1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 ¶ Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
13 ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so , our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
19 ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
26 ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither . Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.
Nebukadineza unokombeledza bathu kunamata ifano
1 Mambo Nebukadineza kabumba ifano tje golide tjili bulefu gwe maboko ali makumi mabili ana ali kutendeka (27) kuyenda pezhugwi ne bupabi gwe maboko ali matatu, ngono kanotjibiga pa tjibata tje Dura mu ntuthu we Bhabhiloni. 2 Ngono kudwapo Nebukadineza kadusa ndaulo kuti kudang'we batungamili bose ne makulukota wose ne balauli bose ne batjengeti be matula bose ne basumikilisi bose na bose be zwe milayo na bose batungamili be mituthu kuti bazhe ku nshingo we kutangisa kuthigamila ifano tjaakabe athama. 3 Ndizo bakokiwa bose bakanokubungana kutangisa nshingo we kuthigamila ifano tjakathamiwa ndi Nebukadineza ngono bakaswika bema mbeli kwatjo. 4 Ngono ntumwa wa mambo kalebeleka nge hwi li pezhugwi eti, “Imwi bathu be zwitjaba zose ne njudzi dzose nenge bathu bose be ndimi dzipoga molaugwa kuti muthame tjandinomubudza, 5 mutimuhwa lunyanga kene nyele kene tjilidzo tje zitheri kene tjilidzo tje laya ne dumba ne zwimwe zwilidzo zwilila muwe nge zwidwi muthigamile ifano tje golide tjakathamiwa ndi Mambo Nebukadineza. 6 Ngono iye usingawothigamila ifano itjetji unowolashigwa mu bhuba le moto.” 7 Ndizo bakati behwa lila kwe lunyanga ne nyele ne zitheri ne laya ne dumba ne zwimwe zwilidzo bathu be zwitjaba zose ne njudzi dzose nenge bathu bose be ndimi dzipoga bakawila pasi bakathigamila ifano tje golide tjakathamiwa ndi Mambo Nebukadineza.
Bakwinya ba Daniyele banotilikwa nlandu
8 Nge tjibaka itjetjo kwakabe kuna bathu be Bhabhiloni bakatilika Bajuta nlandu. 9 Bakadwa Mambo Nebukadineza beti, “Atshene mambo bangatjilila tjatjose! 10 Makadusa ndaulo mambo kuti mmwe ne mmwe unohwa kulila kwe lunyanga ne nyele ne zitheri ne laya ne dumba ne zwimwe zwilidzo awe pasi nge zwidwi athigamile ifano tje golide, 11 ngono iye usingowothigamila ifano tje golide unowolashigwa mu bhuba le moto. 12 Koga kuna Bajuta bamwe bamakabiga kuyendisa mishingo ye ntuthu we Bhabhiloni bo Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko basinga bhulutane tjamakaleba mambo wedu! Abatoshingila midzimu yenyu kene kuli kuthigamila ifano tje golide tjamakathama.”
13 Ipapo Nebukadineza kazhala bushongola ngono kati adanigwe Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko. Ndizo balume ibaba bakazhisiwa mbeli kwa mambo, 14 ngono Nebukadineza kabadwa kati, “Apa malebeswa Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko kuti amutoshingila midzimu yangu kene kuli kuthigamila ifano tje golide tjandakathama kene? 15 Ngono ngwenu ha muhwa kulila kwe lunyanga ne nyele ne zitheri ne laya ne dumba ne zwimwe zwilidzo muwe pasi nge zwidwi muthigamile ifano tje golide tjandakathama kowobe kwakanaka koga ha musingake mukawa nge zwidwi mukathigamila ifano tjinyolotjo mowolashigwa mu bhuba le moto. Apa ndiupi ndzimu unowomuangula mu simba langu kene?”
16 Ngono Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko bakashandula mambo beti, “Dumbu Nebukadineza, akutosheteka kuti tingazwilebelekela mbeli kwenyu ngekwe ndebo iyeyi. 17 Ha tingalashigwa mu bhuba le moto, Ndzimu watinoshingila unowotitjidza mu moto iwoyo kakale unotiangula mu simba lenyu mambo. 18 Koga ha Ndzimu usingake ukatitjidza toshaka kuti muzibe mambo wedu kuti atingake tikashingila midzimu yenyu kene kuli kuthigamila ifano tje golide tjamakathama.”
Bakwinya ba Daniyele banosumikilisigwa lufu
19 Ipapo Nebukadineza kazhalilana kagwadzila moyo Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko kwaakashanduka ndingiko ye tjiso tjitje. Kalaula kuti vutho le moto lipisiwe kwakapindilila kungabe katendeka, 20 kalaula kuti babhayani bakasima be ngwa iye babhate Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko babasunge babalashile mu vutho le moto. 21 Ndizo bakasunga balume ibaba bakaambala hazu dzabo ne marukhwi ne hwutshe ne zwimwe zwiambalo bakabalashila mu vutho le moto. 22 Ndaulo ya mambo yakashingikadziwa tjinyolotjo vutho le moto likabe lipisa kwazo kwakati nthuto walo ukapisa ukabulaya babhayani bakabe bakabhata Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko, 23 ngono balume ngosungwa kwabo butatu gwabo bakawila mu vutho le moto. 24 Tjinyolotjo Nebukadineza ngo tjenama kamadzuka kabhuzwa bakumbuludzi babe kati, “Apa atizolashila balume batatu mu moto takabasunga kene?” Ngono bakashandula beti, “Nge malebeswa wose mambo wedu, ndibo” 25 “Ngono ini ndibona balume banna beyendayenda mu moto, basakasungwa kakale basina hwubadzi ngono kakale we bunna iye elingika se nkololo we midzimu!”
Balume batatu banosunungugwa
26 Ndizo Nebukadineza kayendila ku nkoba we vutho le moto ngono kaswika kadana kati, “Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko, balanda be Ndzimu nkulu, bhudilani kuzhe! Bhudilani ngeno!” Ngono Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko bakabhuda mu moto, 27 batungamili ne makulukota ne balauli be bakumbuludzi ba mambo bakabakubunganila kubabona zubuyanana. Bakawana kuli kuti moto akuna tjawabayita mibili yabo kene kuli kupisa mavudzi abo, hazu dzabo dzakabe dzisakatshwa kakale kusina ndodwa naiwo nnuhwo we tshwa.
28 Ipapo Nebukadineza kabe eti, “Kudzani Ndzimu wa Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko iwo watumila ntumwa we kudzimu kuwoangula balanda bawo! Bagalamoyo muuli ngono bakasilondolodze ndaulo dzangu ngono bakazwimisila kulashikigwa nge matjilo abo pana kuti bashingile ne kuthigamila midzimu kuzhe kwe Ndzimu wabo.
29 “Ndizoke ndodusa ndaulo kuti bathu be itjaba tjipi kene tjipi kene be ndimi dzipi bangaleba bubi ngekwe Ndzimu wa Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko bathubuligwe zwitibhutibhu ne ng'umba dzabo dzipkhwanyiwe dzisale dzili magwada woga ngoti kusina mmwe ndzimu ungatjidza saikoku.” 30 Kudwapo mambo kapa Shadireke na Meshaki na Abedineko mamo a pezhugwi mu ntuthu we Bhabhiloni.