Mawoloto a Nebukadineza
1 Kwakati mu gole le bubili le mbuso wa Nebukadineza, Nebukadineza kawolota ngono mawoloto iyawo kan'dziyidza kwazo mu meya kwakanfubisa hwope. 2 Ndizo mambo kadana be malipa ne ng'anga ne mashabi ne batjenjedu be nyenyedzi kuti bazhe bantjenesele mawoloto awe. Bakati bezha bali mile mbeli kwa mambo, 3 mambo kabadwa kati, “Ndakawolota mawoloto anondidziyidza ndizo ndoshakaziba kuti angabe edwani.”
4 Ngono Bakhaladiya bakashandula mambo nge lulimi gwe Tjiaramaiki beti, “Atshene mambo bangatjilila tjatjose! Mutibudze kuti makawolotani ngono towomutjenesela mawoloto iyawo.”
5 Mambo wakabashandula eti, “Ndapedza nkumbulo kuti ha mungakong'wa ne kundibudza tjandakawolota nekuti mawoloto iyawo anodwani ndowolaula kuti muthubuligwe mube zwitibhutibhu ne ng'umba dzenyu dzi pkhwanyiwe dzibe matuluthulu e magwada. 6 Koga amungatubula kundibudza mawoloto angu nekuti anodwani ndowomupa zwipo ndikamukudza kwazo. Ndizo mundibudze mawoloto ne kuti anodwani.”
7 Ngono bakashandula gwe bubili beti, “Mambo ngabatibudze mawoloto abo towobatjenesela iwo.”
8 Mambo kashandula eti, “Ndoziba kwe lebeswa kuti mopitsha tjibaka koga ngoti matjibona kuti ndapedza nkumbulo wangu nditini. 9 Ha musingake mukanditjenesela mawoloto makalingisana ngo lobgwa shamu ing'ompela koga. Mazwibumba kuti mowondibudza zwithu zwakabhuda mu zila ne zwakabipa mukumbula kuti zwithu zowoshanduka. Ndizoke mundibudze mawoloto angu ndizo ndowogutshika kuti munganditjenesela iwo.”
10 Botoziba bakashandula mambo beti, “Akuna nthu mu shango ungamuthamila sekwa munoshaka! Aapo, ndodwa kene akabe ali mambo nkulu kakale akasima, wakatongo kumbila kwakajali muna be malipa kene balebesambeli kene ng'anga kene zwangoma, akuna. 11 Tjinokumbigwa ndi mambo tjakasima, akuna nthu ungatjizwimbunulila mambo kuzhe kwe midzimu koga ngono kana abatogala ne bathu.”
12 Ngekwa ikoku mambo kagwadza moyo kwazo ngono kalaula kuti botoziba bose mu Bhabhiloni babulawe. 13 Ndizo ndaulo ikabhuda yekuti, botoziba babulawe, kukadusiwa balume kuti banoshaka Daniyele ne bakwinya babe kuti babulawe.
Ndzimu unolakidza Daniyele tjeneso ye mbono
14 Ngono kukati Ariyoki ntungamili we balindi ba mambo ayenda kunobulaya batjenjedu be Bhabhiloni, Daniyele kalebeleka naye nge butjenjedu bukulu, 15 kabhuzwa Ariyoki kati, “Ini mambo badusa ndaulo hwukutu sa ikoku kene?” Ipapo Ariyoki katjenesela Daniyele tjakashingikala.
16 Tjinyolotjo Daniyele kayenda kuna mambo kukumbila tjibaka tjekuti atjenesele mambo kuti mawoloto awe anodwani. 17 Ipapo Daniyele kabgwilila ku nzi ngono kazibisa bakwinya babe Hananiya na Mishaele na Azariya kubabudza tjashingikala. 18 Ngono wakabakumbila kuti bakumbile mahwilo ngoni ku Ndzimu ukudzimu kuti ndizo ubatjenesele kuti mawoloto a mambo anodwani kuti ndizo basidwe bebulayigwanyiwabo ne batjenjedu be Bhabhiloni. 19 Ngono kwakati busiku mawoloto a mambo kazumbunuligwa Daniyele mu mbono. Ipapo Daniyele kakudza Ndzimu we kudzimu 20 eti,
“Kudzani zina le Ndzimu nge kusingapele,
ngobe butjenjedu ne simba nde zwabo!
21 Ndiwo unoshandula zwibaka ne misi,
unobiga bomambo mu bushe ukadusa bomambo mu bushe,
ndiwo unopa butjenjedu kuna bakatjenjela.
22 Ndiwo unozumbunula zwakasumbikala,
unoziba zwakasumbikala mu zhalima
ndiwo wakabhata tjedza.
23 Ndomuboka kakale ndomukudza, Ndzimu wa bobatategulu bangu,
mandipa butjenjedu ne simba
madabila mitembezelo yangu
matilakidza mawoloto a mambo.”
Daniyele unobudza mambo mawoloto ne tjeneso yawo
24 Kudwapo Daniyele kayenda kuna Ariyoki, iye wakabe abigwa ndi mambo kuti abulaye botoziba be Bhabhiloni ngono kaswika endwa eti, “Usibulaye botoziba be Bhabhiloni. Undiyise kuna mambo ngono ndowonontjenesela mawoloto awe.”
25 Tjinyolotjo Ariyoki katola Daniyele kan'yisa kuna mambo kaswika eti, “Ndawana nthu mu bathu be Juda bakatapiwa ungatjenesela mambo kuti mawoloto enyu anodwani.”
26 Mambo kabhuzwa Daniyele iye wakabe edang'wa Bheliteshazari eti, “Undibudze, unotubula kundibudza mawoloto angu ne kunditjenesela kuti anodwani kene?”
27 Daniyele kashandula eti, “Akuna we be malipa kene ng'anga kene sangoma ungatjenesa mawoloto iyawa amunobhuzwa nge kwawo, 28 koga kuna Ndzimu ukudzimu unotubula zumbunula makaabadzo. Ndiwo walakidza Mambo Nebukadineza kuti kowoshingikalani mu mazhuba anozha. Mawoloto ne mbono dzamakabona mulilele mu bulalo gwenyu ndi edzi:
29 “Imwi Tetshi, mambo wangu, makati mulilele mu bulalo gwenyu makabona ngekwe zwithu zwinowoshingikala ngono iye unozumbunula masazibgwe kamulakidza zwitjowoshingikala. 30 Ngono ngwenu masazibgwe iyawa ndakaazumbunuligwa kusingadwe kuti ndopinda bamwe nge butjenjedu koga kuli kuti imwi mambo wangu muzibe kakale muhwisise mawoloto na zose zwamakakumbula nge kwawo.
31 “Mambo wangu mu mawoloto enyu makabona kuli mile tjifano tjikulukulu tjinopenya kwazo kunokopodza. 32 Nsholo watjo wakabe wakathamiwa nge golide mbuyanana, ifuba ne maboko zwakathamiwa nge siliva, ntumbu ne zwidzwa izo zwakathamwa nge phangula, 33 makumbo atjo akathamiwa nge tshipi, ntome kwe matshambo atjo kwakathamiwa nge tshipi ntome kumwe nge ntapkhwi. 34 Makati mutjakalingisisa ifano itjetji mukabona bgwe likobogwa kusi nge maboko liwila mu matshambo akathamiwa nge tshipi ne ntapkhwi ngono akapkhwanyika. 35 Ipapo tshipi ne ntapkhwi ne phangula ne siliva ne golide zwikakatshiwa zose zwikasala zwinga bunye mu lutombo, zwikatogwa nge phepo zwikasala kusina ndodwa nge nkwala wazo. Koga bgwe lapkhwanya ifano ilo likabe dombo gulugulu likazhala shango yose.
36 “Ndiwo mawoloto amakawolota, ngono ngwenu totjimupa imwi tetshi wedu tjeneso yawo. 37 Imwi mambo mu mambo wa bomambo. Ndzimu we kudzimu wakamupa bushe ne simba ne gudzo, 38 wakamupa mu maboko enyu bathu bose ne zwitjili zose, mu shango phuka ne nyuni kuti zwibe pasi kwenyu kube imwi munozwilaula. Pamwe ne pamwe kwazwinogala, wakamuthama kuti kube imwi munozwilaula. Ndimwi nsholo we golide. 39 Shule kwenyu kowobe ne mmwe mbuso unowozha, unowobe uli ntukununu muna wenyu, kudwapo kukatobela we butatu uli we phangula ndiwo unobusa shango yose. 40 Kudwapo kowobe ne mbuso we bunna wakasima se tshipi, koga se tshipi ipkhwanya kakale ikakwiya kose, mbuso iwoyo unowopkhwanya ukalobesa mimwe. 41 Sekwa mabona matshambo ne zwinyala ntome kwakathamiwa nge tshipi ntome kumwe nge ntapkhwi kodwa kuti unowobe mbuso wakathubukana ngono wakasima se tshipi ngoti kwakabe kuna tshipi yakashanganyiwa nge ntapkhwi. 42 Zwinyala zwakathamiwa nge tshipi ntome kumwe, kumwe nge ntapkhwi kodwa kuti mbuso unowobe wakasima ngono ntome kumwe ukabe nlelu. 43 Kakale makabona tshipi yakashangashangana ne ntapkhwi. Ikoku kodwa kuti bathu banowoshangashangana ngono kowobe ne kusabhatana pakati kwabo, banowogwisa kubumba bathu kuti babe tjithu tjing'ompela nge kulobolana ngono akutowotubuka koga se tshipi isingake ikashangana ne ntapkhwi. 44 Ngono kowoti mu tjibaka itjetjo tja bomambo ibabo Ndzimu we kudzimu unobamba mbuso usitongoti ulipo ukakolomogwa kene kuli kutogwa nge bamwe bathu. Unowokunda mibuso iyeyo yose ukailobesa, koga iwo unowogalila tjatjose. 45 Makabona bgwe likobogwa mu dombo kusi nge luboko gwe nthu ne kuti lakapkhwanya ifano tjakathamiwa nge tshipi nenge phangula nenge vu nenge siliva nenge golide tjini. Ndzimu nkulu unomulakidza mambo, kuti kowoshingikalani mu tjibaka tjinozha. Mawoloto enyu malebeswa ne tjeneso yawo inogalikabgwe.”
Mambo unoboka Daniyele
46 Ipapo Mambo Nebukadineza kawa pasi nge tjiso e namata Daniyele. Wakadusa ndaulo kuti kudusiwe tjipo ne motsha kuteta Daniyele. 47 Mambo kabe eti, “Nge malebeswa Ndzimu uwo Ndzimu we midzimu kakale ndi mambo wa bomambo, nzumbunuli we masazibgwe ngoti watubula kunditjenesela masazibgwe iyawa.” 48 Kudwapo mambo kateta Daniyele kukulu kwazo kakale kampa zwipo zwikulu zwili zwinjinji kambiga nlauli mu ntuthu wose we Bhabhiloni kakale kambiga ntungamili we balume babe bose bakatjenjela. 49 Ngo kumbila kwa Daniyele mambo kabiga Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko kuti babe ibo bakalingisana nge kuyendisa matjilo e bathu mu ntuthu we Bhabhiloni koga Daniyele iye kasala eshinga mu ng'umba ye bushe ya mambo.
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
1 During the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had such horrible nightmares that he could not sleep. 2 So he called in his counselors, advisors, magicians, and wise men, 3 and said, “I am disturbed by a dream that I don't understand, and I want you to explain it.”
4 They answered in Aramaic, “Your Majesty, we hope you live forever! We are your servants. Please tell us your dream, and we will explain what it means.”
5 But the king replied, “No! I have made up my mind. If you don't tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be chopped to pieces and your houses will be torn down. 6 However, if you do tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be greatly rewarded and highly honored. Now tell me the dream and explain what it means.”
7 “Your Majesty,” they said, “if you will only tell us your dream, we will interpret it for you.”
8 The king replied, “You're just stalling for time, 9 because you know what's going to happen if you don't come up with the answer. You've decided to make up a bunch of lies, hoping I might change my mind. Now tell me the dream, and that will prove that you can interpret it.”
10 His advisors explained, “Your Majesty, you are demanding the impossible! No king, not even the most famous and powerful, has ever ordered his advisors, magicians, or wise men to do such a thing. 11 It can't be done, except by the gods, and they don't live here on earth.”
12-13 This made the king so angry that he gave orders for every wise man in Babylonia to be put to death, including Daniel and his three friends.
God Tells Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel
14 Arioch was the king's official in charge of putting the wise men to death. He was on his way to have it done, when Daniel very wisely went to him 15 and asked, “Why did the king give such cruel orders?” After Arioch explained what had happened, 16 Daniel rushed off and said to the king, “If you will just give me some time, I'll explain your dream.”
17 Daniel returned home and told his three friends. 18 Then he said, “Pray that the God who rules from heaven will be merciful and explain this mystery, so that we and the others won't be put to death.” 19 In a vision one night, Daniel was shown the dream and its meaning. Then he praised the God who rules from heaven:
20 “Our God, your name
will be praised
forever and forever.
You are all-powerful,
and you know everything.
21 You control human events—
you give rulers their power
and take it away,
and you are the source
of wisdom and knowledge.
22 “You explain deep mysteries,
because even the dark
is light to you.
23 You are the God
who was worshiped
by my ancestors.
Now I thank you and praise you
for making me wise
and telling me the king's dream,
together with its meaning.”
Daniel Interprets the Dream
24 Daniel went back to Arioch, the official in charge of executing the wise men. Daniel said, “Don't kill those men! Take me to the king, and I will explain the meaning of his dream.”
25 Arioch rushed Daniel to the king and announced, “Your Majesty, I have found out that one of the men brought here from Judah can explain your dream.”
26 The king asked Daniel, “Can you tell me my dream and what it means?”
27 Daniel answered:
Your Majesty, not even the smartest person in all the world can do what you are demanding. 28-29 But the God who rules from heaven can explain mysteries. And while you were sleeping, he showed you what will happen in the future. 30 However, you must realize that these mysteries weren't explained to me because I am smarter than everyone else. Instead, it was done so that you would understand what you have seen.
31 Your Majesty, what you saw standing in front of you was a huge and terrifying statue, shining brightly. 32 Its head was made of gold, its chest and arms were silver, and from its waist down to its knees, it was bronze. 33 From there to its ankles it was iron, and its feet were a mixture of iron and clay.
34 As you watched, a stone was cut from a mountain—but not by human hands. The stone struck the feet, completely shattering the iron and clay. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed and blown away without a trace, like husks of wheat at threshing time. But the stone became a tremendous mountain that covered the entire earth.
36 That was the dream, and now I'll tell you what it means. 37 Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings, and God has highly honored you with power 38 over all humans, animals, and birds. You are the head of gold. 39 After you are gone, another kingdom will rule, but it won't be as strong. Then it will be followed by a kingdom of bronze that will rule the whole world. 40 Next, a kingdom of iron will come to power, crushing and shattering everything.
41-42 This fourth kingdom will be divided—it will be both strong and brittle, just as you saw that the feet and toes were a mixture of iron and clay. 43 This kingdom will be the result of a marriage between kingdoms, but it will crumble, just as iron and clay don't stick together.
44-45 During the time of those kings, the God who rules from heaven will set up an eternal kingdom that will never fall. It will be like the stone that was cut from the mountain, but not by human hands—the stone that crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. Your Majesty, in your dream the great God has told you what is going to happen, and you can trust this interpretation.
Daniel Is Promoted
46 King Nebuchadnezzar bowed low to the ground and worshiped Daniel. Then he gave orders for incense to be burned and a sacrifice of grain to be offered in honor of Daniel. 47 The king said, “Now I know that your God is above all other gods and kings, because he gave you the power to explain this mystery.” 48 The king then presented Daniel with a lot of gifts; he promoted him to governor of Babylon Province and put him in charge of the other wise men. 49 At Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to high positions in Babylon Province, and he let Daniel stay on as a palace official.