< Daniel 6 >

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty local governors, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
UDariyu wathanda ukubeka ababusi bezigaba abalikhulu lamatshumi amabili ukuba babuse kulolonke ilizwe,
2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, that these local governors might give account to them, and that the king should suffer no loss.
wabeka omongameli abathathu phezu kwabo, omunye wabo enguDanyeli. Ababusi bezigaba babesethula kubo konke ukuze inkosi ingalahlekelwa lutho.
3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the local governors, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
UDanyeli waba yisilomo, wedlula abanye omongameli lababusi bezigaba ngokwenza kwakhe, inkosi yaze yafisa ukumbeka phezu kwelizwe lonke.
4 Then the presidents and the local governors sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. There wasn’t any error or fault found in him.
Ngenxa yalokho omongameli lababusi bezigaba badinga amabhada okumangalela uDanyeli ngendlela ayeqhuba ngayo kwezombuso, kodwa behluleka. Kabafumananga kungcola kuye ngoba wayethembekile futhi engasihaga lemali njalo engayekethisi lutho.
5 Then these men said, “We won’t find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
Ekucineni amadoda la athi, “Kasisoze safa salizuza izaba lokwethesa indoda le uDanyeli icala ngaphandle kwalokho okuphathelene lomthetho kaNkulunkulu wakhe.”
6 Then these presidents and local governors assembled together to the king, and said this to him, “King Darius, live forever!
Ngakho omongameli lababusi bezigaba baya enkosini belixuku bafika bathi: “Oh nkosi Dariyu, mana njalo!
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the local governors, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a strong decree, that whoever asks a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
Omongameli besikhosini, labalisa, lababusi bezigaba, labeluleki lababusi bemikhono yelizwe bonke sebevumelene ukuthi inkosi kayikhuphe isimemezelo iwugcizelele umlayo othi noma ngubani okhuleka kuwuphi uNkulunkulu noma umuntu phakathi kwalezi insuku ezingamatshumi amathathu, ngaphandle kokukhuleka kuwe wena, Oh nkosi, uzaphoselwa emgodini wezilwane.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.”
Manje, Oh nkosi, sikhuphe lesosimemezelo sibhalwe phansi ukuze singaguqulwa njengoba kunjalo ngemithetho yamaMede lamaPhezhiya engaguqulwayo.”
9 Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Ngakho inkosi uDariyu yawubhala phansi lowomthetho.
10 When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.
Kwathi uDanyeli esezwile ukuthi umthetho wawusukhutshiwe, waya ekhaya endlini yakhe ephezulu esitezi eyayilamawindi avulwe akhangela eJerusalema. Kathathu ngelanga wayezilahla phansi ngamadolo akhuleke, ebonga uNkulunkulu wakhe, njengalokho ayevele ekwenza mandulo.
11 Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
Kwasekusithi amadoda la aqhubana elixuku afica uDanyeli ekhuleka ecela usizo kuNkulunkulu.
12 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree: “Haven’t you signed a decree that every man who makes a petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered, “This thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.”
Asesiya enkosini ayakhuluma layo ngomthetho owaphuma esigodlweni, athi: “Kawukhuphanga isimemezelo yini sokuthi ngezinsuku ezilandelayo ezingamatshumi amathathu noma ngubani okhuleka komunye unkulunkulu noma umuntu ngaphandle kokukhuleka kuwe, Oh nkosi, uzaphoselwa emgodini wezilwane?” Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Lowomthetho umi njengemithetho yamaMede lamaPhezhiya, engeke iguqulwe.”
13 Then they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
Asesithi enkosini, “UDanyeli, ongomunye wabathunjwa bakoJuda, kakunanzi, wena nkosi, kanye lomthetho owawubhala phansi. Ulokhu ekhuleka kathathu ngelanga.”
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.
Kwathi inkosi isikuzwile lokho yakhathazeka kakhulu; yayizimisele ukukhulula uDanyeli, yenza yonke imizamo yokumsiza ilanga laze layatshona.
15 Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
Amadoda lawo asehamba elixuku aya enkosini athi kuyo, “Khumbula, Oh nkosi, ukuthi ngomthetho wamaMede lamaPhezhiya kakulasimemezelo loba isimiso esikhutshwe yinkosi esingaguqulwa.”
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.”
Ngakho inkosi yasikhupha umlayo, basebemletha uDanyeli bamphosela emphandwini wezilwane. Inkosi yathi kuDanyeli, “Sengathi uNkulunkulu wakho omkhonzayo njalonjalo angakuhlenga!”
17 A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
Kwalethwa ilitshe lafakwa emnyango womgodi, inkosi yasilinameka ngendandatho yayo yobukhosi langezindandatho zezikhulu zayo, ukuze umumo kaDanyeli ungaguqulwa.
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Yikho inkosi yase ibuyela esigodlweni sayo yazila ukudla lokunatha ubusuku bonke. Yehluleka ukulala.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
Kwathi emadabukakusa inkosi yavuka yaya emgodini wezilwane.
20 When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?”
Ithe isifikile emgodini, yamemeza uDanyeli ngelizwi losizi yathi, “Danyeli, nceku kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, uNkulunkulu wakho omkhonza njalonjalo ukuphephisile yini ezilwaneni?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
UDanyeli waphendula wathi, “Oh nkosi, mana njalo!
22 My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me, because innocence was found in me before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
UNkulunkulu wami uthume ingilosi yakhe yayivala imilomo yezilwane. Kazingilimazanga ngoba ngifunyanwe ngingelacala phambi kwakhe. Njalo kangikaze ngenze okubi kuwe, Oh nkosi.”
23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Inkosi yathaba yafa yakhupha umlayo wokuba uDanyeli akhutshulwe emgodini lowo. UDanyeli esekhutshiwe emgodini, kakubonakalanga nxeba kuye, ngoba wathemba kuNkulunkulu wakhe.
24 The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den.
Inkosi yalaya ukuthi balethwe labo ababemangalele uDanyeli ngamanga baphoselwa emgodini wezilwane kanye labafazi babo labantwababo. Bathi bengakathinti phansi emgodini izilwane zabaqaga zabafohloza wonke amathambo abo.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
Inkosi uDariyu yasilobela bonke abantu, lezizwe zonke lenhlanga zendimi zonke kulolonke ilizwe yathi: “Sengathi impilo enhle inganda kini!
26 “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God, and steadfast forever. His kingdom is that which will not be destroyed. His dominion will be even to the end.
Ngimisa isimiso sokuthi kuzozonke izindawo zombuso wami, abantu kabesabe, bakhonze uNkulunkulu kaDanyeli.
27 He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Uyakhulula, asindise;
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Ngakho uDanyeli waphumelela ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaDariyu lesokubusa kukaKhurosi umPhezhiya.

< Daniel 6 >