< Daniel 1 >

1 Yudahene Yehoiakim dii adeɛ ne mfeɛ mmiɛnsa mu no, Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar baa Yerusalem de nʼakodɔm bɛtuaa ɔman no.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 Awurade maa no dii Yudahene Yehoiakim so nkonim. Ɛberɛ a Nebukadnessar resane akɔ Babilonia no, ɔtasee akronkronneɛ bi firii Onyankopɔn asɔredan mu, de kɔɔ nʼabosomdan mu kɔguu adekorabea hɔ wɔ Babilonia asase so.
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3 Afei, ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ nʼapiafoɔhene Aspenas sɛ, ɔmfa mmeranteɛ no bi a wɔfiri Yuda adehyeɛ abusua mu, ne wɔn a wɔfiri mmusua atitire mu a wɔde wɔn aba Babilonia sɛ nneduafoɔ no mmra ahemfie hɔ,
And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring [certain] of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;
4 mmeranteɛ ahoɔdenfoɔ a wɔn ho nni dɛm, na wɔn ho yɛ fɛ. Hwɛ sɛ wɔwɔ nhunumu, na wɔadom wɔn osuahunu mu akyɛdeɛ a wɔnim nyansa, na wɔwɔ nnyinasoɔ bi a ɛbɛma wɔatumi asom wɔ ahemfie hɔ. Kyerɛ mmeranteɛ no Kaldeafoɔ kasa ne ne nwoma.
Children in whom [was] no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as [had] ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 Ɔhene no hyɛɛ sɛ, daa wɔmfa aduane ne nsã a ɛfiri ne didipono so mmrɛ wɔn. Na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtete wɔn mfeɛ mmiɛnsa, na wɔn mu bi abɛyɛ nʼasomfoɔ.
And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Mmeranteɛ baanan bi a wɔyii wɔn no ne Daniel, Hanania, Misael ne Asaria a wɔn nyinaa firi Yuda abusuakuo mu.
Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 Apiafoɔhene no de din foforɔ totoo wɔn. Ɔtoo Daniel Beltesasar; ɔtoo Hanania Sadrak; ɔtoo Misael Mesak ɛnna ɔtoo Asaria Abednego.
Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel [the name] of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
8 Na Daniel yɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔrenni aduane, nnom nsã a ɔhene no de bɛbrɛ wɔn no, ɔsrɛɛ apiafoɔhene no sɛ ɔmma no ɛkwan na wangu ne ho fi.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 Na Onyankopɔn maa Daniel nyaa apiafoɔhene no anim adɔeɛ ne mmɔborɔhunu.
Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 Apiafoɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Daniel sɛ, “Me wura ɔhene no ahyɛ sɛ monni saa aduane yi, na monnom nsã no. Sɛ mofonfɔn na yɛde mo toto mmabunu a wɔyɛ mo tipɛnfoɔ no ho a, ɔhene no bɛma wɔatwa me ti sɛ, matoto mʼadwuma ase.”
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which [are] of your sort? then shall ye make [me] endanger my head to the king.
11 Daniel ka kyerɛɛ ɔsomfoɔ a apiafoɔhene no de no asi ɔno ne Hanania, Misael ne Asaria so no sɛ,
Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 “Ma yɛn nhahamma ne nsuo dadu, na fa sɔ yɛn hwɛ.
Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Afei fa yɛn toto mmeranteɛ afoforɔ no a wɔredi ɔhene nnuane pa no ho, na hwɛ sɛdeɛ yɛte. Ɛno akyi yɛ wo nkoa sɛdeɛ wohunu.”
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 Enti, ɔsomfoɔ no penee asɛm a Daniel de too nʼanim no so, sɔɔ wɔn hwɛɛ dadu.
So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 Dadu no akyi, wɔhunuu sɛ wɔn anim ayɛ fɛ na wɔwɔ honam sene mmeranteɛ a wɔdii ahennuane no nyinaa.
And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
16 Enti, ɔsomfoɔ no sii gyinaeɛ sɛ ɔbɛtoa so ama wɔn nhahamma nko ara, na wamfa ahennuane amma wɔn.
Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
17 Na mmerantewaa baanan yi Onyankopɔn maa wɔn nwomanim ne nyansahu nyinaa mu nimdeɛ, na Daniel nyaa anisoadehunu ne daeɛ nkyerɛaseɛ ho nimdeɛ.
As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 Ɛberɛ a ɔhene no ahyɛ no duruiɛ no, ɔpanin no de mmeranteɛ yi nyinaa brɛɛ Nebukadnessar.
Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 Ɔhene no ne wɔn nyinaa kasaeɛ, na wɔn mu biara ansɔ nʼani gye sɛ, Daniel, Hanania, Misael ne Asaria. Enti, wɔde wɔn kaa ɔhene no apiafoɔ ho.
And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 Asɛm biara a ɛhia nyansa ne nteaseɛ a ɔhene no bisa wɔn no ɔhunu sɛ, wɔ sene nkonyaayifoɔ ne pɛadeɛhunufoɔ a wɔwɔ nʼahemman mu nyinaa no mpɛn edu.
And in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm.
21 Daniel tenaa hɔ ara, kɔsii ɔhene Kores adedie afe a ɛdi ɛkan mu.
And Daniel continued [even] unto the first year of king Cyrus.

< Daniel 1 >