table; and, having seen them, do to your servants as it seems right to you.
14 Basi akakubali jambo hili, akawajaribu kwa siku kumi.
So he gave ear to them in this thing and put them to the test for ten days.
15 Mwisho wa zile siku kumi, walionekana kuwa na afya na kunawiri zaidi kuliko yeyote kati ya wale vijana waliokula chakula cha mfalme.
And at the end of ten days their faces seemed fairer and they were fatter in flesh than all the young men who had their food from the king's table.
16 Hivyo mlinzi wao akaondoa chakula chao na divai yao waliopangiwa kula na kunywa, akawapa nafaka na mboga za majani badala yake.
So the keeper regularly took away their meat and the wine which was to have been their drink, and gave them grain.
17 Mungu akawapa hawa vijana wanne maarifa na ufahamu wa kila aina ya maandiko na elimu. Naye Danieli aliweza kufahamu maono na aina zote za ndoto.
Now as for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and made them expert in all book-learning and wisdom: and Daniel was wise in all visions and dreams.
18 Mwisho wa muda uliowekwa na mfalme kuwaingiza kwake, mkuu wa maafisa akawaleta mbele ya Mfalme Nebukadneza.
Now at the end of the time fixed by the king for them to go in, the captain of the unsexed servants took them in to Nebuchadnezzar.
19 Mfalme akazungumza nao, akaona hakuna aliyelingana na Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria. Hivyo wakaingia katika utumishi wa mfalme.
And the king had talk with them; and among them all there was no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they were given places before the king.
20 Katika kila jambo la hekima na ufahamu kuhusu kile mfalme alichowauliza, aliwaona bora mara kumi zaidi kuliko waganga na wasihiri wote katika ufalme wake wote.
And in any business needing wisdom and good sense, about which the king put questions to them, he saw that they were ten times better than all the wonder-workers and users of secret arts in all his kingdom.
21 Naye Danieli akabaki huko mpaka mwaka wa kwanza wa utawala wa Mfalme Koreshi.
And Daniel went on till the first year of King Cyrus.
