Daniel’s Training in Babylon
1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia1:2 Hebrew Shinar and put in the treasure house of his god.
3Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.1:4 Or Chaldeans 5The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
6Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your1:10 The Hebrew for your and you in this verse is plural. food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
11Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
18At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
21And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
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.
