< Daniel 7 >

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.
Katika mwaka wa kwanza wa utawala wa Belshaza mfalme wa Babeli, Danieli aliota ndoto, nayo maono yakapita mawazoni yake alipokuwa amelala kitandani mwake. Akayaandika mambo aliyoyaona katika ndoto yake.
2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven brake forth upon the great sea.
Danieli akasema: “Katika maono yangu usiku nilitazama, na hapo mbele yangu kulikuwepo na upepo kutoka pande nne za mbingu, ukivuruga bahari kuu.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
Wanyama wanne wakubwa, kila mmoja tofauti na mwenzake, wakajitokeza kutoka bahari.
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon two feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
“Mnyama wa kwanza alifanana na simba, naye alikuwa na mabawa kama ya tai. Nikatazama mpaka mabawa yake yalipongʼolewa, naye akainuliwa katika nchi, akasimama kwa miguu miwili kama mwanadamu, naye akapewa moyo wa binadamu.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in his mouth between his teeth: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
“Hapo mbele yangu kulikuwa na mnyama wa pili, ambaye alionekana kama dubu. Upande wake mmoja ulikuwa umeinuka, na alikuwa na mbavu tatu katika kinywa chake kati ya meno yake. Akaambiwa, ‘Amka, ule nyama mpaka ushibe!’
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
“Baada ya huyo, nilitazama, na mbele yangu kulikuwa na mnyama mwingine, aliyefanana na chui. Juu ya mgongo wake alikuwa na mabawa manne kama ya ndege. Mnyama huyu alikuwa na vichwa vinne, naye akapewa mamlaka ya kutawala.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
“Baada ya huyo, katika maono yangu usiku nilitazama, na mbele yangu kulikuwa na mnyama wa nne, mwenye kutisha na kuogofya, tena mwenye nguvu nyingi. Alikuwa na meno makubwa ya chuma; akapondaponda na kuangamiza wahanga wake, na kukanyaga chini ya nyayo zake chochote kilichosalia. Alikuwa tofauti na wanyama wote waliotangulia, naye alikuwa na pembe kumi.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
“Wakati nilipokuwa ninafikiri kuhusu pembe hizo, mbele yangu kulikuwa na pembe nyingine, ambayo ni ndogo, iliyojitokeza miongoni mwa zile kumi; pembe tatu za mwanzoni zilingʼolewa ili kuipa nafasi hiyo ndogo. Pembe hii ilikuwa na macho kama ya mwanadamu, na mdomo ulionena kwa majivuno.
9 I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, [and] the wheels thereof burning fire.
“Nilipoendelea kutazama, “viti vya enzi vikawekwa, naye Mzee wa Siku akaketi. Mavazi yake yalikuwa meupe kama theluji; nywele za kichwa chake zilikuwa nyeupe kama sufu. Kiti chake cha enzi kilikuwa kinawaka kwa miali ya moto, nayo magurudumu yake yote yalikuwa yanawaka moto.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Mto wa moto ulikuwa unatiririka, ukipita mbele yake. Maelfu elfu wakamhudumia; kumi elfu mara kumi elfu wakasimama mbele zake. Mahakama ikakaa kuhukumu, na vitabu vikafunguliwa.
11 I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and he was given to be burned with fire.
“Kisha nikaendelea kutazama kwa sababu ya yale maneno ya majivuno yaliyosemwa na ile pembe. Nikaendelea kuangalia mpaka yule mnyama alipouawa, na mwili wake ukaharibiwa na kutupwa katika ule moto uliowaka.
12 And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
(Wanyama wengine walikuwa wamevuliwa mamlaka yao, lakini waliruhusiwa kuishi kwa muda fulani.)
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
“Katika maono yangu ya usiku nilitazama, na mbele yangu nikamwona anayefanana na mwanadamu, akija pamoja na mawingu ya mbinguni. Akamkaribia huyo Mzee wa Siku, na akaongozwa mbele zake.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Akapewa mamlaka, utukufu na ufalme wenye nguvu; nao watu wa kabila zote, mataifa, na watu wa kila lugha wakamwabudu. Utawala wake ni utawala wa milele ambao hautapita, nao ufalme wake ni ule ambao kamwe hautaangamizwa.
15 As for me Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
“Mimi, Danieli, nilipata mahangaiko rohoni, nayo maono yale yaliyopita ndani ya mawazo yangu yalinisumbua.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
Nikamkaribia mmoja wa wale waliosimama pale na kumuuliza maana halisi ya haya yote. “Basi akaniambia na kunipa tafsiri ya vitu hivi:
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
‘Hao wanyama wanne wakubwa ni falme nne zitakazoinuka duniani.
18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Lakini watakatifu wa Yeye Aliye Juu Sana watapokea ufalme na kuumiliki milele: naam, milele na milele.’
19 Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceeding terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
“Kisha nilitaka kufahamu maana ya kweli ya mnyama yule wa nne, ambaye alikuwa tofauti na wale wengine wote, tena wa kutisha sana, na meno yake ya chuma na makucha ya shaba: mnyama ambaye alipondaponda na kuangamiza wahanga wake, na kukanyaga chochote kilichosalia.
20 and concerning the ten horns that were on his head, and the other [horn] which came up, and before which three fell; even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
Pia mimi nilitaka kujua kuhusu zile pembe kumi juu ya kichwa chake, na pia kuhusu ile pembe nyingine iliyojitokeza, ambayo mbele yake zile tatu za mwanzoni zilianguka, ile pembe ambayo ilionekana kuvutia macho zaidi kuliko zile nyingine, na ambayo ilikuwa na macho na kinywa kilichonena kwa majivuno.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Nilipoendelea kutazama, pembe hii ilikuwa inapigana vita dhidi ya watakatifu na kuwashinda,
22 until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
mpaka huyo Mzee wa Siku alipokuja na kutamka hukumu kwa kuwapa ushindi watakatifu wa Yeye Aliye Juu Sana, na wakati ukawadia walipoumiliki ufalme.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
“Alinipa maelezo haya: ‘Mnyama wa nne ni ufalme wa nne ambao utatokea duniani. Utakuwa tofauti na falme nyingine zote, nao utaharibu dunia nzima, ukiikanyaga chini na kuipondaponda.
24 And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.
Zile pembe kumi ni wafalme kumi watakaotokana na ufalme huu. Baada yao mfalme mwingine atainuka, ambaye atakuwa tofauti na wale waliotangulia, naye atawaangusha wafalme watatu.
25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High: and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
Atanena maneno kinyume cha Yeye Aliye Juu Sana na kuwaonea watakatifu wake, huku akijaribu kubadili majira na sheria. Watakatifu watatiwa chini ya mamlaka yake kwa wakati, nyakati mbili, na nusu wakati.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
“‘Lakini mahakama itakaa kuhukumu, nayo mamlaka yake yataondolewa na kuangamizwa kabisa milele.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Ndipo ufalme, mamlaka na ukuu wa falme chini ya mbingu yote utakabidhiwa kwa watakatifu, watu wa Yeye Aliye Juu Sana. Ufalme wake utakuwa ufalme wa milele, nao watawala wote watamwabudu na kumtii yeye.’
28 Here is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my thoughts much troubled me, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
“Huu ndio mwisho wa jambo lile. Mimi Danieli nilitaabika sana katika mawazo yangu, nao uso wangu ukabadilika, lakini nililiweka jambo hilo moyoni mwangu.”

< Daniel 7 >