Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
1 In the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he had a dream. It worried him so much that he couldn't sleep, 2 so he sent for his fortunetellers, magicians, sorcerers, and wizards to come and explain the dream to him. When they came and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I'm worried about a dream I've had. I want to know what it means.”
4 They answered the king in Aramaic, “May Your Majesty live forever! Tell us your dream, and we will explain it to you.”
5 The king said to them, “I have made up my mind that you must tell me the dream and then tell me what it means. If you can't, I'll have you torn limb from limb and make your houses a pile of ruins. 6 But if you can tell me both the dream and its meaning, I will reward you with gifts and great honor. Now then, tell me what the dream was and what it means.”
7 They answered the king again, “If Your Majesty will only tell us what the dream was, we will explain it.”
8 At that, the king exclaimed, “Just as I thought! You are trying to gain time, because you see that I have made up my mind 9 to give all of you the same punishment if you don't tell me the dream. You have agreed among yourselves to go on telling me lies because you hope that in time things will change. Tell me what the dream was, and then I will know that you can also tell me what it means.”
10 The advisers replied, “There is no one on the face of the earth who can tell Your Majesty what you want to know. No king, not even the greatest and most powerful, has ever made such a demand of his fortunetellers, magicians, and wizards. 11 What Your Majesty is asking for is so difficult that no one can do it for you except the gods, and they do not live among human beings.”
12 At that, the king flew into a rage and ordered the execution of all the royal advisers in Babylon. 13 So the order was issued for all of them to be killed, including Daniel and his friends.
God Shows Daniel What the Dream Means
14 Then Daniel went to Arioch, commander of the king's bodyguard, who had been ordered to carry out the execution. Choosing his words carefully, 15 he asked Arioch why the king had issued such a harsh order. So Arioch told Daniel what had happened.
16 Daniel went at once and obtained royal permission for more time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant. 17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. 18 He told them to pray to the God of heaven for mercy and to ask him to explain the mystery to them so that they would not be killed along with the other advisers in Babylon. 19 Then that same night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he praised the God of heaven:
20 “God is wise and powerful!
Praise him forever and ever.
21 He controls the times and the seasons;
he makes and unmakes kings;
it is he who gives wisdom and understanding.
22 He reveals things that are deep and secret;
he knows what is hidden in darkness,
and he himself is surrounded by light.
23 I praise you and honor you, God of my ancestors.
You have given me wisdom and strength;
you have answered my prayer
and shown us what to tell the king.”
Daniel Tells the King the Dream and Explains It
24 So Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had commanded to execute the royal advisers. He said to him, “Don't put them to death. Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means.”
25 At once Arioch took Daniel into King Nebuchadnezzar's presence and told the king, “I have found one of the Jewish exiles who can tell Your Majesty the meaning of your dream.”
26 The king said to Daniel (who was also called Belteshazzar), “Can you tell me what I dreamed and what it means?”
27 Daniel replied, “Your Majesty, there is no wizard, magician, fortuneteller, or astrologer who can tell you that. 28 But there is a God in heaven, who reveals mysteries. He has informed Your Majesty what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you the dream, the vision you had while you were asleep.
29 “While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about the future; and God, who reveals mysteries, showed you what is going to happen. 30 Now, this mystery was revealed to me, not because I am wiser than anyone else, but so that Your Majesty may learn the meaning of your dream and understand the thoughts that have come to you.
31 “Your Majesty, in your vision you saw standing before you a giant statue, bright and shining, and terrifying to look at. 32 Its head was made of the finest gold; its chest and arms were made of silver; its waist and hips of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, and its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 While you were looking at it, a great stone broke loose from a cliff without anyone touching it, struck the iron and clay feet of the statue, and shattered them. 35 At once the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold crumbled and became like the dust on a threshing place in summer. The wind carried it all away, leaving not a trace. But the stone grew to be a mountain that covered the whole earth.
36 “This was the dream. Now I will tell Your Majesty what it means. 37 Your Majesty, you are the greatest of all kings. The God of heaven has made you emperor and given you power, might, and honor. 38 He has made you ruler of all the inhabited earth and ruler over all the animals and birds. You are the head of gold. 39 After you there will be another empire, not as great as yours, and after that a third, an empire of bronze, which will rule the whole earth. 40 And then there will be a fourth empire, as strong as iron, which shatters and breaks everything. And just as iron shatters everything, it will shatter and crush all the earlier empires. 41 You also saw that the feet and the toes were partly clay and partly iron. This means that it will be a divided empire. It will have something of the strength of iron, because there was iron mixed with the clay. 42 The toes—partly iron and partly clay—mean that part of the empire will be strong and part of it weak. 43 You also saw that the iron was mixed with the clay. This means that the rulers of that empire will try to unite their families by intermarriage, but they will not be able to, any more than iron can mix with clay. 44 At the time of those rulers the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never end. It will never be conquered, but will completely destroy all those empires and then last forever. 45 You saw how a stone broke loose from a cliff without anyone touching it and how it struck the statue made of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God is telling Your Majesty what will happen in the future. I have told you exactly what you dreamed, and have given you its true meaning.”
The King Rewards Daniel
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed to the ground and gave orders for sacrifices and offerings to be made to Daniel. 47 The king said, “Your God is the greatest of all gods, the Lord over kings, and the one who reveals mysteries. I know this because you have been able to explain this mystery.” 48 Then he gave Daniel a high position, presented him with many splendid gifts, put him in charge of the province of Babylon, and made him the head of all the royal advisers. 49 At Daniel's request the king put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in charge of the affairs of the province of Babylon; Daniel, however, remained at the royal court.
Daniel ta fatululile Nebukadnesar ondjodi yaye
1 Ndele momudo omutivali wepangelo laye Nebukadnesar okwa twa eendjodi, opo omhepo yaye ya tukuluka, neemhofi daye ode mu londoka. 2 Opo nee ohamba ya lombwela ovanongo, eendudu, eemhule nOvakaldea va ifanwe va fatulule ondjodi yohamba ei ya twa, opo vo ve uya tava kala ofika koshipala shohamba. 3 Ohamba oya tya kuvo: “Ame onda twa ondjodi, nomhepo yange kai netulumuko fimbo inandi shiiva ondjodi ei.” 4 Opo Ovakaldea va popya nohamba mOshiaramea: “Ohamba nai kale alushe i nomwenyo! Hepaululila ovapiya voye ondjodi, ndele fye ohatu ke ku hololela efatululo layo.” 5 Ohamba oya nyamukula Ovakaldea ndele tai ti: “Eendjovo dange edi dihe shii okulundululwa: ngeenge inamu tomonena nge ondjodi ei nefatululo layo, ohandi ke mu tetaula oinhimbu nomaumbo eni otaa ka ninga oyuumbo. 6 Ndele ngeenge tamu hepaulile nge ondjodi yoovene eshi tai ti, ohandi ke mu pa eeshali nomilongelo netumbaleko linene. Hano tomoneneni nge ondjodi yoovene eshi tai ti.” 7 Ovo aveshe va nyamukula lutivali, tava ti: “Ohamba nai hepaululile ovapiya vayo ondjodi yayo, opo nee ohatu ke mu tomonena.” 8 Opo ohamba ya nyamukula tai ti: “Heeno, ondi shi shii shili, nye mwa hala mu mane po efimbo, osheshi omu shi wete nokutya, eendjovo dange kadi shii okulundululwa; 9 osheshi ngeenge nye itamu hololele nge ondjodi, tamu mono etokolo limwe alike. Osheshi mwe lianda ko mu fufye nokukotokela nge fiyo efimbo tali lunduluka. Hano hepaululileni nge ondjodi yoovene, opo nee handi ka shiiva nokutya, onye tamu dulu okushiiva okupa nge etomoneno layo.” 10 Ovakaldea ova nyamukula koshipala shohamba tava ti: “Kombada yedu kaku nomunhu ta dulu okushiiva oshinima eshi sha tongwa kohamba. Onghee hano kaku na nokuli ohamba inene i neenghono tai pula omukoneki nondudu ile Omukaldea oshinima shi li ngaha. 11 Heeno, oshinima eshi tashi pulwa kohamba oshidjuu, ndele kaku nomunhu ta dulu oku shi hololela ohamba, ngeno shapu oikalunga, okukala kwavo kaku li mokati kovanhu.” 12 Omolwaashi ohamba oya handuka nokuhandukilila, ndele oya yandja elombwelo nokutya, ovanongo aveshe vomuBabilon nava dipawe. 13 Hano ondaka eshi ya udika, kutya ovanongo otava ka dipawa, Daniel no vakwao yo ova kongwa va ka dipawe.
14 Opo nee Daniel okwa nyamukula enyamukulo la yuka noli neendunge kuAriok, omukulunhu wovanangeli vohamba, ou a fikama a ka dipae ovanongo vomuBabilon. 15 Ndele ye okwa nyamukula Ariok, elenga lohamba, ndele ta ti: Ohamba oya yandjela shike ondaka idjuu unene i fike opo? Opo Ariok okwe shi fatululila Daniel. 16 Opo nee Daniel a ya mouhamba, ndele ta ilikana ohamba i mu pe efimbo opo ye a shiive oku i tomonena ondjodi ei yayo. 17 Opo Daniel a ya keumbo laye, ndele ta hepaululile vakwao Hanania, Mishael naAsaria oshinima eshi, 18 opo va ilikane Kalunga komeulu e va file onghenda omolwoshinima eshi oshiholekwa, vo, Daniel navakwao vaha dipawe pamwe novanongo vomuBabilon. 19 Opo nee Daniel okwa hololelwa memoniko oufiku oshiholekwa eshi. Opo Daniel ta hambelele Kalunga komeulu. 20 Opo nee Daniel a popya ndele ta ti:
“Edina laKalunga nali hambelelwe alushe fiyo alushe,
osheshi ounongo neenghono odaye.
21 Oye ta lundulula omafimbo neetundi,
ndele Ye ota xutula eehamba noha nangeke eehamba,
ndele Oye ha yandje ounongo kovanongo
nomayele kovanamayele.
22 Oye ta holola oinyengandunge noinima ya holekwa.
Oye a shiiva eshi shi li momilaulu
nouyelele u li puye.
23 Oove Kalunga kootatekulu,
ame ohandi ku hambelele nohandi ku fimaneke,
osheshi Ove wa pa nge omayele neenghono
ndele paife wa shiivifila nge eshi twe shi ku indila,
osheshi oshinima shohamba owe shi tu hololela.”
24 Opo nee Daniel a ya kuAriok, ou a tulwa po kohamba a ka dipae ovanongo vomuBabilon. Oye okwa ya ko kuye ndele te mu lombwele ngaha: “Ino dipaa ovanongo vomuBabilon; twale nge koshipala shohamba, opo ndi ke i tomonene ondjodi yayo.” 25 Opo Ariok a twala divadiva Daniel kohamba, ndele e i lombwela ta ti: “Ame onda mona umwe womovapika vokuJuda, ou ta hololele ohamba efatululo.” 26 Ohamba oya nyamukula ndele tai lombwele Daniel ou a ifanwa Beltesasar: “Ove to dulu tuu okutomonena nge ondjodi ei nda twile, nefatululo layo?” 27 Daniel okwa nyamukula koshipala shohamba, ta ti: “Oshiholekwa eshi tashi pulwa kohamba sha nyenga ovanongo, eendudu, ovatei voipo novakoneki veenyofi oku shi fatululila ohamba. 28 Ndelenee ope na Kalunga komeulu, ou ha holola oiholekwa, ndele Oye a hololela ohamba Nebukadnesar eshi tashi ka ningwa pomafiku axuuninwa. Ondjodi yoye nomamoniko omomutwe woye momutala woye aa: 29 Ove, ohamba eshi wa li momutala woye owa diladila eshi tashi ka ningwa komesho; ndele oye tuu ou, e shii kuholola eshi sha holekwa, oye e ku hololela eshi tashi ka ningwa. 30 Ndele oshiholekwa eshi sha hololelwa nge hakeenghono dounongo ou wange, ndi u kwete ngeno, ndi dule ovanamwenyo aveshe, ndelenee osha hololwa opo efatululo li shiivifilwe ohamba, naave yo u koneke omadiladilo omomutima woye.
31 “Ove ohamba wa mona, tala, okwa li oshihongwafano shakula. Oshihongwafano eshi sha li shinene unene, noshinge shasho shiwa. Osha kala ofika koshipala shoye, nokutalwa kwasho oixuna yongaho. 32 Oshihongwafano osho shi na: omutwe washo woshingoldo shiwa. Onhulo yasho nomaoko asho oshisiliveli, edimo neenho dasho oshikushu. 33 Omaulu asho oshivela, eemhadi kombinga oshivela kombinga elova. 34 Fimbo we shi tala, emanya inali kumwa komake omunhu ola natuka ko, ndele olo la denga oshihongwafano keemhadi dasho doshivela nodelova, ndele tali shi nyanyaula. 35 Ndele mokafimbo tuu oko oivela nelova noshikushu, oshisiliveli noshingoldo osha nyanyaulwa, sha kala ngaashi olungu poshipale mokufu eli tali i omhepo, ndele inashi monika vali nande. Ndelenee emanya olo la denga oshihongwafano ola shituka omhunda inene, ndele oya mana ko edu alishe. 36 Ondjodi oyo tuu ei. Netomono layo hatu li tomonene ohamba paife. 37 Oove ohamba, ohamba yeehamba, Kalunga komeulu okwe ku pa ouhamba neenghono nepangelo nefimano, 38 ndele mounyuni aushe apa pe novanhu noifitukuti yomofuka needila dokeulu, Kalunga okwe i yandja meke loye, ndele e ku ninga omupangeli waaishe: Oove ou omutwe woshingoldo. 39 Ndele ove to ka shikulwa kouhamba umwe u dulike kwaau woye, ndele tau shikulwa kouhamba omutitatu woshikushu notau ka pangela edu alishe. 40 Ndele ouhamba omutine tau ka kala wa pama ngaashi oshivela; ngaashi naanaa oshivela hashi nyanyaula ndele tashi teyaula keshe tuu nongaashi oshivela hashi teyaula po ndele tashi ka nyanyaula yo notashi ka teyaula aishe. 41 Hano ngaashi wa mona eemhadi nominwe dasho kombinga elova nokombinga oivela, eshi tashi ti: tau ka kala ouhamba uhe nekwatafano ndelenee muwo tamu kala oupamene woshivela, ngaashi wa tala oshivela sha lumbakana nelova. 42 Ndele ominwe dokeemhadi kombinga oivela ndele kombinga elova, eshi tashi ti: ombinga imwe yoshilongo oya pama, ndelenee ikwao inai pama. 43 Eshi wa mona oshivela sha lumbakana nelova, otashi ti: tava ka lumbakana, ndele itava kwatafana, ngaashi oivela inai likwata nelova. 44 Ndelenee pomafiku eehamba dinya Kalunga ou komeulu ota ka dika ouhamba itau ka teka po fiyo alushe, nepangelo lao itali ka yandjwa koshiwana shimwe. Ndele wo otau ka nyanyaula notau ka teyaula omauhamba aeshe noku a xulifa po, ndelenee woovene tau ka kala fiyo alushe, 45 ngaashi wa mona emanya la natuka ko komhunda, inali kumwa nande komake omunhu, ndele la nyanyaula oshivela noshikushu nedu lelova noshisiliveli noshingoldo. Kalunga munene Oye okwa hololela ohamba, eshi tashi ka ningwa komesho. Ndele ondjodi ei oyoshili nefatululo layo oli shii kulineekelwa.”
46 Opo ohamba Nebukadnesar oye lifidimika koshipala shaDaniel ndele tai ti, ye na yambelwe eendjayambo noitwiminoyambo. 47 Ohamba oya nyamukula Daniel ndele tai ti: “Oshili, Kalunga keni Oye Kalunga koikalunga, ndele Oye Omwene weehamba nOmuhololi woiholekwa, onghee ove ino nyengwa okuholola oshiholekwa eshi.” 48 Opo ohamba oya lenga Daniel, ndele ye mu pa omilongelo dinene dihapu, ndele ye mu tula omupangeli wombinga imwe yoshilongo shaBabilon nomukulunhu a kula kombada yovanongo aveshe vomuBabilon. 49 Ndele paindilo laDaniel, ohamba oya tula Sadrak, Mesak naAbednego moulenga, va ninge ovakulunhu veenghundafana vombinga imwe yoshilongo shaBabilon. Ndelenee Daniel okwa kala mouhamba.
