Mawoloto a Nebukadineza e bubili
1 Mambo Nebukadineza kayisa ndayidzo ku bathu bose be zwitjaba ne njudzi ne bendimi dzakathubukana dzimu shango eti,
“Mbakiso ngaibe namwi! 2 Ndinge kushatha kukulu kuti ndimuzibise ngekwe matjenamiso makulu andakathamigwa ne Ndzimu Upezhugwi zhugwi.
3 “Zwilakidzo zwawo kundili zwikulu seni!
Matjenamiso awo makulu seni!
Bushe gwawo nde gusingapele,
mbuso wawo ugelile tjatjose kudwa mu tjizekugwana kunoti ku tjizekugwana.”
4 “Imi Nebukadineza ndakabe ndili mu nzi wangu we bushe ndili gele ndina tjimwe ne tjimwe kakale ndakabhudilila. 5 Koga ndakati limwe zhuba abe ne mawoloto akanditotomosa. Ndakati nditjakaizela mu bulawo gwangu, abona mbono dzinotjisa kwazo. 6 Ndizo ndakadana balume bose bakatjenjela be Bhabhiloni kuti bazhe kundili bawonditjenesela mawoloto iyawa. 7 Ngono kwakati be malipa ne ng'anga ne mashabi ne batjenjedu be nyenyedzi basinozha, ndakababudza ngekwe mawoloto angu koga bakasitubule kunditjenesela iwo. 8 Ngono kwakati kubupelo kukazha Daniyele iye wakabe idang'wa Bheliteshazari, zina laakalongwa le ndzimu wangu, ngono ambudza mawoloto angu nditi, 9 ‘Bheliteshazari, she we bana malipa, ndoziba kuti meya dze midzimu yakayengemala imu kuli kakale unohwisisa masazibgwe wose. Ndiwo mawoloto angu iyawa undibudze kuti anodwani.’
10 “Ndakati ndakaizela abona kulimile nti nkulukulu mbeli kwangu, nti iwoyu wakabe uli pakati kwe shango, nti iwoyu wakabe uli nlefulefu kunotjenamisa. 11 Nti iwoyu wakabe wakabhata ukula ukadza ukakutha ku makole ubong'wa ne mmwe ne mmwe mu shango. 12 Nti iwoyu wakabe una mazhani akanaka ne mitjelo minjinji ili zojiwa zwe bathu bose mu shango. Phuka dze shango dzakabe dzibutha kusi kwawo, nyuni idzo dzakabaka mashaka adzo muuli zwitjili zose zwakabe zwija mitjelo yawo.
13 “Ndakati nditji mu bulawo nditjakumbula ngekwe mbono idzedzi:
“Ndakabona kuzha nlisi
n'yengemali edelukuka edwa kudzimu.
14 Wakadanilila nge hwi lipezhugwi eti,
‘Temani nti iwoyu, thubulani thabi dzawo
upulule mazhani awo, paladzani mitjelo yawo!
Tatilani kutjena phuka dzakabutha kusi kwawo
ne nyuni dzakabaka mu thabi dzawo.
15 Koga musiye bhato lawo lina midzi yalo.
“ ‘Ngono mulisunge nge butale ne phangula, lisale pasi mu bushwa.
Ngaahwigwe nge khawa ye zhuzhugwi,
ngaagale mu shango ne phuka.
16 Atshene moyo uwe we bunthu ukashanduka,
atshene kapiwa moyo we phuka kwe makole ali kutendeka.
17 Zibiso iyeyi yakabe idwa ku batjengeti,
ili tjasungwa ndibo bakayengemala.
“ ‘Kuti ndizo kubupelo bapenyu bazibe kuti Upezhugwi zhugwi ndiwo unobusa bathu bose ne bushe gose nde gugwe kakale unogupa waunoshaka kugupa ne bathu ibabo banolingigwa pasi dumbu.’
18 “Ndidzo hwope dzandakabenadzo idzedzi imi Nebukadineza. Ndizoke iwe Bheliteshazari, tjinditjenesela kuti mawoloto iyawa anodwani ngoti akuna we batjenjedu be bushe gwangu watubula kunditjenesela hwope idzedzi koga iwe unotubula ngobe una meya ye midzimu yakayengemala mukuli.”
Daniyele unotjenesa mawoloto
19 Kudwapo Daniyele iye unodang'wa Bheliteshazari kasheta matama tjibaka tjifupi, nkumbulu uwe ukantjisa. Mambo kabe eti, “Bheliteshazari, hwope idzedzi ne tjeneso yadzo dzisitongo kutotomosa.”
Bheliteshazari kashandula eti, “Tetshi wangu, tshene hwope idzedzi dzikabe dza ibabo bakamubenga ne tjeneso yadzo ibe ye zwita zwenyu kusi imwi! 20 Nti wamakabona nlefulefu ukutha ku makole, wakabe ubong'wa nge mmwe ne mmwe mu shango, 21 mazhani awo akanaka una mitjelo minjinji wakabe una zojiwa zwe bathu bose mu shango ne phuka dze shango dzakabe dzibutha mu ntutshi wawo ne nyuni dzakabaka mashaka mu thabi dzawo unodwa sahwoku:
22 “Imwi bushe gwangu, mu nti iwoyu! Mabe nkulu kakale makasima, bukulu gwenyu bukulu gokutha ku zhuzhugwi ne bushe gwenyu gotendebukila mbizho dzose dze shango. 23 Imwi mambo makati mutjakalingilila kose ikoku, nlisi, n'yengemali kadeluka edwa kudzimu kati, ‘Temani nti muukolomodze koga musiye bhato lawo lakasungwa nge butale ne phangula pasi mu bushwa, ngaawigwe nge khawa ye zhuzhugwi, ngaatjile se phuka dze shango kudzina kwapinda makole ali kutendeka.’
24 “Tjeneso ya ikoku inodwa sa woku mambo wangu, i sumikiliso yalingisanyiwa imwi tetshi wangu mambo inodwa kuna Upezhugwi zhugwi: 25 Mowotatigwa kutjena ne bathu mukatjila ne phuka dze shango, mowoja bushwa se ng'ombe mukawigwa nge khawa ye zhuzhugwi. Ikoku kowotola makole ali kutendeka kudzina muamutjila kuti Upezhugwi zhugwi ndiwo nkulu kupinda mibuso yose ye bathu ne kuti kakale ndiwo unopa mbuso nthu wawada. 26 Ndaulo yekuti nti usiyiwe bhato lawo ne midzi kodwa kuti bushe gwenyu mowogubgwilizigwa apa matjiamutjila kuti bushe gwe kudzimu ndigo koga gunolaula. 27 Ndizo ngwenu mambo wangu, tshene mungaamutjila gumbuludzo langu kumuli lekuti letjani kutjinya muthame tjinoamutjilika, muletje bubi gwenyu mube ne lubu muna banotshambilidziwa. Ndiko koga kungathama kuti kubhudilila kwenyu kungadwilila.”
28 Kose ikoku kwakashingikalila Mambo Nebukadineza. 29 Kwakati shule kwe mimwedzi ili gumi lina mibili, mambo kabe eyenda yenda mu denga le ng'umba ye bushe mu Bhabhiloni, 30 ngono kabe eti, “Apa ate Bhabhiloni iwoyu nkulu zwingapa wandakabaka nge simba langu gulu kube bugalo gwa bomambo ne gudzo le bushe gwangu kene?”
31 Wakati koga asathu aligila matama awe hwi likadwa kudzimu liti, “Mambo Nebukadineza ndakakubhatila matama awa: Wawotolegwa bushe gugo. 32 Unowotatigwa kutjena ne bathu ngono unowotjila ne phuka dze shango ukaja bushwa se ng'ombe. Ikoku kowoshingikala makole ali kutendeka kudzina waamutjila kuti Upezhugwi zhugwi ndiwo nkulu kupinda mibuso yose ye bathu ne kuti kakale ndiwo unopa mbuso nthu wawada.”
33 Matama iyawa kashingikala ipapo sekwa alebgwa ebudziwa Nebukadineza. Wakatatigwa kutjena ne bathu kaja bushwa se ng'ombe mbili uwe ukawigwa nge khawa kudzina mbethe uwe ukula usala unga misiba ye dzu, hwomba dzidze dzinga hwomba dze nyuni.
Nebukadineza unokudza Ndzimu
34 “Kwakati makole ali kutenda asinopinda, imi Nebukadineza alinga kudzimu, nkumbulo wangu ukabuya kundili ngono akudza Upezhugwi zhugwi, awukudza ndiwuteta iwo unotjilila tjatjose.
“Ngobe simba lawo ndelinogalila tjatjose
bushe gwawo ndegusingapele,
35 bagali bose be shango abate bali tjimwe,
unoshinga kuda kwawo ne babhayani be ngwa be zhuzhugwi.
Akuna ungauma mbeli
kene kaudwa kati, ‘Mathamani?’
36 “Nge tjibaka itjetjo tjandakabuigwa nge nkumbulo wangu, tetiwa ne gudzo langu ne bushe gwangu zwikandibuyila. Makulukota ne bakumbuludzi bangu bakandiamutjila ngono apiwa bushe gwangu ngono ndikabe ne simba linopinda lekutanga.
37 “Ngono ngwenu imi Nebukadineza, ndokudza Mambo we kudzimu ngobe tjimwe ne tjimwe tjabanothama tjakalulwama ne zila dzabo dzose dzakatambunuka. Ngono unotubula yisapasi bose banozwikudza.”
King Nebuchadnezzar's Letter about His Second Dream
1 King Nebuchadnezzar sent the following letter to the people of all nations and races on the earth:
Greetings to all of you!
2 I am glad to tell about
the wonderful miracles
God Most High
has done for me.
3 His miracles are mighty
and marvelous.
He will rule forever,
and his kingdom
will never end.
4 I was enjoying a time of peace and prosperity, 5 when suddenly I had some horrifying dreams and visions. 6 Then I commanded every wise man in Babylonia to appear in my court, so they could explain the meaning of my dream. 7 After they arrived, I told them my dream, but they were not able to say what it meant. 8 Finally, a young man named Daniel came in, and I told him the dream. The holy gods had given him special powers, and I had renamed him Belteshazzar after my own god.
9 I said, “Belteshazzar, not only are you the wisest of all advisors and counselors, but the holy gods have given you special powers to solve the most difficult mysteries. So listen to what I dreamed and tell me what it means:
10 In my sleep I saw
a very tall tree
in the center of the world.
11 It grew stronger and higher,
until it reached to heaven
and could be seen
from anywhere on earth.
12 It was covered with leaves
and heavy with fruit—
enough for all nations.
Wild animals enjoyed its shade,
birds nested in its branches,
and all creatures on earth
lived on its fruit.
13 “While I was in bed, having this vision, a holy angel came down from heaven 14 and shouted:
‘Chop down the tree
and cut off its branches;
strip off its leaves
and scatter its fruit.
Make the animals leave its shade
and send the birds flying
from its branches.
15 But leave its stump and roots
in the ground,
surrounded by grass
and held by chains
of iron and bronze.
‘Make sure that this ruler
lives like the animals
out in the open fields,
unprotected from the dew.
16 Give him the mind
of a wild animal
for seven long years.
17 This punishment is given
at the command
of the holy angels.
It will show to all who live
that God Most High
controls all kingdoms
and chooses for their rulers
persons of humble birth.’
18 “Daniel, that was the dream that none of the wise men in my kingdom were able to understand. But I am sure that you will understand what it means, because the holy gods have given you some special powers.”
19 For a while, Daniel was terribly confused and worried by what he was thinking. But I said, “Don't be bothered either by the dream or by what it means.”
Daniel replied:
Your Majesty, I wish the dream had been against your enemies. 20 You saw a tree that grew so big and strong that it reached up to heaven and could be seen from anywhere on earth. 21 Its leaves were beautiful, and it produced enough fruit for all living creatures; animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. 22 Your Majesty, that tree is you. Your glorious reputation has reached heaven, and your kingdom covers the earth.
23 Then you saw a holy angel come down from heaven and say, “Chop down the tree and destroy it! But leave its stump and roots in the ground, fastened there by a chain of iron and bronze. Let it stay for seven years out in the field with the wild animals, unprotected from the dew.”
24 Your Majesty, God Most High has sent you this message, and it means 25 that you will be forced to live with the wild animals, far away from humans. You will eat grass like a wild animal and live outdoors for seven years, until you learn that God Most High controls all earthly kingdoms and chooses their rulers. 26 But he gave orders not to disturb the stump and roots. This is to show that you will be king once again, after you learn that the God who rules from heaven is in control. 27 Your Majesty, please be willing to do what I say. Turn from your sins and start living right; have mercy on those who are mistreated. Then all will go well with you for a long time.
The Rest of Nebuchadnezzar's Letter about His Second Dream
28-30 About twelve months later, I was walking on the flat roof of my royal palace and admiring the beautiful city of Babylon, when these things started happening to me. I was saying to myself, “Just look at this wonderful capital city that I have built by my own power and for my own glory!”
31 But before I could finish speaking, a voice from heaven interrupted:
King Nebuchadnezzar, this kingdom is no longer yours. 32 You will be forced to live with the wild animals, away from people. For seven years you will eat grass, as though you were an ox, until you learn that God Most High is in control of all earthly kingdoms and that he is the one who chooses their rulers.
33 This was no sooner said than done—I was forced to live like a wild animal; I ate grass and was unprotected from the dew. As time went by, my hair grew longer than eagle feathers, and my fingernails looked like the claws of a bird.
34 Finally, I prayed to God in heaven, and my mind was healed. Then I said:
“I praise and honor
God Most High.
God lives forever,
and his kingdom
will never end.
35 To him the nations
are far less than nothing;
God controls the stars in the sky
and everyone on this earth.
When God does something,
we cannot change it
or even ask why.”
36 At that time my mind was healed, and once again I became the ruler of my glorious kingdom. My advisors and officials returned to me, and I had greater power than ever before. 37 That's why I say:
“Praise and honor the King
who rules from heaven!
Everything he does
is honest and fair,
and he can shatter the power
of those who are proud.”