Danieli 1
1 Katika mwaka wa tatu wa utawala wa Yehoyakimu mfalme wa Yuda, Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli alikuja akazingira Yerusalemu kwa jeshi.
During the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem and surrounded it.
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.
The Lord allowed him to defeat King Jehoiakim, and also to remove some of the objects used in the Temple of God. He took them back to Babylon, to the house of his god, placing them in the treasury 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,
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to take charge of some of the captured Israelites from the royal and noble families,
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.
“They are to be young men without any physical defect who are good-looking,” he said. “They must be well-educated, quick to learn, have good insight, and be well able to serve in the king's palace and be taught the literature and language of Babylon.”
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.
The king also provided them with a daily allowance of the same kind of rich food and wine he was served. At the end of their three years of education they would enter the king's service.
6 Baadhi ya hawa vijana walitoka Yuda: nao ni Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria.
Among those chosen were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah.
7 Mkuu wa maafisa akawapa majina mapya: Danieli akamwita Belteshaza, Hanania akamwita Shadraki, Mishaeli akamwita Meshaki, na Azaria akamwita Abednego.
The chief eunuch gave them new names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
8 Lakini Danieli alikusudia kuwa hatajitia unajisi kwa chakula cha mfalme na divai, naye akamwomba mkuu wa maafisa ruhusa ili asijinajisi kwa njia hii.
However, Daniel made up his mind not to make himself impure by eating the king's rich food and wine. He asked the chief eunuch to allow him not to make himself impure.
9 Basi Mungu alikuwa amemfanya huyo mkuu wa maafisa kuonyesha upendeleo na huruma kwa Danieli,
God had helped Daniel to be viewed with kindness and sympathy by the chief eunuch.
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.”
But the chief eunuch told Daniel, “I'm afraid of what my lord the king would do to me. He's the one who decided what you should eat and drink. What if he were to see you looking pale and sickly compared to the other young men of your age. Because of you the king would have my head!”
11 Ndipo Danieli akamwambia mlinzi aliyeteuliwa na huyo mkuu wa maafisa kuwasimamia Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria,
Daniel then spoke with the guard that the chief eunuch had put in charge of 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.
“Please put us, your servants, to the test and just give us vegetables to eat and water to drink for ten days,” Daniel told him.
13 Baadaye ulinganishe sura zetu na vijana wanaokula chakula cha mfalme, ukawatendee watumishi wako kulingana na unachoona.”
“After that, compare us with those young men who ate the king's rich food. Then decide on the basis of what you see.”
14 Basi akakubali jambo hili, akawajaribu kwa siku kumi.
The guard agreed to the proposal they made and tested them 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.
When the ten days were up they looked healthier and better fed than all the young men who had eaten the king's rich food.
16 Hivyo mlinzi wao akaondoa chakula chao na divai yao waliopangiwa kula na kunywa, akawapa nafaka na mboga za majani badala yake.
After that the guard didn't give them the rich food and wine, just vegetables.
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.
God gave these four young men the ability to learn and understand in all areas of literature and knowledge, while Daniel was also given the gift of interpreting all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 Mwisho wa muda uliowekwa na mfalme kuwaingiza kwake, mkuu wa maafisa akawaleta mbele ya Mfalme Nebukadneza.
When their time of education ordered by the king was over, the chief eunuch brought all the young men before King Nebuchadnezzar.
19 Mfalme akazungumza nao, akaona hakuna aliyelingana na Danieli, Hanania, Mishaeli na Azaria. Hivyo wakaingia katika utumishi wa mfalme.
The king talked with them and none could compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king's service.
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.
Whatever subject the king asked them about, everything that required wisdom of understanding, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
21 Naye Danieli akabaki huko mpaka mwaka wa kwanza wa utawala wa Mfalme Koreshi.
Daniel remained in this position until the first year of King Cyrus' reign.
