UDanyeli 3
1 INkosi uNebhukhadineza yenza isithombe segolide, saphakama izingalo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lobubanzi obuzingalo eziyisificamunwemunye, yasimisa egcekeni laseDura elizweni laseBhabhiloni.
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 Yasibiza ababusi bezigaba, labalisa, ababusi bemikhono yelizwe, labeluleki,
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 labaphathizikhwama, labehluleli, labomantshi kanye lazozonke izikhulu zezigaba ukuza emkhosini wokubusisa isithombe leso ayesimisile, bema phambi kwaso.
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 Umlawuli womkhosi wasememezela kakhulu wathi, “Mahlabezulu, lani zizwe zonke kanye lani bantu bezindimi zonke, nanku elilaywa ukuthi likwenze:
Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
5 Lingavele lizwe ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho, lezindweba layo yonke imihlobo yokuhlabela ngokukhalisa iziginci libokuthi mbo phansi lisikhonze isithombe segolide esimiswe yinkosi uNebhukhadineza.
[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 Iloba ngubani ongayi kukhothama asikhonze uzahle aphoselwe esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.”
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
7 Yikho, bonela ukuzwa ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho lemihlobo yonke yeziginci, bonke abantu, lezizwe labantu bezindimi zonke bathi mbo phansi bakhonza isithombe segolide inkosi uNebhukhadineza eyayisimisile.
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 Ngalesisikhathi ezinye izingcazi zezinkanyezi zeza zachothoza amaJuda.
Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
9 Zathi enkosini uNebhukhadineza, “Bayethe nkosi, mana njalo!
They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
10 Ukhuphile isimemezelo, wena nkosi, wathi wonke okuzwayo ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho lezindweba kanye lazozonke iziginci ezikhaliswayo kathi mbo phansi akhonze isithombe segolide,
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 lokuthi loba ngubani ongathi mbo phansi akhonze uzaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, [that] he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12 Kodwa bakhona abanye amaJuda obabeke ukuphatha ilizwe laseBhabhiloni, uShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, abangakhathali lutho ngawe, wena nkosi. Kababakhonzi onkulunkulu bakho njalo kabasikhonzi isithombe lesi osimisileyo.”
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 Wazonda wadla inja uNebhukhadineza, wasebiza oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko. Yikho amadoda la alethwa phambi kwenkosi,
Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
14 uNebhukhadineza wathi kubo, “Kuliqiniso yini, Shadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, ukuthi kalibakhonzi onkulunkulu bami njalo kalisikhonzi isithombe segolide engisimisileyo?
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 Manje nxa lingezwa ukukhala kophondo, lomfece, lomhlanga, lomhubhe, lechacho, lezindweba layo yonke imihlobo yezikhaliswayo, nxa selizimisele ukuthi mbo phansi lisikhonze isifanekiso engasenzayo, kulungile. Kodwa nxa lingasikhonzi lizaphoselwa ngokuphangisa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. Pho nguphi unkulunkulu ozalilamulela esandleni sami na?”
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 OShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko bayiphendula inkosi bathi, “Nkosi Nebhukhadineza, kasidingi kuzilwela phambi kwakho ngale indaba.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 Singaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo, uNkulunkulu esimkhonzayo ulamandla okusisindisa kuwo, njalo uzasilamulela esandleni sakho, wena nkosi.
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 Loba engasisindisi, sithanda ukuba ukwazi, wena nkosi, ukuthi sivele kasisoze sibakhonze onkulunkulu bakho kumbe sisidumise isifanekiso segolide leso osimisileyo.”
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 Lapho-ke uNebhukhadineza waphuphuma ngolaka kuShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, wahle waguqula indlela aye esebaphatha ngayo. Walaya ukuthi isithando somlilo sibaselwe sitshise okuphindwe kasikhombisa kulenjayelo
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 waphinda walaya ukuthi abanye bamabutho angobambapheqe bempi yakhe bababophe oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko babaphosele esithandweni somlilo olavuzayo.
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 Yikho amadoda la abotshwa elokhu egqoke amajazi awo, lamabhulugwe, amaqhiye kanye lezinye izigqoko zawo, aphoselwa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo.
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 Umlayo wenkosi wawuthukuthele kakhulu lesithando somlilo sitshisa okokuthi amalangabi omlilo awabulala amanxusa ayefuqela oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko,
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 kwathi amadoda la womathathu ayebotshwe nko awela phakathi kwesithando somlilo olavuzayo.
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Khonapho inkosi uNebhukhadineza wathi lothu ngokumangala, wabuza abacebisi bakhe wathi, “Kanti angithi abemathathu amadoda esiwabophileyo sawaphosela emlilweni na?” Baphendula bathi, “Liqiniso lelo, Oh nkosi.”
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 Wathi, “Khangelani! Ngibona amadoda amane ehambahamba phakathi komlilo, engabotshwanga njalo engalinyazwanga lutho, njalo owesine lowo ukhangeleka njengendodana yabonkulunkulu.”
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 UNebhukhadineza wasesondela emlonyeni wesithando somlilo olavuzayo wamemeza wathi, “Shadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani! Wozani lapha!” Ngakho oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko baphuma emlilweni,
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 kwathi ababusi bezigaba, labalisa, lababusi bemikhono yelizwe labeluleki besikhosini bababunganyela. Babona ukuthi umlilo wawungabalimazanga imizimba yabo, njalo kungahaqazekanga lalunye unwele lwamakhanda abo; izembatho zabo zingahangulekanga, njalo kunganuki mlilo kubo.
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 UNebhukhadineza wasesithi, “Kadunyiswe uNkulunkulu kaShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko, othume ingilosi yakhe wasindisa izinceku zakhe! Bathemba kuye badelela umlayo wenkosi njalo bazimisela ukunikela impilo zabo kulokuthi bakhonze loba badumise omunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kowabo uNkulunkulu.
[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 Ngakho sengimisa isimemezelo ukuthi abantu loba ngabasiphi isizwe kumbe ulimi abakhuluma okubi ngoNkulunkulu kaShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko kabaqunywaqunywe izicucu, lezindlu zabo zenziwe izinqwaba zezibi, ngoba kakho omunye uNkulunkulu ongasindisa ngale indlela.”
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 Inkosi yase ibanika izikhundla eziphezulu oShadreki, loMeshaki lo-Abhediniko elizweni laseBhabhiloni.
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.
