DANIEL DESCRIBES HIS VISIONS (7.1—12.13)
Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts
1 In the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylonia, I had a dream and saw a vision in the night. I wrote the dream down, and this is the record 2 of what I saw that night:
Winds were blowing from all directions and lashing the surface of the ocean. 3 Four huge beasts came up out of the ocean, each one different from the others. 4 The first one looked like a lion, but had wings like an eagle. While I was watching, the wings were torn off. The beast was lifted up and made to stand up straight. And then a human mind was given to it.
5 The second beast looked like a bear standing on its hind legs. It was holding three ribs between its teeth, and a voice said to it, “Go on, eat as much meat as you can!”
6 While I was watching, another beast appeared. It looked like a leopard, but on its back there were four wings, like the wings of a bird, and it had four heads. It had a look of authority about it.
7 As I was watching, a fourth beast appeared. It was powerful, horrible, terrifying. With its huge iron teeth it crushed its victims, and then it trampled on them. Unlike the other beasts, it had ten horns. 8 While I was staring at the horns, I saw a little horn coming up among the others. It tore out three of the horns that were already there. This horn had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting proudly.
The Vision of the One Who Has Been Living Forever
9 While I was looking, thrones were put in place. One who had been living forever sat down on one of the thrones. His clothes were white as snow, and his hair was like pure wool. His throne, mounted on fiery wheels, was blazing with fire, 10 and a stream of fire was pouring out from it. There were many thousands of people there to serve him, and millions of people stood before him. The court began its session, and the books were opened.
11 While I was looking, I could still hear the little horn bragging and boasting. As I watched, the fourth beast was killed, and its body was thrown into the flames and destroyed. 12 The other beasts had their power taken away, but they were permitted to go on living for a limited time.
13 During this vision in the night, I saw what looked like a human being. He was approaching me, surrounded by clouds, and he went to the one who had been living forever and was presented to him. 14 He was given authority, honor, and royal power, so that the people of all nations, races, and languages would serve him. His authority would last forever, and his kingdom would never end.
The Visions Are Explained
15 The visions I saw alarmed me, and I was deeply disturbed. 16 I went up to one of those standing there and asked him to explain it all. So he told me the meaning. 17 He said, “These four huge beasts are four empires which will arise on earth. 18 And the people of the Supreme God will receive royal power and keep it forever and ever.”
19 Then I wanted to know more about the fourth beast, which was not like any of the others—the terrifying beast which crushed its victims with its bronze claws and iron teeth and then trampled on them. 20 And I wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the horn that had come up afterward and had made three of the horns fall. It had eyes and a mouth and was boasting proudly. It was more terrifying than any of the others.
21 While I was looking, that horn made war on God's people and conquered them. 22 Then the one who had been living forever came and pronounced judgment in favor of the people of the Supreme God. The time had arrived for God's people to receive royal power.
23 This is the explanation I was given: “The fourth beast is a fourth empire that will be on the earth and will be different from all other empires. It will crush the whole earth and trample it down. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will appear; he will be very different from the earlier ones and will overthrow three kings. 25 He will speak against the Supreme God and oppress God's people. He will try to change their religious laws and festivals, and God's people will be under his power for three and a half years. 26 Then the heavenly court will sit in judgment, take away his power, and destroy him completely. 27 The power and greatness of all the kingdoms on earth will be given to the people of the Supreme God. Their royal power will never end, and all rulers on earth will serve and obey them.”
28 This is the end of the account. I was so frightened that I turned pale, and I kept everything to myself.
MBONO DZA DANIYELE
Mbono ya Daniyele ye zwibandana zwinna
1 Kwakati mu gole le kutanga la Bhelishazari ali mambo we Bhabhiloni, Daniyele wakabe akaizela mu bulawo gugwe kuli busiku ngono kawolota kakale kabona mbono. Ipapo Daniyele kakwala pasi mawoloto awe.
2 Daniyele wakakwala eti, “Mu mbono yangu busiku ndakabona phepo nna dze kudzimu dzidzonga gungwa gulu. 3 Ndakabona zwibandana zwikulukulu zwinna zwibhuda mu gungwa, bunna gwazo zwakabe zwisingafanane. 4 Tjibandana tje kutanga tjakabe tjifanana ne shumba koga tjina mapapilo anonga e dzu. Ndakati ipapo ndakalinga mapapilo atjo kasimugwa. Tjibandana itjetjo tjakanyanyuligwa pezhugwi kudzina tjima nge makumbo mabili se nthu ngono tjikalongwa moyo we nthu.
5 “Tjibandana tje bubili tjakabe tjilingika se phuka ye mawunde wunde inoyi bhiraBhira lubadu gumwe gwatjo gwakamilidzigwa pezhugwi tjakabe tjakaluma mbadu dzili thatu mu nlomo watjo dzili pakati kwe meno atjo, ngono tjikadwiwa kuyi, ‘Milika, ija nyama sekwa ungatubula!’
6 “Kudwa ipapo ndakati ndilinga abona tjibandana tjimwe, itjo tjakabe tjilingika se ngwe. Mu ikamba tjatjo tjakabe tjina mapapilo manna anonga e nyuni. Tjibandana itjetji tjakabe tjina misholo ili minna ngono tjikapiwa simba kubusa.
7 “Shule kwaikoku ndakabona mu mbono busiku, ndakabona tjibandana tje bunna tjili mbeli kwangu, tjakabe tjitjisa kwazo kakale tjina masimba. Tjakabe tjina meno e butale, tjipkhwapkhwata, tjitshamba tjizwiya kose kwakabe kwasala nge makumbo atjo. Tjakabe tjisiyana kwazo ne zwibandana zwimwe zwitatu, itjo tjakabe tjina nyanga dzili gumi. 8 Ndakati nditjakumbula ngekwe nyanga idzedzo, ndikabona lunyanga gutukununu gumela pakati kwe nyanga idzedzo. Ngono nyanga thatu dzikasimugwa kuwanila lunyangana magalo. Lunyangana igogu gwakabe guna mesho anonga e nthu ne nlomo wakabe uleba mazwikudzo.”
Mbono ngekwe Wantolo
9 “Ndakati nditjakalingisisa abona kubigwa zwigalo zwe bushe ngono iye Wantolo kagala mu tjigalo tjitje tje bushe. Zwiambalo zwizwe zwakabe zwakatjena zwinga kapuku, mavudzi awe ali mabuya enga wulu. Tjigalo tjitje tje bushe tjakabe tjili bhuba le moto makumbgwana atjo ali mithuto ye moto, 10 gwizi gwe moto guwunga gudwa mutjili. Zwiwulu ne zwiwulu zwe bathu zwakabe zwin'shingila. Lubazhe gukatangisa nshingo wago, hwalo dzikazhugwa.
11 “Ndakadwilila alingisisa ngoti ndakabe ndihwa lunyangana gwakabhata guleba matama e mazwikudzo. Ndakalingisisa kudza ndibona tjibandana tje bunna tjibulawa, mbili watjo ukalashigwa mu bhuba le moto tjikalobesiwa. 12 Zwibandana zwimwe izo zwakatolegwa masimba azo ngono zwikaletjedziwa zwikatjila kwe tjibakana.
13 “Mu mbono dzangu busiku ndakabona kuzha mmwe unolingika se nkololo we nthu ali pakati kwe makole e zhuzhugwi ngono kayenda kuna Wantolo ngono kama mbeli kukwe, 14 ngono kapiwa bushe ne tjedza ne masimba ngono bathu bose ne zwitjaba zose ne njudzi dzose bakan'namata. Bushe gugwe nde gugelile tjatjose nge kusingapele tjose kakale bushe gugwe agutowofa gwakolomogwa.”
Mbono dzotjenesiwa
15 Ngono ndakadziyidzika kwazo mu nkumbulo ngekwe mbono idzedzi ngoti dzakabe dzinditotomosa ngono imi Daniyele, 16 ndakasedzela pa mmwe we bakabe bali mile thambgwana ngono ambuzwisisa tjingabe tjidwiwa nge mbono idzedzi. Ndizo wakandipa tjeneso nge buzhalo. 17 Wakandidwa kati, “Zwibandana zwinna, mibuso minna inowomuka mu shango. 18 Koga bayengemali be Upezhugwi zhugwi banowotola bushe ngono gowobe gwabo tjatjose nge malebeswa gowobe gwabo nge kusingapele kose.”
19 Ngono ndakada ziba tjeneso ye tjibandana tje bunna, tjakabe tjisiyana ne zwimwe zwibandana kakale tjitotomosa kwazo tjina meno e butale ne matshimba dze phangula, tjibandana tjakapkhwapkhwata tjipkhwapkhwata, tjitshamba tjizwiya kose kwakabe kwasala. 20 Kakale ndakada ziba ngekwe nyanga dzili gumi dzakabe dzili mu nsholo watjo ne ngekwe lunyangana gwakamela pakati kwe mamwe guthama kuti mamwe matatu akolomoke, lunyangana gwakabe gulingika gukulila mamwe guna mesho anonga e nthu ne nlomo wakabe uleba matama e mazwikudzo.
21 Ndakati ndakalingisisa lunyangana igogu gukagwa ne bayengemali ngono gukabakulila, 22 kudzina Wantolo ezha esumikilisa bayengemali be Upezhugwi zhugwi nekuti tjibaka tjatjiswika tjekuti bayengemali batole bushe.
23 Ngono wakandipa tjeneso inoti, “Tjibandana tje bunna mbuso we bunna unowomuka mu shango. Unowobe usiyana ne mimwe yose ngono unowolobesa shango yose ukaizwiyila pasi. 24 Nyanga dzili gumi dzimilile bomambo bali gumi banowobepo mu bushe igogu. Kudwa ipapo kowomuka mambo usingafanane na ibabo be kutanga, unowokunda bomambo ibabo batatu. 25 Unowoleba kusakanaka ngekwe Upezhugwi zhugwi ngono katshambilidza bayengemali kakale kagwisa kushandula zwibaka zwakabigwa ne milayo. Bayengemali banowobe pasi kukwe kwe tjibaka tje makole matatu ana gaswa. 26 Ngono koga lubazhe gowogala, simba la mambo iwoyu unowolitolegwa tjatjose. 27 Ipapo simba le bushe gose mu shango lowopiwa bayengemali bathu be Upezhugwi zhugwi. Bushe gugwe gowobe bushe gunogalila tjatjose ne babusi bose banowon'thigamila bakanteta.”
28 Eli ndilo bhelelo le ndebeleko iyeyi. Imi Daniyele ndakadziyidzika kwazo kwakadzina kukathama kuti ndisale ndakafubala ngono azwibigila kose ikoku.