< Danieli 3 >
1 Mfalme Nebukadneza alitengeneza sanamu ya dhahabu ambayo ilikuwa na urefu wa dhiraa sitini na upana dhiraa sita. Aliiweka katika uwanda wa Dura katika jimbo la Babeli.
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and whose breadth was six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2 Kisha Nebukadneza alituma ujumbe wa kuwaita pamoja magavana wote wa majimbo, magavana wa mikoa, na magavana wa vijiji, pamoja na na washauiri, wahazini, waamuzi, mahakimu, na maafisa wengine wakuu wa majimbo ili waje kwa ajili ya uzinduzi wa sanamu aliyokuwa ameiweka.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the prefects, and the deputy governors, the chief judges, the treasurers, the judges, the counsellors, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3 Ndipo magavana wa majimbo, magavana wa mikoa, na magavana wa vijiji, pamoja na washauri, wahasibu, waamuzi, mahakimu, na maafisa wa juu wa majimbo walikusanyika kwa pamoja katika uzinduzi wa sanamu ambayo Nebukadneza aliyokuwa ameiweka. Walisimama mbele yake.
Then the satraps, prefects, and deputy governors, the chief judges, treasurers, judges, counsellors, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
4 Kisha mtangazaji alipiga kelele, “Enyi watu, mataifa, na lugha mmeamriwa
Then a herald cried aloud: To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
5 kwamba mtakaposikia sauti za pembe, filimbi, ala za muziki, zeze, vinubi na zumari na aina zote za muziki, ni sharti kuanguka na kuisujudia ninyi wenyewe sanamu ya dhahabu ambayo Mfalme Nebukadneza alikuwa ameiweka.
that at the time ye hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the harp, the sambuck, the psaltery, the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.
6 Na yeyote asiyeanguka na kuiabuda, kwa wakati huo huo atatupwa katika tanuru la moto.”
And whoso doth not fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
7 Basi watu walilposikia sauti za pembe, filimbi, ala za muziki, zeze, vinubi na zumari na aina zote za muziki, watu wote, mataifa na lugha walianguka na kuisujudia wao wenyewe sanamu ya dhahabu ambayo Nebukadneza mfalme alikuwa ameiweka.
Therefore at the time when all the people heard the sound of the horn, the pipe, the harp, the sambuck, the psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 Wakati huu baadhi ya Walkadayo walikuja na kuleta mashitaka kinyume na Wayahudi.
Wherefore at that time certain Chaldaeans came near, and accused the Jews.
9 Walimwambia mfalme Nebukadneza, “mfalme aishi milele!
They spake and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever!
10 Ewe mfalme, umeweka amri kwamba kila mtu aisikiye sauti ya pembe, filimbi, ala za muziki, zeze, vinubi na zumari, na aina zote za muziki, lazima kuanguka na kuisujudia sanamu ya dhahabu.
Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the harp, the sambuck, the psaltery, the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image;
11 Mtu yeyote asiyeanguka na kuiabudu sharti atupwe katika tanuru linalowaka moto.
and that whoso doth not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12 Sasa kuna baadhi ya Wayahudi ambao umewaweka juu masuala ya jimbo la Babeli; majina yao ni Shadraka, Meshaki, na Abednego. Mfalme, hawa watu hawakutii wewe. Hawataiabudu, kuitumikia wala kuisujudia wenyewe sanamu ya dhahabu ambayo umeiweka.”
Now there are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, these men, O king, have not regarded thee; they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
13 Ndipo Nebukadneza alijawa na hasira na ghadhabu, aliagiza kwamba Shadraka, Meshaki na Abednego waletwe kwake. Hivyo, waliwalete hawa watu mbele ya mfalme.
Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebukadneza aliwaambia, “Je mmejipanga katika akili zenu, enyi Shadraka, Meshaki na Abedinego, kwamba hamtaiabudu miungu yangu wala kuisujudia wenyewe sanamu ile ya dhahabu ambayo nimeiweka?
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said to them, Was it by design, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Do ye not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
15 Basi sasa kama mko tayari - mtakaposikia sauti pembe, filimbi, ala za muziki, zeze, vinumbi na zumari, aina zote za muziki - kuanguka chini na kuisujudia wenyewe sanamu ile ambayo nimeitengeneza, mambo yote yatakuwa mazuri. Lakini kama hamtaiabudu, mtatupwa mara katika tanuru la moto. Ni mungu gani atakayeweza kuwaokoa katika mikono yangu?”
Now if ye be ready that at the time ye hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the harp, the sambuck, the psaltery, the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have set up, well! but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
16 Shadraka, Meshaki, na Abednego wakamjibu mfalme, “Nebukadneza, hatuhitaji kukujibu wewe katika jambo hili.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.
17 Kama kuna jibu, ni kwamba Mungu wetu ambaye tunamtumikia anaweza kutuhifadhi sisi salama katika katika tanuru la moto, na atatuokoa sisi katika mkono wako, mfalme.
Behold, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king!
18 Kama sivyo, na ijulikane kwako, wewe mfalme, kwamba hatutaiabudu miungu yako, na wala hatutaisujudia wenyewe sanamu ya dhahabu uliyoiweka.
But if not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
19 Ndipo Nebukadneza alijawa na ghadhabu; mwonekano wa uso wake ulibadilika kinyume na Shadraka, Meshaki na Abedinego. Aliagiza kuwa tanuru lichochewe ukali mara saba zaidi kuliko lilivyokuwa kawaida.
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
20 Kisha aliwaamuru baadhi ya watu wenye nguvu katika jeshi lake kuwafunga Shadraka, Meshaki na Abednego na kuwatupa katika tanuru liwakalo moto.
And he commanded the mightiest men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21 Walifungwa akali wakiwa wamevaa nguo zao, kanzu, kilemba, na mavazi mengine, na walitupa katika tanuru liwakalo moto.
Then these men were bound in their trousers, their under-garments, their mantles, and their other clothing, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Kwasababu ya agizo la mfalme lilifuatwa na tanuru lilikuwa na joto sana, miali ya moto iliwaua watu waliowatupa Shadraka, Meshaki, na Abedinego.
And because the command of the king was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 Hawa wanaume watatu, Shadraka, Meshaki, na Abednego, waliangukia katika tanuru liwakalo moto wakali wamefungwa.
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Kisha Nebukadneza mfalme alishangazwa na alisimam haraka. Aliwauliza washauri wake, “Je hatukutupa watu watatu wakiwa wamefungwa katika moto?” Nao walimjibu mfalme, “Hakika mfalme.”
Then Nebuchadnezzar, the king, was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said to his counsellors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king!
25 Alisema, “Lakini ninaona watu wanne ambao hawajafungwa wakizunguka katika moto, na hawajaumizwa. Mng'ao wa mtu wa nne ni kama mwana wa miungu.”
He answered and said, Behold, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.
26 Ndipo Nebukadneza aliposogea karibu na mlango wa tanuru liwakalo moto na akaaita, “Shadraka, Meshaki na Abednego, watumishi wa Mungu Aliye Juu, tokeni nje! Njooni hapa! Ndipo Shadraka, Meshaki na Abednego walitoka nje ya moto.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the Most High God, come forth! Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth out of the midst of the fire.
27 Magavana wa majimbo, magavana wengine, na washauri wa mfalme waliokuwa wamekusanyika kwa pamoja waliwaona watu hawa. Moto haukuunguza miili yao; nywele katika vichwa vyao hazikuungua; mavazi yao yalikuwa hayajaharibiwa; na hawakuwa na harufu ya moto.
And the satraps, prefects, and deputy governors, and the counsellors of the king, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on them.
28 Nebukadneza alisema, “Na tumsifu Mungu wa Shadraka, Meshaki na Abedinego, ambaye amemtuma mjumbe wake na amewapa ujumbe watumishi wake. Walimtumaini yeye wakati walipoikana amri yangu, na waliitoa miili yao badala ya kuabudu au kusujudia mungu mwingine isipokuwa Mungu wao.
Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants, that trusted in him, and disobeyed the command of the king, and gave up their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God!
29 Hivyo basi ninaagiza kwamba watu wote, taifa au lugha ambayo itazungumza kitu chochote kinyume na Mungu wa Shadraka, Meshaki na Abedinego lazima wakatwe vipande, na ya kwamba nyumba zao lazima zifanywe kuwa vichuguu vya uchafu kwasababu hakuna mungu mwingine anayeweza kuokoa kama hivi.”
Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language which speaks anything reproachful against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and its houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver in this manner.
30 Ndipo mfalme aliwapandisha cheo Shadraka, Meshaki na Abednego katika jimbo la Babeli.
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.