Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
1 During the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had such horrible nightmares that he could not sleep. 2 So he called in his counselors, advisors, magicians, and wise men, 3 and said, “I am disturbed by a dream that I don't understand, and I want you to explain it.”
4 They answered in Aramaic, “Your Majesty, we hope you live forever! We are your servants. Please tell us your dream, and we will explain what it means.”
5 But the king replied, “No! I have made up my mind. If you don't tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be chopped to pieces and your houses will be torn down. 6 However, if you do tell me both the dream and its meaning, you will be greatly rewarded and highly honored. Now tell me the dream and explain what it means.”
7 “Your Majesty,” they said, “if you will only tell us your dream, we will interpret it for you.”
8 The king replied, “You're just stalling for time, 9 because you know what's going to happen if you don't come up with the answer. You've decided to make up a bunch of lies, hoping I might change my mind. Now tell me the dream, and that will prove that you can interpret it.”
10 His advisors explained, “Your Majesty, you are demanding the impossible! No king, not even the most famous and powerful, has ever ordered his advisors, magicians, or wise men to do such a thing. 11 It can't be done, except by the gods, and they don't live here on earth.”
12-13 This made the king so angry that he gave orders for every wise man in Babylonia to be put to death, including Daniel and his three friends.
God Tells Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel
14 Arioch was the king's official in charge of putting the wise men to death. He was on his way to have it done, when Daniel very wisely went to him 15 and asked, “Why did the king give such cruel orders?” After Arioch explained what had happened, 16 Daniel rushed off and said to the king, “If you will just give me some time, I'll explain your dream.”
17 Daniel returned home and told his three friends. 18 Then he said, “Pray that the God who rules from heaven will be merciful and explain this mystery, so that we and the others won't be put to death.” 19 In a vision one night, Daniel was shown the dream and its meaning. Then he praised the God who rules from heaven:
20 “Our God, your name
will be praised
forever and forever.
You are all-powerful,
and you know everything.
21 You control human events—
you give rulers their power
and take it away,
and you are the source
of wisdom and knowledge.
22 “You explain deep mysteries,
because even the dark
is light to you.
23 You are the God
who was worshiped
by my ancestors.
Now I thank you and praise you
for making me wise
and telling me the king's dream,
together with its meaning.”
Daniel Interprets the Dream
24 Daniel went back to Arioch, the official in charge of executing the wise men. Daniel said, “Don't kill those men! Take me to the king, and I will explain the meaning of his dream.”
25 Arioch rushed Daniel to the king and announced, “Your Majesty, I have found out that one of the men brought here from Judah can explain your dream.”
26 The king asked Daniel, “Can you tell me my dream and what it means?”
27 Daniel answered:
Your Majesty, not even the smartest person in all the world can do what you are demanding. 28-29 But the God who rules from heaven can explain mysteries. And while you were sleeping, he showed you what will happen in the future. 30 However, you must realize that these mysteries weren't explained to me because I am smarter than everyone else. Instead, it was done so that you would understand what you have seen.
31 Your Majesty, what you saw standing in front of you was a huge and terrifying statue, shining brightly. 32 Its head was made of gold, its chest and arms were silver, and from its waist down to its knees, it was bronze. 33 From there to its ankles it was iron, and its feet were a mixture of iron and clay.
34 As you watched, a stone was cut from a mountain—but not by human hands. The stone struck the feet, completely shattering the iron and clay. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed and blown away without a trace, like husks of wheat at threshing time. But the stone became a tremendous mountain that covered the entire earth.
36 That was the dream, and now I'll tell you what it means. 37 Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings, and God has highly honored you with power 38 over all humans, animals, and birds. You are the head of gold. 39 After you are gone, another kingdom will rule, but it won't be as strong. Then it will be followed by a kingdom of bronze that will rule the whole world. 40 Next, a kingdom of iron will come to power, crushing and shattering everything.
41-42 This fourth kingdom will be divided—it will be both strong and brittle, just as you saw that the feet and toes were a mixture of iron and clay. 43 This kingdom will be the result of a marriage between kingdoms, but it will crumble, just as iron and clay don't stick together.
44-45 During the time of those kings, the God who rules from heaven will set up an eternal kingdom that will never fall. It will be like the stone that was cut from the mountain, but not by human hands—the stone that crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. Your Majesty, in your dream the great God has told you what is going to happen, and you can trust this interpretation.
Daniel Is Promoted
46 King Nebuchadnezzar bowed low to the ground and worshiped Daniel. Then he gave orders for incense to be burned and a sacrifice of grain to be offered in honor of Daniel. 47 The king said, “Now I know that your God is above all other gods and kings, because he gave you the power to explain this mystery.” 48 The king then presented Daniel with a lot of gifts; he promoted him to governor of Babylon Province and put him in charge of the other wise men. 49 At Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to high positions in Babylon Province, and he let Daniel stay on as a palace official.
Nebukadnesari di ǂguro ǁhapos
1 Gao-aob Nebukadnesari ge ǀgamǁî kurib ǁîb ǂgaeǂguis dib ǃnâ ǁhapo-e ge ǁhapo. ǁÎb ge nēs xa kaise ǁom ǁoab ges kōse ge ǂhanihe. 2 ǁNā-amagab ge ǃgaidī-aogu, aimûǀgaru-aogu, ǀkhūǂnau-aogu tsî ǀgamirokō-aogu tsîga ge ǂgaihā kai. Hā gu ge 3 ob ge ǁîgu ǃoa ge mî: “ǂÂiǂhansen kai te ra ǁhapo-e ta ge go ǁhapo tsî ta ge tare-es nē ǁhaposa ra ǂâibasen ǃkhaisa ra ǂan ǂgao.”
4 O gu ge ǁîga gao-aoba Aramiagowab ǃnâ ge ǃeream: “Ats gao-aotsa ǀamose ûi re. ǁHaposa mîba ge re, o ge ge ǁîsa nî ǁguiǃāba tsi.”
5 Ob ge gao-aoba ǁîgu ǃoa ge mî: “Tita ge nēti go mîǁgui. Ti ǁhapos tsî ǁîs di ǂâibasens tsîra go ga mîba te tama i, o go ge sago ǃâdi ǃnâ ǁhāǃāhe tsî sago omde nî hîkākāhe. 6 Xawe ǁhapos tsî ǂâibasens tsîra go ga mîba te, o go ge ǂgui ǀkhaexūn tsî kai ǃgôasib tsîna nî ǃkhōǃoa. Nēsi ǁnâi ǁhapos tsî ǂâibasens tsîra mā te re.”
7 O gu ge ǁkhawa “ǃGôahesatse, ǁhaposats ga mîba ge, o ge ge ǁîsa nî ǁguiǃāba tsi” ti gao-aoba ge ǃeream.
8 Nēs aib gao-aoba ge mî: “Tita ge ǃgâise a ǂan, ǁaeǁores ǀguisa go ra hîsa, tita ǁaposase mîǁgui hâ, 9 ǁhaposa go ga mîba te tama i, ob ǀgui ǁkharab ǀguiba ǃâu go hâ ǃkhaisa go ra mû xui-ao. ǁNā-amaga go ge tita go nî ǂhumiba ǃkhaisa sago ǃnâ go ǁnâugu, mâsigu ǁaeb ǀkha garu nî ǀkhara ti ǂâi tsî. ǁHaposa aibe mîba te, o ta ge ǂâibasens tsîna go a mîba te ǁkhā ǃkhaisa nî ǂan.”
10 O gu ge ǁîga ge ǃeream: “ǃHūbaib ai i ge gao-aots di ǂgaoǀkhās ai dīǀoaǀoa ǁkhā khoe-i xare-e a ǀkhai. ǀGui gao-ao-i tsîn ge mâtikōse ǀgui i ga kai tsî ǀgaisa, xawe nēti i ǁgui-ai-e ǁî-i kēbo-aogu, aimûǀgaru-aogu tsî ǀgamirokō-aogu tsîga ǂgaoǀkhā tama hâ. 11 Sa ǂgaoǀkhās ge kaise a ǃgom, khoe-i xare-i ge ǁîsa a dī ǁoa, elogu ǀguigu ge ǁnāsa a dī ǁkhā tsî ǁîgu ge khoen ǁaegu ǁan tama hâ.”
12 Nēs aib ge gao-aoba kaise ǁaixa tsî Babilons di hoaraga ǀapemā-aogu, gao-aob digu nî ǃgamhesa ge mîmā. 13 Hoagu nî ǃgamhe ǃkhais ge ge ǂanǂanhe, tsî gu ge Danieli tsî ǁîb horesagu tsîna ge ôahe.
Elob ge Daniela ǁhapos di ǂâibasensa ra ǂhaiǂhaiba
14 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Daniela gao-aob ǃûi-aogu di danab Arioxi, Babilons ǀapemā-aogab nî ǃgamse ge ǂoab tawa sī tsî ǁîba ǃaoǃgâb ǀkha ge dî, 15 tare-i ǃaromab ge gao-aoba nēti i ǁkhōǁkhōsa mîmā-e māǂuisa. Ob ge Arioxa ge mîǃāba bi.
16 Ob ge Daniela gao-aob tawa sī tsî gao-aob mîmās ǁaeb aibe nî mâiǂuihesa ge ǂgan, îb gao-aoba ǁhapos di ǂâibasensa mîǃāba ǁkhā. 17 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge oms ǁga oa tsî ǁîb horesagu Hananjab, Misaeli tsî Asariab tsîga nē ǃkhaisa sī ge mîba. 18 Danieli ge ǁîga ge mîba, î gu ǀhommi di Elob ai ǀkhomxaǂgaosiba ǂgan, îb nē ǂganǃgâsiba ǁîga ǂhaiǂhaiba, î gu ǁîb tsî ǁîb horesaga tā Babilons di ǀapemā-aogu ǀkha ǃgamhe. 19 ǁNā tsuxub ǂûb ǃnâb ge Daniela ǁnā ǂganǃgâsiba, ai-i ǃnâ ge ǂhaiǂhaibahe tsîb ge ǁîba ǀhommi di Eloba ge koa:
20 “As Elob di ǀonsa koahe re ǀamosiba xu ǀamosib kōse,
gā-aisib tsî ǀgaib tsîkha ge a ǁîb di.
21 ǁÎb ge ǁaegu tsî kamaga ra ǀkharaǀkhara;
ǁîb ge gao-aoga ūǁnâ tsî gao-aoga ra mâi;
ǁîb ge gā-aina gā-aisiba ra mā tsî ǂansa ǁnâuǃāxana.
22 ǁÎb ge sâusa tsî ǂganǃgâsa xūna ra ǂhaiǂhai;
ǁîb ge ǃkhaenab ǃnâ hâ xūna a ǂan,
ǃnâb ge ǁîb ǂûb tawa hâ.
23 Koa tsî ta ge ra kare tsi ti aboxan di Elotse.
Sats ge gā-aisib tsî ǀgaib tsîkha ge mā te.
Sats ge ǂgan tsi ta gena mā te
tsî tare-e ta gao-aoba nî mîbasa ge ǂanǂan te.”
Danieli ge gao-aoba ǁhaposa mîba tsî ra ǁguiǃāba
24 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Daniela Arioxi, gao-aob ge ǁîb di ǀapemā-aogab nî ǃgamse mîmā hâ ib tawa sī tsî ǁîb ǃoa ge mî: “Tā gao-aob di ǀapemā-aoga ǃgam. Tita gao-aob tawa sī-ū, o ta ge ǁîba ǁîb di ǁhaposa nî ǁguiǃāba.”
25 Ob ge Arioxa Daniela ǃhaese gao-aob tawa ǂgâ-ū tsî ge mî: “Jodeǁî ǃkhōsaben ǃnâ ta ge ǀgui khoeb, gao-aotsa ǁhaposa ǁguiǃāba ǁkhāba go hō.”
26 Ob ge gao-aoba Danieli, Beltsasar tis tsîna ge ǂansa iba ge dî: “ǁHapo ta ge ǁhapos tsî ǁîs di ǂâibasens tsîra mîba te ǁkhāts a?”
27 Ob ge Daniela ge ǃeream: “ǀGuis khami i ǀapemā-ao-i, aimûǀgaru-ao-i, ǃgaidī-ao-i tamas ka io ǀgamirokō-ao-i tsîn ge gao-aotsa ǁnā ǃkhaisa a mîba ǁoa. 28 Xawe ǀhommi ǃnâ hâ Elob ge ǂganǃgâsiga ra ǂhaiǂhai. ǁÎb ge ǃgoaxaǁaeb ǃnâ nî ī xūna sats gao-ao Nebukadnesartsa go ǂanǂan. ǁOmts ǁgoe hîats ge ǁhapos ǃnâ nē aisa go mû.
29 “ǃGôahesa gao-aotse, sats ge ǁomts hâ hîa ǃgoaxaǁaeb ǃnâ nî ī xūn xa go ǁhapo. Tsîb ge Elob, ǂganǃgâsiga ra ǂhaiǂhaiba ī nî xūna go ǂanǂan tsi. 30 Nē ǂganǃgâsiba ta ge tita go ǂhaiǂhaibahe, tita nau khoen xa a gā-aio tama, xawe sats sa ǁhapos di ǂâibasensa ǂanǂanhe tsî sa ǂâide nî ǁnâuǃāga.
31 “ǃGôahesa gao-aotse, sa ǁhapos ǃnâts ge kai ība sa ais ai go mûmâ. ǁÎb ge go kaiǃgâ i tsî kaise, ǀgaisase ǂkhai tsî ǃaoǃaosase goro mûsen. 32 Danas âb ge go ǃūmû ǃhuniǀuri i, ǀūs tsî ǁôakha tsîna ǀhaiǀuri, ǃnāb tsî ǂnamira tsîna brons, 33 ǀnūkha ǀuri tsî ǂaira ge ǃkharese ǀuri tsî ǃkharese go ǂgoa i. 34 Noxopats ǁîba ra kō, hîa i ge kaiǃgâ ǀui-e, khoe-i xa i tsâǀkhāhe tamase khôaǁnâ tsî īb di ǂaira, ǀuri tsî ge ǂgoa ira ai ǁnā tsî ǁîra ge ǂkhūǂkhū. 35 ǀUrib, ǂgoab, brons-i, ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib tsîn hoan ge ǂnoaǂkhūǂkhūhe tsî ǃgaos ǁaeb ai, dāǃnâǃkhais ai ǁgoe ǀapob khami ge ī kaihe. ǁÎn hoan ge ǂoab xa ge ǃgombēhe, ǀgui xū-i tsîn ǃgau tamase. Xawe ǁnā ǀuis, ība ge ǂkhūǂkhūs ge kai ǃhom kai tsî hoaraga ǃhūbaiba ge ǃgū-ai.
36 “Nēs ge ǁhaposa. Nēsi ta ge ǁhapos di ǂâibasensa nî mîba tsi, ǃgôahesa gao-aotse. 37 Sats ge kai gao-aotsa. ǀHommi di Elob ge gaosib, ǀgaib, ǁkhāsib tsî ǃgôasib tsîga ge mā tsi. 38 ǁÎb ge hoaraga khoesib, ǀgurun tsî xamarin tsî ǁkhana ra anin tsîn ǂama ge gao kai. Sats ge ǁnā ǃhuniǀuri danatsa. 39 Sats khaoǃgâb ge ǀnî gaosiba nî hā, sab khami kai tamaba tsî ǁnās khaoǃgâ ǃnonaǁîb, brons-i dib, hoaraga ǃhūbaiba nî gaoǂamma. 40 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge hakaǁî gaosiba nî hā, ǀurib kōse ǀgaisab, ǀurib khami hoa xūna ǂnaukhôa tsî ra ǂkhūǂkhūba. ǁÎb ge ǀurib hoa xūna ra khôaǂkhū khami, nau gaosigu hoaga ǂnauǂkhūǂkhū tsî nî hîkākā. 41 ǂAira tsî ǀkhunun hîats go mûn go ǃkharese ǂgoa tsî ǃkharese go ǀuri-i, khamib ge nē gaosiba nî ǀgoraǃāsa. ǀUrib di ǀgaibab ge ǁîb ǃnâ nî ūhâ, mûts go khamib ǀuriba ǂgoab ǃnâ a habasa xui-ao. 42 ǂAira di ǀkhunun hîa ǃkharese ǀuri tsî ǃkharese a ǂgoan ge nē gaosib ǃkharese ǀgaisa tsî ǃkharese a ǂkhabusa ti ra ǂâibasen. 43 ǀUrib tsî ǂgoab tsîn a habasa ǃkhaisats ge go mû. ǁÎn ge ǀguisiba ǀgaiǀgaiǃnâ ǂgaos ǃaroma nî ǃgameǃnâgu, xaweb ge nē ǀguisiba mâǁapo tide, ǀurib ǂgoab ǀkha a habagu ǁoas ǁkhās khami. 44 ǁNā gao-aogu di ǁaeb ǃnâb ge ǀhommi di Eloba, tātsē ǀam tide gaosiba nî ǂnûiǂgā. ǁÎb ge ǀnî gaosi-i xare-i xa danhe tide, tsîb ge nau gaosigu hoaga hoaragase nî hîkākā, xawe ǁîb ǂûb ge ǀamos kōse nî hâhâ. 45 Sats ge ǀui-i, khoe-i ǃommi xa tsâǀkhāhe tamase ǃgareǀuiba xu khôaǁnâ tsî ǀurib, brons-i, ǂgoab, ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib tsîna ra ǂkhūǂkhū ǃkhaisa ge mû. Kai Elob ge gao-aotsa taren ǃgoaxaǁaeb ǃnâ nî ī ǃkhaisa go ǂanǂan.”
Gao-aob ge Daniela ra mādawa-am
46 Ob ge gao-aob Nebukadnesara Danieli aiǃâ ǃgamǃgâ tsî ǃgôasiba mā bi tsî ge mîmā, îb Daniela ǂûǁguibas tsî ǀanǀanǁguibas tsîna ǁguibahe. 47 Gao-aob ge Daniela ǃoa ge mî: “Sadu Elob ge amase elogu hoagu ǂamai a kai. ǁÎb ge a gao-ao gao-aogu ǂama tsîb ge ǂganǃgâsana ra ǂhaiǂhai, sats go nē ǂganǃgâsiba ǂhaiǂhai ǁkhā i xui-ao.” 48 Tsîb ge Daniela ǀgapi ǃharos ǃnâ mâi tsî ǂgui, ǂoaǂamsa ǀkhaexūna ge mā. ǁÎb ge Daniela hoaraga Babilons ǂama gowoniase tsî gao-aob ǀapemā-aogu hoagu di danase ge mâi. 49 Danieli di ǂgans aib ge gao-aoba Sadraxi, Mesaxi tsî Abednegob tsîga Babilons di ǀkharisi ǂgaeǂgui-aose ge mâi, xawe Danieli ǂûb ge gao-ommi ǃnâ ge hâ.
