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.”
Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream
1 King Nebuchadnezzar sent the following message to the people of all nations, races, and languages in the world:
“Greetings! 2 Listen to my account of the wonders and miracles which the Supreme God has shown me.
3 “How great are the wonders God shows us!
How powerful are the miracles he performs!
God is king forever; he will rule for all time.
4 “I was living comfortably in my palace, enjoying great prosperity. 5 But I had a frightening dream and saw terrifying visions while I was asleep. 6 I ordered all the royal advisers in Babylon to be brought to me so that they could tell me what the dream meant. 7 Then all the fortunetellers, magicians, wizards, and astrologers were brought in, and I told them my dream, but they could not explain it to me. 8 Then Daniel came in. (He is also called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god.) The spirit of the holy gods is in him, so I told him what I had dreamed. I said to him: 9 Belteshazzar, chief of the fortunetellers, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that you understand all mysteries. This is my dream. Tell me what it means.
10 “While I was asleep, I had a vision of a huge tree in the middle of the earth. 11 It grew bigger and bigger until it reached the sky and could be seen by everyone in the world. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, and it was loaded down with fruit—enough for the whole world to eat. Wild animals rested in its shade, birds built nests in its branches, and every kind of living being ate its fruit.
13 “While I was thinking about the vision, I saw coming down from heaven an angel, alert and watchful. 14 He proclaimed in a loud voice, ‘Cut the tree down and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Drive the animals from under it and the birds out of its branches. 15 But leave the stump in the ground with a band of iron and bronze around it. Leave it there in the field with the grass.
“‘Now let the dew fall on this man, and let him live with the animals and the plants. 16 For seven years he will not have a human mind, but the mind of an animal. 17 This is the decision of the alert and watchful angels. So then, let all people everywhere know that the Supreme God has power over human kingdoms and that he can give them to anyone he chooses—even to those who are least important.’
18 “This is the dream I had,” said King Nebuchadnezzar. “Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means. None of my royal advisers could tell me, but you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Explains the Dream
19 At this, Daniel, who is also called Belteshazzar, was so alarmed that he could not say anything. The king said to him, “Belteshazzar, don't let the dream and its message alarm you.”
Belteshazzar replied, “Your Majesty, I wish that the dream and its explanation applied to your enemies and not to you. 20 The tree, so tall that it reached the sky, could be seen by everyone in the world. 21 Its leaves were beautiful, and it had enough fruit on it to feed the whole world. Wild animals rested under it, and birds made their nests in its branches.
22 “Your Majesty, you are the tree, tall and strong. You have grown so great that you reach the sky, and your power extends over the whole world. 23 While Your Majesty was watching, an angel came down from heaven and said, ‘Cut the tree down and destroy it, but leave the stump in the ground. Wrap a band of iron and bronze around it, and leave it there in the field with the grass. Let the dew fall on this man, and let him live there with the animals for seven years.’
24 “This, then, is what it means, Your Majesty, and this is what the Supreme God has declared will happen to you. 25 You will be driven away from human society and will live with wild animals. For seven years you will eat grass like an ox and sleep in the open air, where the dew will fall on you. Then you will admit that the Supreme God controls all human kingdoms and that he can give them to anyone he chooses. 26 The angel ordered the stump to be left in the ground. This means that you will become king again when you acknowledge that God rules all the world. 27 So then, Your Majesty, follow my advice. Stop sinning, do what is right, and be merciful to the poor. Then you will continue to be prosperous.”
28 All this did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Only twelve months later, while he was walking around on the roof of his royal palace in Babylon, 30 he said, “Look how great Babylon is! I built it as my capital city to display my power and might, my glory and majesty.”
31 Before the words were out of his mouth, a voice spoke from heaven, “King Nebuchadnezzar, listen to what I say! Your royal power is now taken away from you. 32 You will be driven away from human society, live with wild animals, and eat grass like an ox for seven years. Then you will acknowledge that the Supreme God has power over human kingdoms and that he can give them to anyone he chooses.”
33 The words came true immediately. Nebuchadnezzar was driven out of human society and ate grass like an ox. The dew fell on his body, and his hair grew as long as eagle feathers and his nails as long as bird claws.
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
34 “When the seven years had passed,” said the king, “I looked up at the sky, and my sanity returned. I praised the Supreme God and gave honor and glory to the one who lives forever.
“He will rule forever,
and his kingdom will last for all time.
35 He looks on the people of the earth as nothing;
angels in heaven and people on earth
are under his control.
No one can oppose his will
or question what he does.
36 “When my sanity returned, my honor, my majesty, and the glory of my kingdom were given back to me. My officials and my noblemen welcomed me, and I was given back my royal power with even greater honor than before.
37 “And now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, honor, and glorify the King of Heaven. Everything he does is right and just, and he can humble anyone who acts proudly.”