< Danieli 5 >
1 Mfalme Belshaza alifanya sherehe kubwa kwa kwa ajili ya wakuu wake wa kuheshimiwa wapatao elfu moja, na alikunywa divai mbele yao wote watu elfu moja.
[Several years later, ] Belshazzar [became the] king [of Babylon. One day] he invited 1,000 of his officers to a big feast, and he drank [a lot of] wine with them.
2 Wakati Belshaza alipokuwa akionja divai, alitoa agizo la kuleta vyombo vilivyotengenezwa kwa dhahabu au kwa fedha ambavyo Nebukadneza baba yake alikuwa amevichukua kutoka katika hekalu huko Yerusalemu, ambavyo yeye, na wakuu wake, na wake zake, na masuria waliweza kuvinywea.
While he was drinking, he commanded [his servants] bring to him the gold and silver cups that the previous king, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. [He did that] because he wanted himself and his officials, his wives, and [even] his (concubines/slave wives) to drink from them, [making fun of the god that we Israelis worshiped].
3 Watumishi walivileta vyombo ya dhahabu vilivyokuwa vimechukulia katika hekalu, nyumba ya Mungu huko Yerusalemu. Mfalme na wakuu wake, na wake zake na masuria walivinywea.
So his servants brought in [all] those gold cups, that had been taken [many years previously] from the temple of [the true] God in Jerusalem. Then the king and his officials and his wives and his slave wives drank [wine] from those cups.
4 Walikunywa divai na kuzisifu sanamu zao zilizotengenezwa kwa dhahabu na fedha, shaba, chuma, mbao na mawe.
They drank to praise/honor their idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and [even] wood and stone.
5 Kwa wakati huo huo vidole vya mkono wa mtu vilionekana mbele ya kinara cha taa na kuandika katika ukuta uliopigwa lipu katika ikulu ya mfalme. Mfalme aliweza kuona sehemu ya mkono ulipokuwa unaandika.
Suddenly they saw a man’s hand writing on the plaster of the wall opposite the lampstand. The king also saw the hand as it was writing.
6 Ndipo uso wa mfalme ulibadilika na mawazo yake yalimwogopesha; miguu yake haikuweza kumfanya asimame, na magoti yake yalikuwa yakigongana kwa pamoja.
He became very frightened, and his face became pale/white. His knees started shaking, and his legs became very weak, with the result that he could not stand up.
7 Mfalme alitoa agizo kwa kupiga kelele, waletwe ndani wale ambao hudai wanaweza kuzungumza na wafu, watu wenye hekima, na wataalamu wa nyota. Mfalme akawaambia wale waliojulikana kwa hekima katika Babeli, “Yeyote atakayeyaeleza maandishi haya na maana yake atavikwa nguo za zambarau na atavikwa na mkufu wa dhahabu shingoni mwake. Naye atakuwa mtawala wa tatu wa juu kwa mamlaka katika ufalme.”
[Then] he shouted to summon the men who worked magic, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers. He said, “I will [greatly honor] any one of them who can read this writing and tell me what it means. I will give him a purple [robe like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around his neck. He will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than he will be.”
8 Ndipo watu wote wa mfalme walikuwa wakijulikana kwa hekima yao waliingia ndani, lakini hawakuweza kuyasoma maandishi wala kueleza maana yake kwa mfalme.
But when all those wise men came in, none of them could read the writing, or tell him what it meant.
9 Kisha mfalme Belshaza alishitushwa sana na mwonekano wa uso wake ulibadilika. Wakuu wake nao walishangazwa sana.
So King Belshazzar became more afraid. His face became [even] paler/whiter. And [all] his officials [who were there at the feast] did not know what to do.
10 Ndipo sasa malkia alikuja katika nyumba ya sherehe kwasababu ya kile ambacho mfalme na wakuu wake walikuwa wamekisema. Malkia akasema, “Mfalme na aishi milele! Usiache mawazo yako yakakusumbua. Usiruhusu mwonekano wa uso wako ubadilike.
But when the mother of the king (OR, of the previous king) heard the king and his officials talking [loudly about what had happened], she entered the room where they were having the feast. She said [to Belshazzar], “(Your majesty/O King), I hope you will live for a long time! But do not be pale and afraid about this.
11 Kuna mtu katika ufalme wako ambaye ana roho ya miungu watakatifu dani yake. Katika siku za baba yako, mwanga na weledi na hekima ya miungu ilipatikana ndani yake. Mfalme Nebukadneza, baba yako mfalme, alimfanya kuwa mkuu wa waganga, pamoja na mkuu wa wale wanazungumza na wafu, na wa wenye hekima, na wa wataalamu wa nyota.
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. When Nebuchadnezzar was ruling, they discovered that this man understood many things and was wise, just like the gods. The man who was king previously, Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him to be in charge of all the men [in Babylon] who worked magic, the men who worked sorcery, the men who studied the stars, and the fortune-tellers.
12 Roho bora, ufahamu, weledi, kutafsiri ndoto, kufafanua mafumbo na kutatua matatizo - hizi ni sifa zilizopatikana kwa mtu huyu Danieli, ambaye mfalme alimwita Belteshaza. Sasa mwiteni Danieli naye atawaambia maana ya kile kilichoandikwa.”
That man’s name is Daniel; the king gave him a [new] name, Belteshazzar. He is very intelligent and is able to know and understand many things. He is [even] able to tell the meaning of dreams, and explain riddles, and explain things that are very difficult to understand. Summon him, and he will tell you what [this writing] means.”
13 Ndipo Danieli alipoletwa mbele ya mfalme. Mfalme akamwambia, “Wewe ni yule Danieli, mmoja kati ya watu wa mateka wa Yuda, ambao baba yangu mfalme aliwaleta kutoka Yuda.
So they [went and] brought me in. The king asked me, “You [must] be Daniel [RHQ]! [They told me that you are] one of those who was brought [here] from Judah by the previous king.
14 Nimesikia habari kukuhusu wewe, kwamba roho ya miungu iko ndani yako, na ya kwamba mwanga na ufahamu na hekima bora inapatikana ndani yako.
I have [also] heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you are very wise and understand many things.
15 Na sasa watu wanaojulikana kwa hekima na wale wanaozungumza na wafu, wamekwisha kuletwa mbele yangu, ili kusoma maandishi haya na kunijulisha maana ya tafsiri yake, lakini hawakuweza kunijulisha tafsiri yake.
My wise men and men who work magic have tried to read the writing on this wall and tell me what it means, but they are not able to do it.
16 Nimesikia kwamba unaweza kutoa tafsiri na kutatua matatizo. Sasa kama utaweza kusoma maandishi na kuniambia maana yake, utavikwa nguo za zambarau na kuwa na kuvalishwa mkufu wa dhahabu shingoni mwako, na utakuwa mtawala wa tatu mwenye mamlaka katika ufalme.”
[Someone] told me that you can tell what dreams mean and explain things that are very difficult to understand. If you can read these words and tell me what they mean, [I] give you a purple robe [like I wear because I am the king], and I will put a gold chain around your neck. You will become a very important official in my kingdom; there will be only two others who will be more important than you will be.”
17 Kisha Danieli akajibu mbele ya mfalme, “Zawadi yako na iwe kwa ajili yako mwenyewe, na thawabu yako na umpe mtu mwingine. Hata hivyo, mfalme, nitakusomea maandishi na nitakwaambia maana.
I replied, “[I do not want] your gifts; keep them, or give them to someone else. But I will read for you the writing [on the wall], and I will tell you what it means.
18 Na juu yako, Ewe mfalme, Mungu Aliye juu sana alimpa Nebukadneza baba yako ufalme, ukuu, heshima na enzi.
(Your Majesty/O king), the Supreme God caused the man who was king before you, Nebuchadnezzar, to become a great ruler, who was greatly praised and honored.
19 Na kwasababu ya ukuu huo, Mungu alimpa watu wote, mataifa, na lugha walimtetemekea na kumwogopa. Aliwauwa wale aliotaka wafe na aliwaacha hai wale aliotaka waishi. Aliwainua wale aliowataka, na aliwashusha wale aliowataka.
Because God caused him to become [very] great, people of many [HYP] people-groups and nations and who spoke many different languages were very much afraid of him. He [commanded his soldiers to] kill those whom he wanted to be killed, and he (spared/allowed to live) those whom he wanted to spare. He honored those whom he wanted to honor, and he caused to be disgraced those whom he wanted to be disgraced.
20 Lakini wakati moyo ulipokuwa na kiburi na roho yake ilifanywa kuwa mgumu na kwasababu hiyo alitenda kwa kiburi, alishushwa kutoka kiti chake cha enzi cha kifalme, na waliiondoa enzi yake.
But when he became very proud and stubborn [IDM], he was removed from being king [MTY]. People did not consider him to be glorious/great any more.
21 Aliondolewa katika ubinadamu, alikuwa na akili za mnyama, na aliishi na punda wa mwituni. Alikula majani kama ng'ombe. Mwili wake ulilowanishwa kwa umande wa kutoka mbinguni mpaka pale alipojifunza kwamba Mungu Aliye Juu anatawala juu ya falme za watu na ya kwamba humweka mtu yeyote amtakaye juu yake.
[His officials] sent him away in order that he would not be near [other] people. [God] caused him to have a mind like animals have. He lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like cows do, and dew from the sky caused his body to be damp/wet [each morning]. [He was like that] until he learned that the Supreme God is [really the one who] rules the kingdoms of this world, and that he appoints whomever he chooses to rule those kingdoms.
22 Wewe mwana wake, Belshaza, haujaunyenyekeza moyo wako, ingawa aliyajua haya yote.
Now, Belshazzar, you have become the king. You [also] knew all those things, but you have not made yourself humble.
23 Umejiinua mwenyewe kinyume cha Bwana wa mbinguni. Katika nyumba yake walikuletea vyombo ambavyo wewe, wakuu wako, wake zako na masuria wako walivinywea, na kisha ukaisifia sana sanamu zilitengenezwa kwa fedha na dhahabu, shaba, chuma, mbao, na mawe - sanamu ambazo haziwezi kuona, kusikia wa kujua kitu chochote. Haujamheshimu Mungu ambaye anaishikilia pumzi yako katika mkono wake na ambaye anazijua njia zako zote.
You have considered yourself to be greater than [God], the Lord of heaven. [So you have commanded your servants to] bring to you these sacred cups, [which were dedicated to the Supreme God, and which were taken] from his temple [in Jerusalem]. You and your officials and your wives and your (concubines/slave wives) have been drinking wine from these cups, while you have been praising [your own] gods—gods which are made of gold and silver and bronze and iron and wood and stone. [Those are gods] that cannot see, that cannot hear, and that do not know anything! You have not honored the God who gives you breath and who controls everything that happens to you.
24 Ndipo Mungu aliutuma mkono kutoka katika makao yake na maandishi haya yaliandikwa.
So God sent that hand to write a message [for you].
25 Haya ndiyo maandishi ambayo yaliandikwa: 'Mene, Mene, Tekeli na Peresin.'
This is the message that it wrote: ‘Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’
26 Maana yake ni: 'Mene,' 'Mungu ameuhesabu ufalme wako na ameukomesha.'
This is what those words mean: Mene [means] ‘numbered/counted’. [That means that] God has been counting the days that you will rule, and he has [now] decided that you will not rule any more.
27 'Tekeli' 'umepimwa katika mizani na umeonekana umepungua.'
Tekel [means ‘weighed’. It is as though God] has weighed you on a scale, and you do not weigh what you should, [which means that you have not been doing what you should; you are not fit to be a king] [MET].
28 'Peresi' 'ufalme wako umegawanyika na wamepewa Wamedi na Waajemi.'”
Parsin [means ‘divided’. That means that God] has divided your kingdom. Some of it will be ruled by people from Media and some will be ruled by people from Persia.”
29 Ndipo Belshaza alitoa agizo, na walimvalisha Danieli mavazi ya zambarau. Mkufu wa dhahabu walimvisha shingoni, na mfalme alitoa tamko juu ya Danieli kuwa atakuwa mtawala mwenye mamlaka ya nafasi ya tatu katika ufalme.
Then Belshazzar [did what he had promised]. He put on me a purple robe [like the one he himself wore. He] put a gold chain around my neck. And he proclaimed that there would be only two others who would be more important than me in his kingdom.
30 Usiku ule Belshaza, mfalme wa Babeli aliuawa,
But that same night [soldiers from Media entered the city and] killed Belshazzar, the King of Babylonia.
31 na Dario Mwajemi aliuchukua ufalme alipokuwa na miaka ipatayo sitini na miwili.
Darius, the King of Media, became the King [of Babylonia] when he was 62 years old.