Kong Nebukadnesar laget en gullstatue, seksti alen høy og seks alen bred, som han satte opp i Dura-dalen i Babylons land.

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide: he put it up in the valley of Dura, in the land of Babylon.

Nebukadnesar sendte ut bud for å samle alle stormennene, lederne, styresmaktene, vismennene, vokterne av statskassen, dommerne, tilsynsmennene og alle andre myndighetspersoner i landet for å være til stede ved avdukingen av statuen som kong Nebukadnesar hadde satt opp.

And Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to get together all the captains, the chiefs, the rulers, the wise men, the keepers of public money, the judges, the overseers, and all the rulers of the divisions of the country, to come to see the unveiling of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had put up.

Så kom alle stormennene, lederne, styresmaktene, vismennene, vokterne av statskassen, dommerne, tilsynsmennene og alle andre myndighetspersoner i landet, og de stilte seg foran statuen som kong Nebukadnesar hadde satt opp.

Then the captains, the chiefs, the rulers, the wise men, the keepers of public money, the judges, the overseers, and all the rulers of the divisions of the country, came together to see the unveiling of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had put up; and they took their places before the image which Nebuchadnezzar had put up.

Da ropte en av kongens budbærere med høy stemme: Til dere, folk, nasjoner og tungemål, blir det gitt en befaling.

Then one of the king's criers said in a loud voice, To you the order is given, O peoples, nations, and languages,

Når dere hører lyden av horn, fløyte, harpe, lyre, sitar, sekkepipe og alle slags musikkinstrumenter, skal dere falle ned og tilbe gullstatuen som kong Nebukadnesar har satt opp.

That when the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all sorts of instruments, comes to your ears, you are to go down on your faces in worship before the image of gold which Nebuchadnezzar the king has put up:

Den som ikke faller ned og tilber, skal i samme stund bli kastet i en brennende ovn.

And anyone not falling down and worshipping will that same hour be put into a burning and flaming fire.

Da folket hørte lyden av horn, fløyte, harpe, lyre, sitar, sekkepipe og alle slags musikkinstrumenter, falt de ned og tilba gullstatuen som kong Nebukadnesar hadde satt opp.

So at that time, all the people, when the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, trigon, psaltery, and all sorts of instruments, came to their ears, went down on their faces in worship before the image of gold which Nebuchadnezzar the king had put up.

På den tiden kom noen kaldeere fram og anklaget jødene.

At that time certain Chaldaeans came near and made a statement against the Jews.

De tok til orde og sa til kong Nebukadnesar: Må kongen leve i all evighet.

They made answer and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O King, have life for ever.

Du, konge, har gitt befaling om at alle skal falle ned og tilbe gullstatuen når de hører lyden av horn, fløyte, harpe, lyre, sitar, sekkepipe og alle slags musikkinstrumenter,

You, O King, have given an order that every man, when the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all sorts of instruments, comes to his ears, is to go down on his face in worship before the image of gold:

og den som ikke gjør det, skal kastes i den brennende ovnen.

And anyone not falling down and worshipping is to be put into a burning and flaming fire.

Det finnes noen jøder du har satt til å styre Babylons saker, Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego; disse mennene har ikke brydd seg om deg, konge: De tjener ikke dine guder og tilber ikke gullstatuen som du har satt opp.

There are certain Jews whom you have put over the business of the land of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men have not given attention to you, O King: they are not servants of your gods or worshippers of the gold image which you have put up.

Da ble Nebukadnesar i sinne og raseri, og han befalte at Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego skulle hentes. Så ble disse mennene ført inn for kongen.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his wrath and passion gave orders for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to be sent for. Then they made these men come in before the king.

Nebukadnesar sa til dem: Er det sant, Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego, at dere ikke tjener mine guder eller tilber gullstatuen jeg har satt opp?

Nebuchadnezzar made answer and said to them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you will not be servants of my god or give worship to the image of gold which I have put up?

Hvis dere nå er klare til å falle ned og tilbe statuen jeg har laget når dere hører lyden av horn, fløyte, harpe, lyre, sitar, sekkepipe og alle slags musikkinstrumenter, så er det bra. Men hvis dere ikke tilber, skal dere straks kastes i den brennende ovnen; og hvilken gud vil da kunne redde dere ut av mine hender?

Now if you are ready, on hearing the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all sorts of instruments, to go down on your faces in worship before the image which I have made, it is well: but if you will not give worship, that same hour you will be put into a burning and flaming fire; and what god is there who will be able to take you out of my hands?

Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego svarte kong Nebukadnesar: Vi har ikke behov for å svare deg på dette.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answering Nebuchadnezzar the king, said, There is no need for us to give you an answer to this question.

Hvis vår Gud, som vi tjener, kan redde oss fra den brennende ovnen og fra din hånd, konge, vil han redde oss.

If our God, whose servants we are, is able to keep us safe from the burning and flaming fire, and from your hands, O King, he will keep us safe.

Men om ikke, skal du vite, konge, at vi ikke vil tjene dine guder eller tilbe den gullstatuen du har satt opp.

But if not, be certain, O King, that we will not be the servants of your gods, or give worship to the image of gold which you have put up.

Da ble Nebukadnesar full av vrede, og ansiktet hans forandret seg mot Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego; og han befalte at ovnen skulle varmes opp syv ganger mer enn vanlig.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of wrath, and the form of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: and he gave orders that the fire was to be heated up seven times more than it was generally heated.

Han ga noen sterke menn i hæren sin ordre om å binde Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego og kaste dem i den brennende ovnen.

And he gave orders to certain strong men in his army to put cords on Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and put them into the burning and flaming fire.

Så ble disse mennene bundet i sine klær, kapper, hatter og andre klær, og kastet i den brennende ovnen.

Then these men had cords put round them as they were, in their coats, their trousers, their hats, and their clothing, and were dropped into the burning and flaming fire.

Fordi kongens befaling var så streng og ovnen var opphetet så voldsomt, ble de mennene som førte Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego til ovnen, fortært av flammene.

And because the king's order was not to be put on one side, and the heat of the fire was so great, the men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were burned to death by the flame of the fire.

Men disse tre mennene, Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego, falt bundet ned i den brennende ovnen.

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, with the cords about them, went down into the burning and flaming fire.

Da ble kong Nebukadnesar forbløffet og reiste seg raskt opp. Han sa til sine rådgivere: Kastet vi ikke tre menn bundet inn i ilden? De svarte kongen: Jo, det er sant, konge.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar, full of fear and wonder, got up quickly, and said to his wise men, Did we not put three men in cords into the fire? and they made answer and said to the king, True, O King.

Han svarte: Men jeg ser fire menn gå fri midt i ilden, og de er uskadde; og den fjerde ser ut som en gudssønn.

He made answer and said, Look! I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not damaged; and the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods.

Da gikk Nebukadnesar til døren av den brennende ovnen og ropte: Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego, dere Den Høye Guds tjenere, kom ut! Kom hit! Da kom Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego ut av ilden.

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near the door of the burning and flaming fire: he made answer and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, you servants of the Most High God, come out and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the fire.

Og alle stormennene, lederne og kongens rådgivere samlet seg og så på disse mennene. Ilden hadde ingen makt over kroppene deres, ikke et hår på hodet deres var svidd, og klærne deres var ikke skadet, og det luktet ikke brent av dem.

And the captains, the chiefs, and the rulers, and the king's wise men who had come together, saw these men, over whose bodies the fire had no power, and not a hair of their heads was burned, and their coats were not changed, and there was no smell of fire about them.

Nebukadnesar sa: Lovet være Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Negos Gud, som sendte sin engel og reddet sine tjenere som stolte på ham. De trosset kongens befaling og ga sine legemer, slik at de ikke skulle tjene eller tilbe noen annen gud enn deres egen Gud.

Nebuchadnezzar made answer and said, Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent his angel and kept his servants safe who had faith in him, and who put the king's word on one side and gave up their bodies to the fire, so that they might not be servants or worshippers of any other god but their God.

Derfor gir jeg denne ordren: Hvert folk, nasjon eller tunge som taler ondt om Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Negos Gud, skal hogges i stykker, og husene deres skal gjøres til ruinhauger. Ingen annen gud kan redde på denne måten.

And it is my decision that any people, nation, or language saying evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, will be cut to bits and their houses made waste: because there is no other god who is able to give salvation such as this.

Da ga kongen Shadrak, Meshak og Abed-Nego enda større makt i Babylons land.

Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego even greater authority in the land of Babylon.