< Danieli 7 >
1 Katika mwaka wa kwanza wa Belshaza mfalme wa Babelli, Danieli alikuwa na ndoto na maono katika akili zake wakati alipokuwa amelala kitandani kwake. Kisha akayaandika yale aliyoyaona katika ndoto. Aliandika matukio ya muhimu sana:
[Previously, ] during the first year that Belshazzar was the king of Babylonia, I had a dream and a vision one night as I lay on my bed. [The next morning] I wrote down what I had dreamed. This is what I wrote:
2 Danieli alieleza, “Usiku katika ndoto zangu niliona pepo nne za mbinguni zilikuwa zinaitikisa bahari kuu.
I, Daniel, had a vision last night. In the vision I saw that strong winds were blowing from all four directions, stirring up [the water in] the ocean.
3 Wanyama wakubwa wanne, kila mmoja alikuwa tofauti na mwenzake, walitoka katika bahari.
Then [I saw] four beasts coming out of the ocean. All four of them were different.
4 Mnyama wa kwanza alikuwa kama simba, lakini alikuwa na mabawa ya tai. Nilipokuwa natazama, mabawa yake yalikuwa yamepasuka na alikuwa ameinuliwa katika ardhi na alikuwa amesimama kwa miguu miwili kama mtu. Na alipewa akili za kibinadamu.
The first one resembled a lion, but it had wings like an eagle has. But as I watched, something tore off its wings {its wings were pulled off}. The beast was left there, standing on its two hind/rear legs, like a human being stands. And it was given a mind like humans have.
5 Na kulikuwa na mnyama wa pili, alikuwa kama dubu, na alikuwa ameinama, alikuwa na mbavu tatu katikati ya meno yake katika mdomo wake. Aliambiwa, 'Inuka na umeze watu wangi.'
The second beast resembled a bear. It was crouching, and it held between its teeth three ribs [from another animal that it had killed and eaten]. Someone said to it {It was told}, “Stand up and eat as much meat [as you want]!”
6 Baada ya hili, niliangalia tena. Kulikuwa na mnyama mwingine ambaye alionekana kama chui. Mgongoni mwake alikuwa na mabawa manne kama mabawa ya ndege, na alikuwa na vichwa vinne. Alipewa mamlaka ya kutawala.
Then I saw in front of me the third of those beasts. It resembled a leopard, but it had four wings protruding from its back. The wings were like a bird’s wings. It had four heads. It was given the power/authority to rule [people].
7 Baada haya, niliona usiku katika ndoto yangu mnyama wa nne, mwenye kuogofya, na kutisha na mwenye nguvu. Alikuwa na meno makubwa ya chuma; aliteketeza, na kuvunja vunja katika vipande, na kusaga saga katika miguuni pake kile kilichosalia. Alikuwa ni wa tofauti na wanyama wengine, na alikuwa na pembe kumi.
In the vision I saw a fourth beast. It was stronger than the other beasts, and it was more terrifying. It crushed other creatures with its huge iron teeth and ate their flesh. The parts of animals that it did not grind with its teeth, it trampled [on the ground]. It was different from the other three beasts: It had ten horns [on its head].
8 Na wakati nilipokuwa natafakari juu ya pembe, nilitazama na niliona pembe nyingine ndogo ilichipuka katikati ya pembe zingine. Mizizi ya pembe tatu kati ya pembe za mwanzo iling'olewa. Niliona katika pembe hii macho kama macho ya mtu na mdomo ambao ulikuwa ukijivuna kwa mambo makubwa.
While I was looking at those horns, I saw a little horn appear [on the head of that beast]. It tore out three of the other horns. This little horn had eyes like humans have, and it had a mouth [with which it spoke] very boastfully.
9 Na nilipotazama, viti vya enzi vilikuwa vimewekwa, na Mtu wa siku za kale alikaa sehemu yake. Mavazi yake yalikuwa meupe kama theruji, na nywele zake katika kichwa chake zilikuwa safi kama sufu. Kiti chake cha enzi kilikuwa na miali ya moto, na magurudumu yake yalikuwa yanawaka moto.
[Then] while I watched, thrones were put in the places [where they belonged], and [God], the one who had been living forever, sat on one of the thrones. His clothes were as white as snow, and his hair was as white as pure/clean wool. His throne had wheels that were blazing with fire, and his throne was [also] blazing.
10 Mto wa moto ulitiririka kutoka mbele yake, na mamilioni ya watu walimtumikia, na wengine mia moja milioni walikuwa wamesimama mbele yake. Na mahakama iliitishwa, na vitabu vilifunguliwa.
A fire was rushing out of in front of him like a stream. Many thousands [of people] (OR, [angels]) [were there] serving him, and millions [of other people] (OR, [angels]) were standing in front of him. They started (the court session/judging people), and they opened the books [in which they had written the record of all the good and bad things that people had done].
11 Niliendelea kuangalia kwasababu ya maneno ya kiburi yaliyosemwa na pembe. Nilitazama wakati mnyama anauliwa, na mwili wake uliharibiwa, na ulitolewa kwa ajili ya kuchomwa moto.
While I was watching, I could hear the little horn speaking very boastfully. As I [continued to] watch, the [fourth] beast was killed. Its corpse was thrown into a fire and completely burned.
12 Na kwa wale wanyama wanne waliosalia, mamlaka yao yalitwaliwa mbali, lakini maisha yao yaliendelezea kwa kipindi fulani cha muda.
The power/authority of the other [three] beasts was taken away from them, but they were allowed to continue to live for a while.
13 Katika maono yangu usiku ule, nilimwona mtu mmoja anakuja katika mawingu ya mbinguni alikuwa kama mwana wa mtu; alikuja kwa Mzee wa Siku na aliletwa mbele zake.
While I [continued to] see the vision that night, I saw someone who resembled a human being. He was coming [closer to me], surrounded by clouds. Then he was taken to [God], the one who had been living forever.
14 Naye alipewa mamlaka ya kiutawala na utukufu na mamlaka ya kifalme ili kwamba watu wote, na mataifa na lugha ziweze kumtumikia yeye. Mamlaka yake ya kutawala ni mamlaka ya milele ambayo hayatapita, na ufalme wake ni ule ambao hautaangamizwa.
He was honored and given great authority to rule over all the nations in the world, in order that people from every people-group and every nation, people from all language groups, would worship/serve him. He will rule forever; he will never stop ruling. The kingdom that he rules will never be destroyed.
15 Na kwangu mimi, Danieli, roho yangu ilihuzunishwa ndani yangu, na maono niliyoyaona katika akili zangu yalinisumbua.
As for me, Daniel, I was very terrified by what I had seen in that vision, and I did not know what to think about it.
16 Nilimsogelea mmoja wa hawa walikuwa wamesimama hapo na nikamwomba anioneshe maana ya mambo haya.
I went to one of those who were standing in front of the throne of God, and I asked him to tell me what it meant. So he told me the meaning of it.
17 Hawa wanyama nne wakubwa ni wafalme wanne ambao watatoa katika nchi.
[He said], “The four huge beasts represent four kingdoms/empires that will exist on the earth.
18 Lakini watu watakatifu wa Mungu aliyejuu wataupokea ufalme na wataumiliki milele na milele.'
But the Supreme God will give power/authority to his people [to rule], and they shall rule forever.”
19 Ndipo nilipotaka kujua zaidi juu ya mnyama wa nne, ambaye alikuwa tofauti sana na wengine na alikuwa wa kutisha pamoja na meno yake ya chuma na makucha ya shaba; alimeza, na alivunja vipande vipande, na alisaga saga kwa miguu yake kile kilichokuwa kimesalia.
Then I wanted to know what the fourth beast signified—[the beast] that was different from the other three, the beast that crushed [those that it attacked] with its bronze claws, and [then] ate [their flesh] with its iron teeth, and trampled on the parts of their bodies [that it did not eat].
20 Nilitaka kujua juu ya pembe kumi katika kichwa chake, na kuhusu pembe nyingine iliyochomoza, na ambayo mbele yake pembe zingine tatu zilianguka chini. Nilitaka kujua kuhusu pembe yenye macho na kuhusu mdomo uliokuwa unajisifu kwa mambo makubwa na ambayo ilionekana kuwa ni kubwa kuliko zingine.
[I also wanted to know about] the ten horns on its head, and about the horn that appeared later, which got rid of three of the other horns. [I wanted to know what it meant that] it had eyes and a mouth with which it spoke very boastfully. [The beast that was represented by] that horn was more terrifying than the other beasts.
21 Na nilipotazama, pembe hii iliinua vita dhidi ya watu watakatifu na ilikuwa inawawashinda mpaka pale
While I was having the vision, I saw that this horn attacked God’s people and was defeating them.
22 Mzee wa Siku alipokuja, na watu watakatifu wa Mungu Aliye Juu Sana. Ndipo wakati ulipowadia ambapo watu watakatifu waliupokea ufalme.
But then the Supreme God, the one who had been living forever, came and judged in favor of the people who belonged to him. And [I knew that] it was time for God’s people to receive authority [to rule].
23 Hiki ndicho mtu yule alichokisema, 'Kwa habari ya mnyama wanne, utakuwa ni ufalme wa nne juu ya dunia ambao utakuwa tofauti na falme zingine zote. Utaimeza dunia yote, na utaikanyaga yote chini na kuivunja vunja vipande vipande.
[Then] the man who was standing there said [to me], “The fourth beast represents an empire that will exist on the earth; that [empire] will be different from all [other] empires. [The army of] that empire will crush/kill [people all over] the world and trample [on their bodies].
24 Na kuhusu pembe kumi, kutoka katika ufalme huu, wafalme kumi watainuka, na mwingine atainuka baada yao. Atakuwa wa tofauti na wale waliomtangulia, na atawashinda wale wafalme watatu.
As for its ten horns, they represent ten kings who will rule that empire, [one after the other]. Then another [king] will appear. He will be different from the previous kings. He will defeat the three kings [that were represented by the three horns that were pulled out].
25 Atazungumza maneno kinyume cha Yeye Aliye Juu sana na atawatesa watu watakatifu wa Mungu Aliye Juu. Atajaribu kuzibadili sikukuu na sheria. Mambo haya atapewa mikononi mwake kwa mwaka mmoja, miaka miwili na nusu mwaka.
He will revile the Supreme God, and he will oppress God’s people. He will try to change the [sacred] festivals and their [religious] laws/regulations. He will control them for three and a half years.
26 Lakini kikao cha mahakama kitaitishwa, na watazichukua nguvu zake za kifalme ili mwisho aweza kuharibiwa na kuteketezwa.
But there will be a session/meeting of the court/judges in heaven, and that king’s authority/power will be taken away, and he will be completely destroyed.
27 Ufalme na utawala, ukubwa wa falme chini ya mbingu yote, watapewa watu walio wa watu watakatifu wa Yeye Aliye juu Sana. Ufalme wake ni ufalme wa milele, na falme zingine zote zitamtumikia na kumtii yeye.'
Then all the power and the greatness of all the kingdoms on the earth will be given to the people who belong to the Supreme God. The kingdom that he rules (OR, they rule) will endure forever. And the rulers of all the nations on the earth will serve and obey him (OR, them).”
28 Na huu ndio mwisho wa mambo. Na kuhusu mimi, Danieli, mawazo yangu yanihuzunisha sana mimi na mwonekano wa uso wangu ulibadilika. Lakini mambo haya niliyahifadhi mimi mwenyewe.”
That is [what I saw in] my vision/dream. I, Daniel, was terrified, with the result that my face became pale. But I did not tell anyone about the vision [that I had seen].