Dua Ho Daeso
1Ɔhene Nebukadnessar,
de saa nkra yi kɔmaa nnipa ne aman ne kasa ahorow a ɛwɔ wiase se:
Ensi mo yiye mmoroso!
2Ɛyɛ me anigye sɛ mo nyinaa ahu biribi a ɛfa nsɛnkyerɛnne ne anwonwade a Ɔsorosoro Nyankopɔn ayɛ ama me.
3Hwɛ sɛnea ne nsɛnkyerɛnne yɛ kɛse fa!
Na hwɛ sɛnea tumi a ɛwɔ nʼanwonwade no mu so fa!
Nʼahenni yɛ daa ahenni;
ne tumi teɛ kɔ awo ntoatoaso nyinaa so.
4Na me, Nebukadnessar, mete mʼahemfi, midi me ho so na me koma tɔ me yam. 5Nanso mesoo dae bi a, ɛbɔɔ me hu yiye. Meda me mpa so no, mfoni a ɛfaa mʼani so ne anisoadehu a minyaa no hunahunaa me. 6Ɛno nti, mehyɛ ma wɔfrɛɛ anyansafo a wɔwɔ Babilonia nyinaa sɛ wɔmmɛkyerɛ me dae no ase. 7Bere a nkonyaayifo, pɛadeahufo, Kaldeafo ne ntafowayifo no bae no, mekaa dae no kyerɛɛ wɔn, nanso wɔantumi ankyerɛ me ase. 8Akyiri no, Daniel (a wɔtoo no din Beltesasar, a ɛyɛ me nyame din, efisɛ, na anyame kronkron no honhom wɔ ne mu) baa mʼanim, na mekaa dae no kyerɛɛ no. 9Meka kyerɛɛ no se, Beltesasar, nkonyaayifo panyin, minim sɛ, anyame kronkron no honhom wɔ wo mu, ɛno nti, ɛnyɛ wo den sɛ wobɛkyerɛ ahintasɛm biara ase. Afei, me dae no ni, kyerɛ me ase. 10Bere a meda me mpa so no, dae a mesoe ne sɛ, mihuu dua bi a esi asase mfimfini a ɛware tenteenten. 11Dua no nyin yɛɛ dutan kɛse na ne tenten koduu soro, a wuhu no asase so baabiara. 12Na ne nhaban yɛ frɔmfrɔm fɛfɛɛfɛ, na asow aba bebree, na so wɔ aduan ma obiara. Na wuram mmoa te ne nwini ase, na wim nnomaa nso yɛ wɔn berebuw wɔ ne mman mu.
13“Meda me mpa so no, mihuu ɔbɔfo kronkron bi a ofi ɔsoro reba fam wɔ mʼanisoadehu no mu. 14Ɔbɔfo no teɛɛ mu se, ‘Twa dua no to fam na twitwa ne mman no nyinaa. Porow ne nhaban no, na tow nʼaba no pete. Pam mmoa no fi ne nwini ase, na pam wim nnomaa no fi ne mman so. 15Nanso gyaw dunsin no ne ne ntin a dade ne kɔbere akyekyere, na sare atwa ho ahyia no.
“ ‘Afei, ma ɔsoro bosu mfɔw no fɔkyee, na ma ɔne mmoa ntena wɔ wuram. 16Na ma nʼadwene nsesa na ɛnyɛ sɛ aboa de. Na mfe ason ntwa ne ti so.
17“ ‘Asomafo asi gyinae dedaw; na akronkronfo abu atɛn sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a ateasefo nyinaa bɛte ase sɛ, Ɔsorosoroni no na odi wiase ahemman so, na ɔde ma obiara a ɔpɛ, mpo, sɛ ɔyɛ onipa teta.’
18“Beltesasar, saa dae yi na me, Ɔhene Nebukadnessar soe. Afei kyerɛ me ase, efisɛ anyansafo a wɔwɔ mʼahemman mu nyinaa antumi ankyerɛ me ase. Na wo de, wubetumi akyerɛ me, efisɛ anyame kronkron honhom no wɔ wo mu.”
Daniel Kyerɛ Dae No Ase
19Daniel (a wɔsan frɛ no Beltesasar no) tee dae no, ɔyɛɛ basaa kakra; ne ho dwiriw no na nʼadwene mu haw no. Nti, ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Beltesasar, mma dae no ne ne nkyerɛase mmɔ wo hu.”
Beltesasar buae se, “Eyi de, Nana, anka dae no ne ne nkyerɛase no ɛmpare wo na ɛnkɔ wʼatamfo so! 20Nana, wuhuu dua bi a enyin yɛɛ dutan kɛse a ne tenten koduu soro, na wuhu no asase nyinaa so. 21Na ne nhaban yɛ frɔmfrɔm fɛfɛɛfɛ a asow aba bebree, na so wɔ aduan ma obiara. Na wuram mmoa te ne nwini ase, na wim nnomaa nso yɛ wɔn berebuw wɔ ne mman mu. 22Nana, mesrɛ ka, saa dua no yɛ wo. Efisɛ, woanya nkɔso, ahoɔden ne kɛseyɛ mu. Wo kɛseyɛ no kodu ɔsoro, na wʼadedi no kɔ akyirikyiri kodu asase ano.
23“Afei, Nana, wuhuu ɔbɔfo kronkron a ofi ɔsoro reba fam, na ɔreka se, ‘Twa dua no to fam na sɛe no. Nanso, gyaw dunsin no ne ne ntin a dade ne kɔbere akyekyere, na sare atwa ho ahyia no. Afei ma ɔsoro bosu mfɔw no fɔkyee, na ma ɔne mmoa ntena wɔ wuram. Na ma nʼadwene nsesa na ɛnyɛ sɛ aboa de. Na mfe ason ntwa ne ti so.’
24“Dae no nkyerɛase ni, Nana, atɛn a Ɔsorosoroni no abu atia wo no ni. 25Wɔbɛpam wo afi nnipa mu, na wo ne wuram mmoa bɛtena wuram. Wobɛwe sare te sɛ nantwi, na ɔsoro bosu afɔw wo fɔkyee. Mfe ason betwa wo ti so akosi sɛ, wubehu sɛ, Ɔsorosoroni no na odi wiase ahemman so, na ɔde ma obiara a ɔpɛ. 26Hyɛ a wɔhyɛ ma wogyaw dunsin no ne ne ntin no wɔ asase mu no kyerɛ sɛ, sɛ wuhu sɛ ɔsoro na edi tumi no a, wo nsa bɛsan aka wʼahenni. 27Ne saa nti, Nana Nebukadnessar, mesrɛ wo, tie mʼafotu. Gyae bɔneyɛ, na yɛ nea ɛteɛ. Gyae wʼatirimɔdensɛm na yɛ ahummɔbɔ ma ahiafo, na twe wo ho fi wo tete amumɔyɛ no ho. Ebia, woyɛ saa a, wobɛkɔ so adi yiye.”
28Na saa nneɛma yi nyinaa baa Ɔhene Nebukadnessar so. 29Asram dumien akyi a na ɔretu mpase wɔ ahemfi no abansoro atifi wɔ Babilonia no, 30ɔtoo nʼani, hwɛɛ kurow no mu, na ɔkae se, “Ɛnyɛ Babilonia kurow kɛse a mede me tumi akyekyere ayɛ no ɔhempɔn atenae de ahyɛ mʼahenni anuonyam ni ana?”
31Bere a ogu so reka saa nsɛm no, nne bi fi ɔsoro bae se, “Wo, Ɔhene Nebukadnessar, nea wɔahyɛ ato hɔ ama wo ni: Wɔagye wʼahenni tumi no afi wo nsam. 32Wɔbɛpam wo afi nnipa mu. Wo ne wuram mmoa bɛtena wuram. Na wobɛwe sare te sɛ nantwi. Mfe ason betwa wo ti so kosi sɛ wubehu sɛ, Ɔsorosoroni no di wiase ahemman so, na ɔde ma obiara a ɔpɛ.”
33Amono mu hɔ ara nkɔmhyɛ no baa mu. Wɔpam Nebukadnessar fii nnipa mu. Ɔwee sare te sɛ nantwi, na ɔsoro bosu fɔw no fɔkyee. Ɔtenaa saa tebea no mu kosii sɛ, ne tinwi yɛɛ atenten te sɛ ɔkɔre ntakra, na nʼawerɛw yɛɛ sɛ anomaa awerɛw.
34Saa bere yi twaa mu no, me, Nebukadnessar, memaa mʼani so hwɛɛ soro. Mʼani baa me ho so, na mekamfo Ɔsorosoroni no, na metrontrom nea ɔte ase daa no yii no ayɛ se:
Ne tumi yɛ daa tumi,
Na nʼahenni teɛ kɔ awo ntoatoaso nyinaa so.
35Asase so nnipa nyinaa,
wommu wɔn hwee.
Ɔde ɔsoro tumi yɛ nea ɔpɛ biara.
Na nnipa a wɔwɔ asase so
mu biara ntumi nsiw no kwan
anaa ommisa no se, “Dɛn na woayɛ yi?”
36Bere a mʼani baa me ho so no, bere koro no mu ara na me nidi ne me kɛseyɛ a ɛhyɛ me man no anuonyam no bae. Mʼafotufo ne mʼabirɛmpɔn hwehwɛɛ me, na wɔsan de me sii mʼahenni so bio, na mʼanuonyam bɛyɛɛ kɛse kyɛn kan no. 37Afei me Nebukadnessar, mekamfo ma no so, hyɛ ɔsorohene anuonyam, de nidi ma no. Ne nneyɛe nyinaa yɛ pɛ, na ɛyɛ nokware, na obetumi abrɛ ahantanfo ase.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Tree
4:0 In Aramaic texts 4:1-3 is numbered 3:31-33, and 4:4-37 is numbered 4:1-34. 1King Nebuchadnezzar,
To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth:
May you prosper greatly!
2It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his dominion endures from generation to generation.
4I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. 5I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. 6So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. 7When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers4:7 Or Chaldeans and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. 8Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
9I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. 10These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
13“In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger,4:13 Or watchman; also in verses 17 and 23 coming down from heaven. 14He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.
“ ‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times4:16 Or years; also in verses 23, 25 and 32 pass by for him.
17“ ‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’
18“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Interprets the Dream
19Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— 22Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
23“Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’
24“This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
The Dream Is Fulfilled
28All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
31Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
33Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to him: “What have you done?”
36At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
