The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace
1King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,3:1 That is, about 90 feet high and 9 feet wide or about 27 meters high and 2.7 meters wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8At this time some astrologers3:8 Or Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. 9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
13Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us3:17 Or If the God we serve is able to deliver us, then he will deliver us from the blazing furnace and from Your Majesty’s hand. 18But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
19Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
26Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Nebukadnessar Yɛ Sikakɔkɔɔ Ohoni
1Ɔhene Nebukadnessar yɛɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni bi a na ne ɔsorokɔ yɛ anammɔn aduɔkron, na ne tɛtrɛtɛ nso yɛ anammɔn nkron. Wɔde sii Dura tata so wɔ Babiloniaman mu. 2Afei, ɔtoo nkra kɔmaa ahenemma, mpanimfoɔ, amradofoɔ, afotufoɔ, nsanaafoɔ, atemmufoɔ, asɛnnifoɔ ne ɔman no mu mpanimfoɔ sɛ, wɔmmra ohoni a wɔreda no adi no ase. 3Ɛberɛ a ahenemma, mpanimfoɔ, amradofoɔ, afotufoɔ, nsanaafoɔ, atemmufoɔ, asɛnnifoɔ ne ɔman no mu mpanimfoɔ no bɛhyiaeɛ sɛ wɔrebɛda ohoni a Ɔhene Nebukadnessar de asi hɔ adi no, wɔbɛgyinagyinaa ohoni no anim.
4Na wɔbɔɔ dawuro teaam sɛ, “Nnipa ahodoɔ ne aman ahodoɔ ne kasa ahodoɔ nyinaa montie deɛ ɔhene ahyɛ sɛ monyɛ! 5Sɛ mote abɛn, odurugya, sankuo, sankuten, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontodeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa nnyegyeeɛ a, monkoto fam, na monsɔre ɔhene Nebukadnessar sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni no. 6Obiara a wankoto fam ansɔre ohoni no dɔn no ara mu no, wɔde no bɛto fononoo a ogya redɛre wɔ mu framfram mu.”
7Enti, ɛberɛ a wɔtee abɛn, odurugya sankuo, sankuba sankuo, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontodeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa nnyegyeeɛ no, nnipa no nyinaa ne aman ahodoɔ ne wɔn a wɔka kasa ahodoɔ nyinaa kotoo fam, sɔree ohoni a Ɔhene Nebukadnessar de asi hɔ no.
8Nanso, Kaldeafoɔ no bi kɔɔ ɔhene no nkyɛn kɔtoatoa Yudafoɔ no sɛ, 9“Nana wo nkwa so! 10Wohyɛɛ mmara maa ɔmanfoɔ sɛ, obiara te abɛn, odurugya sankuo, sankuba sankuo, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontodeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa nnyegyeeɛ a, ɔnkoto fam, na ɔnsɔre sika ohoni no, 11na obiara a wantie ankɔto ansɔre ohoni no, wɔde no bɛto fononoo a ogya redɛre framfram wɔ mu no mu. 12Nanso, Nana, Yudafoɔ bi a wɔn din de Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego a wode wɔn atuatua Babiloniaman ano no abu wo animtia, na wansɔre wʼanyame anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni a wode asi hɔ no.”
13Ɛhɔ ara, Nebukadnessar bo fuu yie, na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ, wɔmfa Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego mmra nʼanim. Wɔde wɔn baeɛ no, 14Nebukadnessar bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, ɛyɛ nokorɛ sɛ, moansɔre mʼanyame ne sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni a mede asi hɔ no? 15Mɛma mo ɛkwan bio. Sɛ mote abɛn, odurugya sankuo, sankuba sankuo, bɛnta, atɛntɛbɛn ne nnwontodeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa nnyegyeeɛ no, na mokoto fam, na mosɔre ohoni a mayɛ no a, na me ne mo nni asɛm biara. Na sɛ mopo a, wɔbɛto mo agu fononoo a ogya redɛre wɔ mu no mu prɛko pɛ. Sɛ ɛba saa a, nyame bɛn na ɔbɛtumi agye mo afiri me tumi ase?”
16Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego buaa sɛ, “Ao, Nana Nebukadnessar, yɛnnye nni sɛ ɛho hia sɛ yɛyi yɛn ho ano wɔ wʼanim. 17Sɛ wɔto yɛn gu fononoo a ogya redɛre wɔ mu no mu a, Onyankopɔn a yɛsom no no bɛgye yɛn. Nana, ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri wo tumi ase. 18Na sɛ ɛba sɛ wannye yɛn mpo a, Nana nte aseɛ sɛ, sɔre deɛ, yɛrensɔre wʼanyame anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ohoni a wode asi hɔ no da biara da.”
Wɔde Mmeranteɛ Baasa Gu Ogyadɛreɛ Fononoo Mu
19Nebukadnessar bo fuu Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego yie, na wampɛ wɔn anim ahwɛ. Ɔhyɛɛ sɛ, wɔmma fononoo no ogya no hyeɛ no nnɔ mmɔho nson. 20Afei, ɔhyɛɛ nʼakodɔm mu mmarima ahoɔdenfoɔ pa ara no bi sɛ, wɔnkyekyere Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, na wɔnto wɔn ngu fononoo no mu ogyadɛreɛ no mu. 21Enti, wɔkyekyeree saa nkurɔfoɔ yi a wɔhyehyɛ wɔn ntwontwo, wɔn ntadeɛ, wɔn mmotire ne wɔn ntoma papee, too wɔn guu fononoo ogya a ɛrederɛ no mu. 22Na ɛsiane ɔhene no abufutrasoɔ ne ɔhyɛ a ama fononoo no adɔ hyeehyeehye aborosoɔ no enti, asraafoɔ a wɔde Sadrak, Mesak, ne Abednego regu fononoo no mu no wuwuu ogyaframa no ano. 23Na Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego a wɔakyekyere wɔn pampee no hwehwee ogya fononoo a ɛrederɛ no mu.
24Nebukadnessar gu so rehwɛ no, prɛko pɛ, ɔhuri teaam ahodwirie so guu nʼafotufoɔ no so sɛ, “Ɛnnyɛ mmarima baasa na yɛkyekyeree wɔn too wɔn guu fononoo no mu?”
Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Aane, Nana, yɛyɛɛ saa pɛpɛɛpɛ.”
25Nebukadnessar teaam sɛ. “Monhwɛ! Mehunu nnipa baanan a biribiara nkyekyeree wɔn sɛ wɔnenam ogya no mu. Egya dɛreɛ no nhyee wɔn. Onipa a ɔtɔ so ɛnan no te sɛ anyame ba bi!”
26Na Nebukadnessar twe bɛnee fononoo a ogya redɛre wɔ mu no ɛpono ano, sɛdeɛ ɔbɛtumi, teaam sɛ, “Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego, ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn asomfoɔ, momfiri mmra! Mommra ha!”
Ɛno enti, Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego firii ogya no mu baeɛ. 27Afei, ahenemma, mpanimfoɔ, amradofoɔ ne afotufoɔ bɛtwaa wɔn ho hyiaeɛ, na wɔhunuu sɛ, ogya no anka wɔn. Wɔn tirinwi mpo ho anka. Na wɔn ntadeɛ anhye. Na wisie mpo mmɔn wɔn ho.
28Afei, Nebukadnessar kaa sɛ, “Ayɛyie nka Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego Onyankopɔn. Ɔsomaa ne ɔbɔfoɔ, ma wɔbɛgyee nʼasomfoɔ a wɔgye no die. Wɔbuu me ɔhene mmara so, na wɔde wɔn honam maeɛ, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wɔrensom na wɔrensɔre anyame biara gye wɔn Onyankopɔn. 29Ne saa enti, merehyɛ saa mmara yi sɛ ɔman, nkurɔfoɔ ne kasa ahodoɔ nyinaa mu, obiara a ɔbɛka Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego Onyankopɔn ho abususɛm no, ampa ara wɔbɛtwitwa wɔn mu asinasini na wɔadwiri wɔn afie ama adane wira. Onyame biara nni hɔ a ɔbɛtumi agye nkwa sɛɛ yi.”
30Afei, Ɔhene Nebukadnessar maa Sadrak, Mesak ne Abednego dibea a ɛkorɔn yie wɔ Babiloniaman mu.
