Daniel 1 – NIRV & AKCB

New International Reader’s Version

Daniel 1:1-21

Daniel Is Trained in Babylon

1It was the third year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. His armies surrounded the city and attacked it. 2The Lord handed Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, over to him. Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the objects from God’s temple. He carried them off to the temple of his god in Babylon. He put them among the treasures of his god.

3The king gave Ashpenaz an order. Ashpenaz was the chief of Nebuchadnezzar’s court officials. The king told him to bring him some of the Israelites. The king wanted them to serve him in his court. He wanted nobles and men from the royal family. 4He was looking for young men who were healthy and handsome. They had to be able to learn anything. They had to be well educated. They had to have the ability to understand new things quickly and easily. The king wanted men who could serve in his palace. Ashpenaz was supposed to teach them the Babylonian language and writings. 5The king had his servants give them food and wine from his own table. They received a certain amount every day. The young men had to be trained for three years. After that, they could begin to serve the king.

6Some of the men chosen were from Judah. Their names were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7The chief official gave them new names. He gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar. He gave Hananiah the name Shadrach. He gave Mishael the name Meshach. And he gave Azariah the name Abednego.

8Daniel decided not to make himself “unclean” by eating the king’s food and drinking his wine. So he asked the chief official for a favor. He wanted permission not to make himself “unclean” with the king’s food and wine. 9God had caused the official to be kind and friendly to Daniel. 10But the official refused to do what Daniel asked for. He said, “I’m afraid of the king. He is my master. He has decided what you and your three friends must eat and drink. Other young men are the same age as you. Why should he see you looking worse than them? When he sees how you look, he might kill me.”

11So Daniel spoke to one of the guards. The chief official had appointed him over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 12Daniel said to him, “Please test us for ten days. Give us nothing but vegetables to eat. And give us only water to drink. 13Then compare us with the young men who eat the king’s food. See how we look. After that, do what you want to.” 14So the guard agreed. He tested them for ten days.

15After the ten days Daniel and his friends looked healthy and well fed. In fact, they looked better than any of the young men who ate the king’s food. 16So the guard didn’t require them to eat the king’s special food. He didn’t require them to drink the king’s wine either. He gave them vegetables instead.

17God gave knowledge and understanding to these four young men. So they understood all kinds of writings and subjects. And Daniel could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.

18The three years the king had set for their training ended. So the chief official brought them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king talked with them. He didn’t find anyone equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. So they began to serve the king. 20He asked them for advice in matters that required wisdom and understanding. The king always found their answers to be the best. Other men in his kingdom claimed to get knowledge by using magic. But the answers of Daniel and his friends were ten times better than theirs.

21Daniel served in Babylon until the first year Cyrus ruled over the land of Babylon. Cyrus was king of Persia.

Akuapem Twi Contemporary Bible

Daniel 1:1-21

Woyi Israelfo Baanan Tetew Wɔn

1Yudahene Yehoiakim dii ade ne mfe abiɛsa mu no, Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar baa Yerusalem de nʼasraafo betuaa ɔman no ano. 2Awurade maa no dii Yudahene Yehoiakim so nkonim. Bere a Nebukadnessar resan akɔ Babilonia no, ɔtasee akronkronne bi fii Onyankopɔn asɔredan mu, de kɔɔ nʼabosonnan mu koguu adekorabea hɔ wɔ Babilonia asase so.

3Afei ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ ne piamfohene Aspenas se, ɔmfa mmerante no bi a wofi Yuda adehye abusua mu, ne wɔn a wofi mmusua atitiriw mu a wɔde wɔn aba Babilonia sɛ nnommum no mmra ahemfi hɔ, 4mmerante ahoɔdenfo a wɔn ho nni dɛm, na wɔn ho yɛ fɛ. Hwɛ sɛ wɔwɔ nhumu, na wɔadom wɔn osuahu mu akyɛde a wonim nyansa, na wɔwɔ nnyinaso bi a ɛbɛma wɔatumi asom wɔ ahemfi hɔ. Kyerɛ mmerante no Kaldeafo kasa ne ne nhoma. 5Ɔhene no hyɛe sɛ, daa wɔmfa aduan ne nsa a efi ne didipon so mmrɛ wɔn. Na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtetew wɔn mfe abiɛsa, na wɔn mu bi abɛyɛ nʼasomfo.

6Mmerante baanan bi a woyii wɔn no ne Daniel, Hanania, Misael ne Asaria a wɔn nyinaa fi Yuda abusuakuw mu. 7Piamfohene no de din foforo totoo wɔn. Ɔtoo Daniel Beltesasar; ɔtoo Hanania Sadrak; ɔtoo Misael Mesak na ɔtoo Asaria Abednego.

8Na Daniel yɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔrenni aduan, nnom nsa a ɔhene no de bɛbrɛ wɔn no, ɔsrɛɛ piamfohene no sɛ ɔmma no kwan na wangu ne ho fi. 9Na Onyankopɔn maa Daniel nyaa piamfohene no anim adɔe ne mmɔborɔhunu. 10Piamfohene no ka kyerɛɛ Daniel se, “Me wura ɔhene no ahyɛ sɛ munni saa aduan yi, na monnom nsa no. Sɛ mofonfɔn na wɔde mo toto mmabun a wɔyɛ mo tipɛnfo no ho a, ɔhene no bɛma wɔatwa me ti sɛ matoto mʼadwuma ase.”

11Daniel ka kyerɛɛ ɔsomfo a piamfohene no de no asi ɔno ne Hanania, Misael ne Asaria so no se, 12“Ma yɛn nhabamma ne nsu nnadu, na fa sɔ yɛn hwɛ. 13Afei fa yɛn toto mmerante afoforo no a wɔredi ɔhene nnuan pa no ho, na hwɛ sɛnea yɛte. Ɛno akyi, yɛ wo nkoa sɛnea wuhu.” 14Enti ɔsomfo no penee asɛm a Daniel de too nʼanim no so, sɔɔ wɔn hwɛɛ nnadu.

15Nnadu no akyi, wohuu sɛ wɔn anim ayɛ fɛ na wɔwɔ honam sen mmerante a wodii ahennuan no nyinaa. 16Enti ɔsomfo no sii gyinae sɛ ɔbɛtoa so ama wɔn nhabamma nko ara, na wamfa ahennuan amma wɔn.

17Na mmerantewa baanan yi Nyankopɔn maa wɔn nhomanim ne nyansahu nyinaa mu nimdeɛ, na Daniel nyaa anisoadehu ne dae nkyerɛase ho nimdeɛ.

18Bere a ɔhene no ahyɛ no soe no, ɔpanyin no de mmerante yi nyinaa brɛɛ Nebukadnessar. 19Ɔhene no ne wɔn nyinaa kasae, na wɔn mu biara ansɔ nʼani gye sɛ, Daniel, Hanania, Misael ne Asaria. Enti wɔde wɔn kaa ɔhene no piamfo no ho. 20Asɛm biara a ehia nyansa ne ntease a ɔhene no bisa wɔn no ohu sɛ wɔsen nkonyaayifo ne pɛadeahufo a wɔwɔ nʼaheman mu nyinaa no mpɛn du.

21Daniel tenaa hɔ ara kosii ɔhene Kores adedi afe a edi kan mu.