Taniela 4

1 Ko e tuʻi ko Nepukanesa, ki he kakai kotoa pē, mo e ngaahi puleʻanga, mo e ngaahi lea, ʻaia ʻoku nofo ʻi māmani fulipē; Ke tupulekina ʻae melino kiate kimoutolu.

[Several years after] Nebuchadnezzar [started to rule, he sent this message] to [the people of] every nation and people-group and all language groups in his empire. [He wrote, ] “I wish/hope that everything is going very well with you!

2 Ne u pehē ʻe lelei ke fakahā ʻae ngaahi fakaʻilonga, mo e ngaahi meʻa fakaofo, ʻaia kuo fai ʻe he ʻOtua māʻolunga kiate au.

I want you to know about [all] the wonderful miracles [DOU] that the Supreme God has performed for me.

3 “ʻOku lahi hono ngaahi fakaʻilonga! Pea ʻoku mālohi ʻene ngaahi meʻa fakaofo! Ko hono puleʻanga ko e puleʻanga taʻengata, pea ko ʻene pule ʻoku mei he toʻutangata ki he toʻutangata.

He performs great miracles, and does wonderful things. His kingdom will last forever; his rule [over people] will never end.

4 “Ko au Nepukanesa, ne u mālōlō ʻi hoku fale, pea naʻe tupu pe ʻae monūʻia ʻi hoku nofoʻanga.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace. I was living luxuriantly, and everything was going very well for me.

5 Naʻaku misi, pea naʻaku manavahē ai, pea ko ʻeku ngaahi mahalo ʻi hoku mohenga, mo e ngaahi meʻa hā mai ki hoku ʻulu, naʻe fakamamahi kiate au.

But one night I had a dream that caused me to be very afraid. I saw visions that terrified me as I lay on my bed.

6 Ko ia ne u fai fono ke ʻomi ʻae kau tangata poto kotoa pē ʻo Papilone ki hoku ʻao, koeʻuhi ke nau fakahā mai kiate au hono ʻuhinga ʻoe misi.

So I summoned all the wise men in Babylon, in order that they would come and tell me what it meant.

7 Ko ia naʻe haʻu ai ʻae kau fai mana, ʻae kau ʻasitolōnoma, ʻae kau Kalitia, pea mo e kau kikite; pea ne u fakahā ʻae misi ʻi honau ʻao; ka naʻe ʻikai te nau fakahā mai kiate au hono ʻuhinga ʻo ia.

All the men who worked magic, the fortune-tellers, the men who worked sorcery, and men who studied the stars came to me. I told them what I had dreamed, but they could not tell me what it meant.

8 Pea naʻe haʻu fakamui ki hoku ʻao ʻa Taniela, ʻaia naʻe hingoa ko Pelitisasa, ʻo fakatatau mo e hingoa ʻo hoku ʻotua, pea ko ia ia ʻoku ʻi ai ʻae laumālie ʻoe ngaahi ʻotua māʻoniʻoni: pea ne u fakahā ʻi hono ʻao ʻae misi, ʻo pehē,

Finally, Daniel came to me, and I [decided to] tell him what I had dreamed. One of my officials had given him a new name, Belteshazzar, to honor my own god. I knew that the spirit of the holy gods was in him.

9 ‌ʻE Pelitisasa, ko e ʻeiki ʻoe kau fai meʻa mana, ʻoku ou ʻilo ʻoku ʻiate koe ʻae laumālie ʻoe ngaahi ʻotua māʻoniʻoni, pea ʻoku ʻikai ha meʻa fufū ʻoku faingataʻa kiate koe, ko ia ke ke tala mai ʻae ngaahi meʻa hā mai ʻi heʻeku misi, ʻaia kuo u mamata ai, mo hono ʻuhinga.

So, [using the name that had been given to him], I said, ‘Belteshazzar, you are the most important of all my fortune-tellers. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and that you can reveal all mysteries. There is none that is too difficult for you. So, tell me what my dream means.

10 “Naʻe pehē ʻae ngaahi meʻa hā mai ki hoku ʻulu ʻi hoku mohenga; ne u mamata mo vakai ko e ʻakau naʻe tuʻu ʻi he lotolotonga ʻo māmani, pea ko hono māʻolunga naʻe lahi ʻaupito.

This is what I dreamed while I was lying on my bed: I saw a large tree [growing] in the middle of the land.

11 Naʻe tupu ʻae ʻakau pea naʻe mālohi, pea ko hono māʻolunga naʻe ʻalu hake ki he langi, pea naʻe hā atu ia ki he ngaahi ngataʻanga ʻo māmani:

The tree was very strong and had grown very tall; [it seemed that] its top reached up to the sky, with the result that everyone in the world [HYP] could see it.

12 Naʻe matamatalelei hono lau, pea naʻe lahi hono fua, pea naʻe ʻi ai ʻae meʻakai ki he ngaahi meʻa kotoa pē: naʻe fakamalumalu ʻi lalo ʻae fanga manu ʻoe ngoue, pea naʻe nofo ʻae fanga manupuna ʻoe ʻatā ʻi hono ngaahi vaʻa, pea naʻe fafanga ʻae kakai kotoa pē mei ai.

It had beautiful leaves, and it had produced a lot of fruit for people to eat. Wild animals rested in the shade of that tree, and birds built nests in its branches. All the living creatures everywhere in the world got food from that tree.

13 “Pea ne u mamata ʻi he meʻa hā mai ki hoku ʻulu ʻi hoku mohenga, pea vakai, naʻe ʻalu hifo mei he langi, ʻae taha leʻo, mo e tokotaha māʻoniʻoni:

While I was still lying on my bed, I saw another vision. In the vision I saw a holy angel coming down from heaven.

14 Pea naʻe kalanga leʻo lahi ia, mo ne pehē, ‘Tā hifo ʻae ʻakau, pea tutuʻu hono ngaahi vaʻa, lulu ke ngangana hono lau, mo liʻaki hono fua, tuku ke hao ʻae fanga manu mei lalo, mo e fanga manupuna mei hono ngaahi vaʻa.

The angel shouted, “Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches! Strip/Shake off all of its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Chase away the animals that are lying in the shade of the tree, and the birds that are in its branches.

15 Kae tuku ai pe hono tangutungutu ʻi he kelekele mo hono meʻa tākai ukamea mo e palasa, ʻi he mohuku laumaʻuiʻui ʻoe ngoue; pea tuku ia ke viviku ʻi he hahau ʻoe langi, “‘Pea tuku ke ne ʻinasi fakataha mo e fanga manu, ʻi he mohuku ʻoe kelekele.

But leave the stump of the tree and its roots in the ground. Fasten a band of iron and bronze around the stump, and allow it to stay there with grass around it.”

16 Ke liliu hono loto fakatangata, pea tuku kiate ia ʻae loto ʻoe manu, pea tuku ke ʻosi ha kuonga ʻe fitu mo ʻene pehē.

[That tree seems to have represented a man, because the angel also said], “Cause that man to live [out in the fields] among the animals and plants. Cause the dew from the sky to make his body damp [each morning]. Do not allow him to [continue to] have a mind like humans; instead, cause him to have a mind like animals have, for seven years.

17 ‌ʻOku fai ʻae meʻa ni ʻi he fono ʻae kau leʻo, pea mo e ʻeke ʻi he fekau ʻae kau māʻoniʻoni: koeʻuhi ke ʻilo ʻe he kakai moʻui ʻoku pule ʻaia ʻoku Māʻolunga taha pe ʻi he puleʻanga ʻoe tangata, pea ʻoku faʻiteliha ia ki ha taha ʻe tuku ki ai, pea ʻoku ne hakeakiʻi ki ai ʻae kakai ʻoku māʻulalo taha pe.’

The holy angels have decided what must happen. They want to inform everyone that the Supreme God rules over all the kingdoms in this world. He is the one who chooses who will rule these kingdoms. He [sometimes] allows very unimportant people to become rulers.”

18 “Ko au Nepukanesa naʻaku mamata ki he misi ni. Pea ko koe ʻe Pelitisasa ke ke fakahā mai kiate au hono ʻuhinga, he koeʻuhi ʻoku ʻikai mafai ʻe he kau tangata poto kotoa pē ʻi hoku puleʻanga ke fakahā kiate au hono ʻuhinga: ka ko koe ʻoku ke mafai; he ʻoku ʻiate koe ʻae laumālie ʻoe ngaahi ʻotua māʻoniʻoni.”

Belteshazzar, that is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw in my dream. Now tell me what the dream means. No one else can tell me. [I asked] all the very wise men in my kingdom [to tell me] what it means, [but they were unable to do that]. But you can [tell me], because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

19 Pea naʻe toki ofo ʻa Taniela, ʻaia naʻe hingoa ko Pelitisasa ʻi he feituʻulaʻā ʻe taha, pea puputuʻu ʻene fakakaukau. Pea lea ʻae tuʻi, ʻo ne pehē kia Pelitisasa, “ʻOua naʻa ke mamahi ʻi he misi, pe ʻi hono ʻuhinga.” Pea naʻe tali ʻe Pelitisasa ʻo pehē, “ʻE hoku ʻeiki, ke ʻiate kinautolu ʻoku fehiʻa kiate koe ʻae misi, pea ko hono ʻuhinga ke ʻi ho ngaahi fili ia.

I, whose [new] name was Belteshazzar, did not say anything for some time, [because] I was very worried/disturbed [about the meaning of the dream. Finally], the king said to me, “Belteshazzar, do not be afraid about the dream and about what it means.” I replied, “Sir, I wish that the events that were predicted in your dream would happen to your enemies, [and not to you].

20 Ko e ʻakau naʻa ke mamata ai, ʻaia naʻe tupu, pea naʻe mālohi, ʻaia naʻe aʻu hake ki he langi, ʻa hono māʻolunga, pea naʻe hā ki māmani fulipē;

[In your dream/vision] you saw a very strong and very tall tree. It [seemed to] reach to the sky, [with the result that] everyone in the world could see it.

21 Pea naʻe matamatalelei hono lau, pea naʻe lahi hono fua, pea naʻe ʻi ai ʻae meʻakai ki he ngaahi meʻa kotoa pē, ʻaia naʻe nofo ʻae fanga manu ʻoe ngoue, ʻi hono lolo ʻakau, pea maʻu ʻe he fanga manupuna ʻoe ʻatā honau nofoʻanga ʻi hono ngaahi vaʻa:

It had beautiful leaves and it had produced a lot of fruit for people to eat. Wild animals rested in the shade of that tree, and birds built nests in its branches.

22 “Ko koe ia ʻe tuʻi kuo ke tupu, pea kuo ke hoko ʻo mālohi: he kuo ke tupu ʻo māʻolunga, ʻo aʻu hake ki he langi, pea mo hoʻo pule ki he ngataʻanga ʻo māmani.

(Your majesty/O King), that tree [represents] you! You have become very powerful. [It is as though] your greatness reaches up to the sky, and you rule people all over the world.

23 Pea ko e meʻa ʻi he mamata ʻae tuʻi ki he leʻo mo e tokotaha māʻoniʻoni naʻe ʻalu hifo mei he langi, ʻo ne pehē, ‘Tā hifo ʻae ʻakau, pea maumauʻi ia: kae tuku hono tefito mo hono ngaahi aka ʻi he kelekele, mo hono meʻa tākai ukamea mo e palasa, ʻi he mohuku lau maʻuiʻui ʻoe ngoue, pea tuku ke viviku ia ʻi he hahau ʻoe langi, pea ke ne ʻinasi fakataha mo e fanga manu ʻoe ngoue, kaeʻoua ke ʻosi ha kuonga ʻe fitu mo ʻene pehē;’

[Then] you saw a holy angel coming down from heaven. That angel said, ‘Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches! Strip/Shake off all of its leaves, and scatter its fruit. But leave the stump of the tree and its roots in the ground. Fasten a band of iron and bronze around the stump and [allow it to stay there] with grass around it. [Each morning] cause the dew from the sky to make this man, [who was represented by the tree], damp. Cause him to live in the fields with the animals for seven years.’

24 “Ko eni hono ʻuhinga, ʻe tuʻi, pea ko eni ʻae tuʻutuʻuni ʻae Fungani Māʻolunga, kuo fai ki hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi:

(Your Majesty/O King), that is what your dream means. That is what the Supreme God has declared will happen to you.

25 Te nau kapusi koe mei he kakai, pea te ke nofo mo e fanga manu ʻoe ngoue, pea te nau puleʻi koe ke kai mohuku ʻo hangē ko e fanga pulu, pea te nau fakaviviku koe ʻaki ʻae hahau ʻoe langi, pea te ke pehē ʻi he kuonga ʻe fitu, kaeʻoua ke ke ʻilo ʻoku pule ʻae Fungani Māʻolunga ʻi he puleʻanga ʻoe tangata, pea ʻoku ne foaki ia kiate ia ʻoku ne faʻiteliha ki ai.

[Your advisors] will force you to live away from other people. You will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cows do, and dew from the sky will cause your [body] to be damp/wet [every morning]. You will live that way for seven years, until you learn that it is the Supreme God who rules over the kingdoms of the world, and he appoints the ones whom he chooses [to rule them].

26 Pea ko e meʻa ʻi he fekau ke tuku ʻae tefitoʻi ʻakau, mo hono aka, ʻe maʻu pe ho puleʻanga kiate koe, ʻoka ke ka ʻilo ʻoku fai ʻae pule mei he langi.

But the stump of the tree and its roots were left [in the ground]. That means that you will rule your kingdom again when you learn that it is God [MTY] who is [really] the ruler.

27 Ko ia, ʻe tuʻi, tuku tokoni kiate koe, pea motuhi hoʻo ngaahi angahala, ka ke māʻoniʻoni, pea mo hoʻo ngaahi hia, ka ke fai ʻofa ki he masiva, heiʻilo ʻe tolotolonga ai ʻa hoʻo melino.”

(Your Majesty/O King), please do what I am telling you to do. Stop sinning, and do what is right. Turn away from your evil behavior. Act mercifully to poor people. If you do that, perhaps you will continue to be sucessful.”

28 Naʻe hoko ʻae ngaahi meʻa ni kotoa pē ki he tuʻi, ko Nepukanesa.

But [the king refused to stop sinning. So what was predicted in the dream is] what happened to him.

29 Hili ʻae māhina ʻe hongofulu ma ua, naʻe ʻeveʻeva ia ʻi he fale tupuʻa ʻoe tuʻi ʻo Papilone.

Twelve months later, [one day] he was walking [on the flat roof] of his palace in Babylon.

30 Pea lea ʻae tuʻi ʻo pehē, “ʻIkai ko Papilone eni, ko e fale ʻoe puleʻanga ʻaia kuo u langa ʻi hoku mālohi, pea koeʻuhi ke ongoongo hoku nāunau?”

As he [looked out over/across the city], he said [to those around him], “I have built this great [city of] Babylon to be the place where I rule! I have built it to display my own power, in order [to show people] my glory, to show them that I am very great!”

31 Lolotonga naʻe kei ʻi he fofonga ʻoe tuʻi ʻae lea, naʻe ongo mai mei he langi ʻae leʻo naʻe pehē, “ʻE tuʻi ko Nepukanesa, kuo fai ʻae lea kiate koe; kuo homo meiate koe ʻae puleʻanga.

While he was still saying this, God [MTY] spoke from heaven and said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, this is what I am saying to you: You are no longer the ruler of this kingdom!

32 Pea te nau kapusi koe mei he kakai; pea te ke nofo mo e fanga manu ʻoe ngoue, pea te nau puleʻi koe ke kai mohuku ʻo hangē ko e fanga pulu, pea ʻe ʻosi ʻae kuonga ʻe fitu mo hoʻo pehē, kaeʻoua ke ke ʻilo ʻoku pule ʻae Fungani Māʻolunga ʻi he puleʻanga ʻoe tangata, pea ʻoku ne foaki ia kiate ia ʻoku ne faʻiteliha ki ai.”

[Your advisors] will force you to live away from [other] people. You will live in the fields with wild animals, and you will eat grass like cows do. You will live that way for seven years, until you learn that [it is] I, the Supreme God, who rules over the kingdoms of this world, and I appoint the ones whom I have chosen to rule them.”

33 ‌ʻI he feituʻulaʻā pe ko ia naʻe fakamoʻoni ʻae meʻa ni kia Nepukanesa: pea naʻe kapusi ia mei he kakai, pea naʻa ne kai ʻae mohuku ʻo hangē ko e fanga pulu, pea naʻe viviku hono sino ʻi he hahau ʻoe langi, pea naʻe tupu hono fulufulu ʻo hangē ko e fulufuluʻi ʻikale, pea mo hono ngeʻesi nima ʻo hangē ko e pesipesi ʻoe fanga manupuna.

Immediately what [God] predicted happened. Nebuchadnezzar [became insane, so his advisors] forced him to live away from other people. He ate grass like cows [do], and dew from the sky caused his body to be damp/wet [every morning. He lived like that] until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers, and his fingernails became like birds’ claws.

34 Pea hili ʻae ngaahi ʻaho ko ia, ko au Nepukanesa, ne u hiki hake hoku mata ki he langi, pea naʻe toe hoko mai kiate au hoku loto, pea ne u fakafetaʻi ki he Fungani Māʻolunga, pea naʻaku fakamālō mo fakaʻapaʻapa kiate ia ʻoku moʻui taʻengata, ʻAia ʻoku pule ko e pule taʻengata, pea ko hono puleʻanga ʻoku mei he toʻutangata ki he toʻutangata.

“After those [seven] years ended, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven, [and I acknowledged that what God said was true]. Then I could think correctly again. I praised and worshiped the Supreme God, and I honored him, the one who lives forever. He rules forever; his kingdom will never end.

35 Pea ʻoku ne lau ʻae kakai fulipē ʻo māmani ko e meʻa noa pe: pea ʻoku ne fai ʻo fakatatau mo hono finangalo ʻi he kau tau ʻoe langi, pea ki he kakai ʻo māmani: pea ʻoku ʻikai ha tokotaha ʻe taʻofi hono nima, pe pehē kiate ia, ‘Ko e hā ʻoku ke fai?’

All the people in the world are very insignificant; we are not like him. He has the power to do whatever he wants to do, among the angels in heaven and among us people who live on the earth. [So] no one can stop him [SYN], and no one can [challenge him], saying to him, ‘Why [are you doing these things]?’

36 Pea feʻunga mo ia naʻe toe hoko mai ʻae poto kiate au; pea koeʻuhi ke ongoongolelei ai ʻa hoku puleʻanga, naʻe toe hoko mai ʻa hoku nāunau mo e lelei kiate au; pea naʻe kumi mai kiate au ʻeku ngaahi houʻeiki mo ʻeku kau fakamaau, pea naʻe toe fokotuʻu au ʻi hoku puleʻanga, pea naʻe tupulekina hoku ongoongolelei.

When I was able to think correctly again, I was honored again, and I [was able to] rule my glorious/great kingdom again. My advisors came to me again [to talk about what should be done], and I became greater and more powerful than I was before.

37 “Pea ko au Nepukanesa, ʻoku ou fakafetaʻi mo fakamālō mo fakaʻapaʻapa, ki he tuʻi ʻoe langi, ʻaia ʻoku moʻoni ʻene ngaahi ngāue kotoa pē, pea ko ʻene ʻulungāanga ko e fakamaau: pea ʻoku ne mafai ke fakavaivaiʻi ʻakinautolu ʻoku ʻalu fielahi.”

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor [DOU] [God], the king who rules in heaven. All of his actions are just and right. And he is able to cause to become humble those who are proud, [like I was].”