< Daniel 3 >

1 Ɔhene Nebukadnessar yɛɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni bi a na ne ɔsorokɔ yɛ anammɔn aduɔkron, na ne tɛtrɛtɛ nso yɛ anammɔn nkron. Wɔde sii Dura tata so wɔ Babiloniaman mu.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a gold statue made that was sixty cubits tall and six cubits wide. He had it set up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 Afei, ɔtoo nkra kɔmaa ahenemma, mpanimfoɔ, amradofoɔ, afotufoɔ, nsanaafoɔ, atemmufoɔ, asɛnnifoɔ ne ɔman no mu mpanimfoɔ sɛ, wɔmmra ohoni a wɔreda no adi no ase.
Then he summoned the provincial governors, prefects, local governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.
3 Ɛberɛ a ahenemma, mpanimfoɔ, amradofoɔ, afotufoɔ, nsanaafoɔ, atemmufoɔ, asɛnnifoɔ ne ɔman no mu mpanimfoɔ no bɛhyiaeɛ sɛ wɔrebɛda ohoni a Ɔhene Nebukadnessar de asi hɔ adi no, wɔbɛgyinagyinaa ohoni no anim.
They all came to the dedication of the statue Nebuchadnezzar had set up and stood in front of it.
4 Na wɔbɔɔ dawuro teaam sɛ, “Nnipa ahodoɔ ne aman ahodoɔ ne kasa ahodoɔ nyinaa montie deɛ ɔhene ahyɛ sɛ monyɛ!
Then a herald announced in a loud voice, “People of all nations and languages, pay attention to the king's command!
5 Sɛ mote abɛn, odurugya, sankuo, sankuten, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontodeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa nnyegyeeɛ a, monkoto fam, na monsɔre ɔhene Nebukadnessar sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni no.
As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of musical instruments, you must fall to the ground and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 Obiara a wankoto fam ansɔre ohoni no dɔn no ara mu no, wɔde no bɛto fononoo a ogya redɛre wɔ mu framfram mu.”
Anyone who doesn't immediately fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.”
7 Enti, ɛberɛ a wɔtee abɛn, odurugya sankuo, sankuba sankuo, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontodeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa nnyegyeeɛ no, nnipa no nyinaa ne aman ahodoɔ ne wɔn a wɔka kasa ahodoɔ nyinaa kotoo fam, sɔree ohoni a Ɔhene Nebukadnessar de asi hɔ no.
So when all the people heard the sound of the musical instruments they all fell down—the people of all nations and languages worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Nanso, Kaldeafoɔ no bi kɔɔ ɔhene no nkyɛn kɔtoatoa Yudafoɔ no sɛ,
Right then some of the astrologers came forward and made accusations against the Jews.
9 “Nana wo nkwa so!
They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May Your Majesty the king live forever!
10 Wohyɛɛ mmara maa ɔmanfoɔ sɛ, obiara te abɛn, odurugya sankuo, sankuba sankuo, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontodeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa nnyegyeeɛ a, ɔnkoto fam, na ɔnsɔre sika ohoni no,
Your Majesty has decreed that everyone who hears the sound of the musical instruments shall fall down and worship the gold statue,
11 na obiara a wantie ankɔto ansɔre ohoni no, wɔde no bɛto fononoo a ogya redɛre framfram wɔ mu no mu.
and that anyone who does not shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.
12 Nanso, Nana, Yudafoɔ bi a wɔn din de Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego a wode wɔn atuatua Babiloniaman ano no abu wo animtia, na wansɔre wʼanyame anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni a wode asi hɔ no.”
But there are some Jews that you placed in charge of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who pay no attention to Your Majesty's decree. They do not serve your gods and will not worship the gold statue you set up.”
13 Ɛhɔ ara, Nebukadnessar bo fuu yie, na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ, wɔmfa Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego mmra nʼanim. Wɔde wɔn baeɛ no,
This made Nebuchadnezzar absolutely furious. “Bring me Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego!” he demanded. So they were brought before the king.
14 Nebukadnessar bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, ɛyɛ nokorɛ sɛ, moansɔre mʼanyame ne sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni a mede asi hɔ no?
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, are you deliberately refusing to serve my gods and worship the gold statue I set up?” asked the king.
15 Mɛma mo ɛkwan bio. Sɛ mote abɛn, odurugya sankuo, sankuba sankuo, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontodeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa nnyegyeeɛ no, na mokoto fam, na mosɔre ohoni a mayɛ no a, na me ne mo nni asɛm biara. Na sɛ mopo a, wɔbɛto mo agu fononoo a ogya redɛre wɔ mu no mu prɛko pɛ. Sɛ ɛba saa a, nyame bɛn na ɔbɛtumi agye mo afiri me tumi ase?”
“Are you ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments? If you don't, you will be immediately thrown into the furnace of blazing fire, and there's no god who can save you from my power!”
16 Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego buaa sɛ, “Ao, Nana Nebukadnessar, yɛnnye nni sɛ ɛho hia sɛ yɛyi yɛn ho ano wɔ wʼanim.
“King Nebuchadnezzar, we don't need to defend ourselves before you over this,” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied.
17 Sɛ wɔto yɛn gu fononoo a ogya redɛre wɔ mu no mu a, Onyankopɔn a yɛsom no no bɛgye yɛn. Nana, ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri wo tumi ase.
“If our God whom we serve so wishes, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. He will save us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 Na sɛ ɛba sɛ wannye yɛn mpo a, Nana nte aseɛ sɛ, sɔre deɛ, yɛrensɔre wʼanyame anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni a wode asi hɔ no da biara da.”
But even if he does not, Your Majesty needs to know that we would never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
19 Nebukadnessar bo fuu Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego yie, na wampɛ wɔn anim ahwɛ. Ɔhyɛɛ sɛ, wɔmma fononoo no ogya no hyeɛ no nnɔ mmɔho nson.
This made Nebuchadnezzar so angry with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face twisted in rage. “Make the furnace seven times hotter than normal!” he ordered.
20 Afei, ɔhyɛɛ nʼakodɔm mu mmarima ahoɔdenfoɔ pa ara no bi sɛ, wɔnkyekyere Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, na wɔnto wɔn ngu fononoo no mu ogyadɛreɛ no mu.
Then he commanded some of his strongest soldiers, “Tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire!”
21 Enti, wɔkyekyeree saa nkurɔfoɔ yi a wɔhyehyɛ wɔn ntwontwo, wɔn ntadeɛ, wɔn mmotire ne wɔn ntoma papee, too wɔn guu fononoo ogya a ɛrederɛ no mu.
So they were tied up, fully dressed in their coats, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire.
22 Na ɛsiane ɔhene no abufutrasoɔ ne ɔhyɛ a ama fononoo no adɔ hyeehyeehye aborosoɔ no enti, asraafoɔ a wɔde Sadrak, Mesak, ne Abednego regu fononoo no mu no wuwuu ogyaframa no ano.
Because the king's command was so harsh in making the furnace so extremely hot, the flames killed the soldiers who threw them in.
23 Na Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego a wɔakyekyere wɔn pampee no hwehwee ogya fononoo a ɛrederɛ no mu.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, still tied up, fell into the furnace of blazing fire.
24 Nebukadnessar gu so rehwɛ no, prɛko pɛ, ɔhuri teaam ahodwirie so guu nʼafotufoɔ no so sɛ, “Ɛnnyɛ mmarima baasa na yɛkyekyeree wɔn too wɔn guu fononoo no mu?” Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Aane, Nana, yɛyɛɛ saa pɛpɛɛpɛ.”
Then King Nebuchadnezzar suddenly jumped up in amazement. “Didn't we throw three men tied up into the furnace?” he asked his advisors. “Yes, that's right, Your Majesty,” they replied.
25 Nebukadnessar teaam sɛ. “Monhwɛ! Mehunu nnipa baanan a biribiara nkyekyeree wɔn sɛ wɔnenam ogya no mu. Egya dɛreɛ no nhyee wɔn. Onipa a ɔtɔ so ɛnan no te sɛ anyame ba bi!”
“Look!” he cried out. “How is it that I can see four men, not tied up, walking around in the fire and not being burned? And the fourth one looks like a god!”
26 Na Nebukadnessar twe bɛnee fononoo a ogya redɛre wɔ mu no ɛpono ano, sɛdeɛ ɔbɛtumi, teaam sɛ, “Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn asomfoɔ, momfiri mmra! Mommra ha!” Ɛno enti, Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego firii ogya no mu baeɛ.
Nebuchadnezzar went towards the door of the furnace of blazing fire. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” he shouted. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
27 Afei, ahenemma, mpanimfoɔ, amradofoɔ ne afotufoɔ bɛtwaa wɔn ho hyiaeɛ, na wɔhunuu sɛ, ogya no anka wɔn. Wɔn tirinwi mpo ho anka. Na wɔn ntadeɛ anhye. Na wisie mpo mmɔn wɔn ho.
The provincial governors, prefects, local governors, and the king's advisors gathered around them and saw that the fire had not harmed them. Their hair wasn't singed, their clothes weren't scorched—there wasn't even the smell of smoke!
28 Afei, Nebukadnessar kaa sɛ, “Ayɛyie nka Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego Onyankopɔn. Ɔsomaa ne ɔbɔfoɔ, ma wɔbɛgyee nʼasomfoɔ a wɔgye no die. Wɔbuu me ɔhene mmara so, na wɔde wɔn honam maeɛ, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wɔrensom na wɔrensɔre anyame biara gye wɔn Onyankopɔn.
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and he rescued his servants who trusted in him! They disobeyed my royal command, putting their lives on the line, and refused to worship any other gods except their God.
29 Ne saa enti, merehyɛ saa mmara yi sɛ ɔman, nkurɔfoɔ ne kasa ahodoɔ nyinaa mu, obiara a ɔbɛka Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego Onyankopɔn ho abususɛm no, ampa ara wɔbɛtwitwa wɔn mu asinasini na wɔadwiri wɔn afie ama adane wira. Onyame biara nni hɔ a ɔbɛtumi agye nkwa sɛɛ yi.”
Consequently I am issuing a decree that if anyone of any nation or language speaks disrespectfully about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego they will be torn to pieces and their houses will be destroyed. There is no other God who is able to save like this!”
30 Afei, Ɔhene Nebukadnessar maa Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego dibea a ɛkorɔn yie wɔ Babiloniaman mu.
Then Nebuchadnezzar promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, giving them even greater responsibilities in the province of Babylon.

< Daniel 3 >