Daniel 3
1 Ɔhene Nebukadnessar yɛɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni bi a na ne sorokɔ yɛ anammɔn aduɔkron, na ne trɛw nso yɛ anammɔn akron. Wɔde sii Dura tataw so wɔ Babiloniaman mu.
King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his men to make a gold statue. It was (90 feet/27 meters) high and (9 feet/2.7 meters) wide. They set it up in the Dura plain in Babylon province.
2 Afei ɔde nkra kɔmaa ahenemma, mpanyimfo, amradofo, afotufo, sanaafo, atemmufo, asennifo ne ɔman no mu mpanyimfo se, wɔmmra ohoni a wɔreda no adi no afahyɛ ase.
Then he sent messages to all the provincial governors, the district governors, the chief advisors, the counselors, the various judges, and all the other officials in the province. He told them to come to the dedication of the statue that he had set up.
3 Bere a ahenemma, mpanyimfo, amradofo, afotufo, sanaafo, atemmufo, asennifo ne ɔman no mu mpanyimfo no behyiae sɛ wɔrebɛda ohoni a Ɔhene Nebukadnessar de asi hɔ adi no, wobegyinagyinaa ohoni no anim.
When they all arrived, they all stood in front of that statue.
4 Na wɔbɔɔ dawuru teɛɛ mu se, “Nnipa ahorow ne aman ahorow ne kasa ahorow nyinaa muntie nea ɔhene ahyɛ sɛ monyɛ!
Then an announcer shouted, “You people who come from many countries and many people-groups and [who speak many] languages, listen to what the king has commanded!
5 Sɛ mote abɛn, odurugya, sanku, sankuten, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontode ahorow nyinaa nnyigyei a, monkotow fam, na monsɔre ɔhene Nebukadnessar sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni no.
When you hear the sounds made by the trumpets, the flutes, the guitars, the harps, the wind instruments, and all the other musical instruments, bow down to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.
6 Obiara a wankotow fam ansɔre ohoni no dɔn no ara mu no, wɔde no bɛto fononoo a ogya redɛw wɔ mu framfram mu.”
Anyone who refuses to do that will be thrown into a blazing furnace!”
7 Enti bere a wɔtee abɛn, odurugya sanku, sankuten, sanku, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontode ahorow nyinaa nnyigyei no, nnipa no nyinaa ne aman ahorow ne wɔn a wɔka kasa ahorow nyinaa kotow fam, sɔree ohoni a Ɔhene Nebukadnessar de asi hɔ no.
So when all those people who had gathered heard the sounds made by the musical instruments, they all bowed down to worship the statue.
8 Nanso Kaldeafo no bi kɔɔ ɔhene no nkyɛn kɔtoatoa faa Yudafo no ho se,
But some of the men who studied the stars went to the king.
9 “Nana wo nkwa so!
They reported to him, “We hope that you, O king, will live a long time!
10 Wohyɛɛ mmara maa ɔmanfo se, obiara te abɛn, odurugya sanku, sanbuka sanku, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontode ahorow nyinaa nnyigyei a, ɔnkotow fam, na ɔnsɔre sika ohoni no,
You decreed that all the officials [whom you had gathered] should bow down and worship the gold statue when they heard the sounds made by the musical instruments.
11 na obiara a wantie ankɔtow ansɔre ohoni no, wɔde no bɛto fononoo a ogya redɛw framfram wɔ mu no mu.
You also decreed that those who refused to do that would be thrown into a blazing furnace.
12 Nanso Nana, Yudafo bi a wɔn din de Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego a wode wɔn atuatua Babiloniaman ano no abu wo animtiaa, na wɔansɔre wʼanyame anaa sikakɔkɔɔ honi a wode asi hɔ no.”
Sir, there are some men from Judah whom you have appointed to be officials in Babylon province who have not obeyed your decree. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They have refused to worship your god and the gold statue that you have set up.”
13 Ɛhɔ ara, Nebukadnessar bo fuw yiye, na ɔhyɛe se, wɔmfa Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego mmra nʼanim. Wɔde wɔn bae no,
Nebuchadnezzar became very angry. He commanded [his soldiers] to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were brought to him,
14 Nebukadnessar bisaa wɔn se, “Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, ɛyɛ nokware sɛ, moansɔre mʼanyame ne sikakɔkɔɔ honi a mede asi hɔ no?
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true that you three men have refused to worship my gods or the gold statue that I have set up?
15 Mɛma mo kwan bio. Sɛ mote abɛn, odurugya sanku, sanbuka sanku, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontode ahorow nyinaa nnyigyei no, na mokotow fam, na mosɔre ohoni a mayɛ no a, na me ne mo nni asɛm biara. Na sɛ mopo a, wɔbɛtow mo agu fononoo a ogya redɛw wɔ mu no mu prɛko pɛ. Sɛ ɛba saa a, nyame bɛn na obetumi agye mo afi me tumi ase?”
[If that is true, ] I will give you one more chance. If you bow down to worship the statue that I have set up when you hear the sounds of the musical instruments, fine. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. Then (what god will be able to rescue you from my power?/no god will be able to rescue you from my power!)” [RHQ]
16 Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego buae se, “Nana Nebukadnessar, yennye nni sɛ ho hia sɛ yeyi yɛn ho ano wɔ wʼanim.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend our [actions] to you in this matter.
17 Sɛ wɔtow yɛn gu fononoo a ogya redɛw wɔ mu no mu a, Onyankopɔn a yɛsom no no begye yɛn. Nana, obegye yɛn afi wo tumi ase.
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we worship is able to rescue us. Sir, he will rescue us from your power.
18 Na sɛ ɛba sɛ wannye yɛn mpo a, Nana nte ase sɛ, sɔre de, yɛrensɔre wʼanyame anaa sikakɔkɔɔ honi a wode asi hɔ no da biara da.”
But [even] if he does not [rescue us], you need to know that we will never worship your gods or the gold statue that you have set up.”
19 Nebukadnessar bo fuw Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego yiye, na wampɛ wɔn anim ahwɛ. Ɔhyɛɛ sɛ, wɔmma fononoo no gya no hyew no nnɔ mmɔho ason.
Nebuchadnezzar was extremely angry. [His being very angry even] showed on his face. He commanded that the furnace should be made seven times as hot as usual.
20 Afei ɔhyɛɛ nʼasraafo mu mmarima ahoɔdenfo pa ara no bi sɛ, wɔnkyekyere Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, na wɔntow wɔn ngu fononoo no mu gyatannaa no mu.
[After that was done, ] he commanded some of the [very] strong men of his army to tie Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and [then] to throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 Enti wɔkyekyeree saa nkurɔfo yi a wɔhyehyɛ wɔn ntwontwo, wɔn ntade, wɔn mmotiri ne wɔn ntama papee, tow wɔn guu fononoo gya a ɛredɛw no mu.
So [the soldiers] tied them up and threw them into the furnace, while they were wearing their clothes.
22 Na esiane ɔhene no abufuwtraso ne ɔhyɛ a ama fononoo no adɔ hyerehyere mmoroso no nti, asraafo a wɔde Sadrak, Mesak, ne Abednego regu fononoo no mu no wuwuu wɔ ogyatannaa no ano.
Because the fire had been made very hot because the king had very strongly ordered them to do that, the flames [leaped out and] killed the soldiers as they were throwing the men into the fire!
23 Na Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego a wɔakyekyere wɔn papee no hwehwee ogya fononoo a ɛredɛw no mu.
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the roaring flames.
24 Nebukadnessar gu so rehwɛ no, prɛko pɛ, ohuruw teɛɛ mu ahodwiriw so guu nʼafotufo no so se, “Ɛnyɛ mmarima baasa na yɛkyekyee wɔn tow wɔn guu fononoo no mu?” Wobuae se, “Yiw, Nana, yɛyɛɛ saa pɛpɛɛpɛ.”
But as Nebuchadnezzar was watching, he was amazed. He suddenly jumped up and shouted to his advisors, “Did we tie up three men and throw them into the flames, or not?” They replied, “Yes, O king, [we did].”
25 Nebukadnessar teɛɛ mu se. “Monhwɛ! Mihu nnipa baanan a biribiara nkyekyeree wɔn sɛ wɔnenam ogya no mu. Ogyatannaa no nhyew wɔn. Onipa a ɔto so anan no te sɛ anyame ba bi!”
Nebuchadnezzar shouted, “[Look]! I see four men in the fire! They have no ropes on them, they are walking around, and [the flames] are not hurting them! And the fourth man looks like a divine being!”
26 Na Nebukadnessar twiw bɛn fononoo a ogya redɛw wɔ mu no pon ano, sɛnea obetumi, teɛɛ mu se, “Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, ɔsorosoro Nyankopɔn asomfo, mumfi mmra! Mommra ha!” Ɛno nti, Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego fii ogya no mu bae.
Nebuchadnezzar came closer to the opening of the flaming furnace, and he shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you who worship the Supreme God, come out of there! Come here!” So they stepped out of the fire.
27 Afei, ahenemma, mpanyimfo, amradofo ne afotufo betwaa wɔn ho hyiae, na wohuu sɛ, ogya no anka wɔn. Wɔn tinwi mpo ho anka. Na wɔn ntade anhyew. Na wusiw mpo mmɔn wɔn ho.
Then all the king’s officials crowded around them. They saw that the flames had not harmed them. The flames had not [even] singed any of the hair on their heads or scorched any of their clothes! There was not [even] any smell of smoke on them!
28 Afei Nebukadnessar kae se, “Ayeyi nka Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego Nyankopɔn. Ɔsomaa ne bɔfo, ma wobegyee nʼasomfo a wogye no di no. Wobuu me, ɔhene mmara so, na wɔde wɔn honam mae, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wɔrensom na wɔrensɔre anyame biara, gye wɔn Nyankopɔn.
[Then] Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego [worship]! He sent one of his angels to rescue these [three] men who worship him and trust in him. They ignored my command; they insisted that they would worship only their God, and were willing to die instead of worshiping any other god.
29 Ne saa nti, merehyɛ saa mmara yi sɛ ɔman, nkurɔfo ne kasa ahorow nyinaa mu, obiara a ɔbɛka Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego Nyankopɔn ho abususɛm no, ampa ara wobetwitwa wɔn mu asinasin na wɔadwiriw wɔn afi ama adan wura. Nyame biara nni hɔ a obetumi agye nkwa sɛɛ yi.”
Therefore, I am [now] making this decree: ‘If any people, from any country or people-group or any language group, criticize the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego worship, they will be cut in pieces and their houses [will be torn down and] made into a pile of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue people like this!’”
30 Afei, Ɔhene Nebukadnessar maa Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego dibea a ɛkorɔn yiye wɔ Babiloniaman mu.
Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego more important positions in Babylon province than they had before.
