1 I te toru o nga tau o te kingitanga o Iehoiakimi kingi o Hura ka tae mai a Nepukaneha kingi o Papurona ki Hiruharama, whakapaea ana e ia.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

2 N a ka hoatu e te Ariki a Iehoiakimi kingi o Hura ki tona ringa, me etahi o nga oko o te whare o te Atua, a kawea ana e ia ki te whenua o Hinara, ki te whare o tona atua; i mauria atu ano nga oko e ia ki te whare taonga o tona atua.

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with a part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.

3 N a ka ki atu te kingi ki a Ahapenata rangatira o ana unaka, kia tikina etahi o nga tama a Iharaira, ara o nga uri o te kingi o nga rangatira hoki;

And the king told Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring in some of the children of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility—

4 E tahi tama kahore nei o ratou koha, he pai ano te ahua, e matau ana ki nga whakaaro nui katoa, e mohio ana ki nga tikanga, e matau ana ki nga whakaaro mohio, he hunga e pai ana hei tu ki te whare o te kingi; a mana ratou e whakaako ki te matauran ga, ki te reo hoki o nga Karari.

Youths without blemish, well-favored in appearance and skillful in all wisdom, discernment, and understanding, apt in learning knowledge, competent to stand and serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

5 I whakaritea ano e te kingi tetahi wahi o ta te kingi kai ma ratou, he mea mo ia ra, mo ia ra, me tetahi wahi o te waina i inumia e ia, a kia toru nga tau e whangaia ai ratou; kia taka ai aua tau, ka tu ratou ki te aroaro o te kingi.

And the king assigned for them a daily portion of his own rich and dainty food and of the wine which he drank. They were to be so educated and so nourished for three years that at the end of that time they might stand before the king.

6 N a i roto i enei ko etahi o nga tama a Hura, ko Raniera, ko Hanania, ko Mihaera, ko Ataria.

Among these were of the children of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

7 N a ka tapa he ingoa mo ratou e te rangatira unaka: ko tana ingoa mo Raniera, ko Peretehatara; mo Hanania, ko Hataraka; mo Mihaera, ko Mehaka; mo Ataria, ko Apereneko.

The chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

8 O tiia kua takoto to Raniera whakaaro i roto i tona ngakau, kia kaua ia e poke i ta te kingi kai, i te waina ranei i inumia e ia. Na ka tono ia ki te rangatira unaka kia kaua ia e whakapoke i a ia.

But Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself by the king’s rich and dainty food or by the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not to defile himself.

9 N a, kua mea te Atua kia manakohia a Raniera, kia arohaina e te rangatira unaka.

Now God made Daniel to find favor, compassion, and loving-kindness with the chief of the eunuchs.

10 N a ka mea te rangatira unaka ki a Raniera, E wehi aha ahau i toku ariki, i te kingi, nana nei i whakarite ta koutou e kai ai, ta koutou e inu ai: hei aha hoki i tirohia mai ai e ia o koutou mata he kino iho i o nga tamariki pena me koutou te kau matua? ma kona ka meinga ahau e koutou kia hopohopo ki toku upoko i te kingi.

And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear, lest my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink, should see your faces worse looking or more sad than the other youths of your age. Then you would endanger my head with the king.

11 A no ra ko Raniera ki a Meretara, ki ta te rangatira unaka i whakarite ai hei kaitirotiro mo Raniera, ratou ko Hanania, ko Mihaera, ko Ataria:

Then said Daniel to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 T ena ra, whakamatauria au pononga, kia tekau nga ra; me homai e ratou he pini hei kai ma matou, he wai hoki hei inu ma matou.

Prove your servants, I beseech you, for ten days and let us be given a vegetable diet and water to drink.

13 H ei reira ka mea kia tirohia o matou mata i tou aroaro, me te mata ano o nga taitamariki e kai ana i te kai a te kingi; na kia rite ki tau e kite ai tau e mea ai ki au pononga.

Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat of the king’s dainties be observed and compared by you, and deal with us your servants according to what you see.

14 H eoi ka whakaaetia e ia tenei mea a ratou, a kotahi tekau nga ra i whakamatauria ai ratou e ia.

So consented to them in this matter and proved them ten days.

15 N a, i te mutunga o nga ra kotahi tekau, ka kitea o ratou mata, ataahua atu, tetere atu i o nga tamariki katoa i kai i ta te kingi kai.

And at the end of ten days it was seen that they were looking better and had taken on more flesh than all the youths who ate of the king’s rich dainties.

16 H eoi ka tangohia atu e Meretara te wahi kai ma ratou, me te waina ano hei inu ma ratou, a homai ana e ia he pini ma ratou.

So the steward took away their dainties and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.

17 N a, ko aua tama tokowha, i homai e te Atua ki a ratou he matauranga, he mohio ki nga pukapuka katoa, ki nga whakaaro nunui: a i a Raniera te mohio ki nga kite katoa, ki nga moemoea.

As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

18 N a, i te takanga o nga ra i ki ai te kingi kia kawea atu ratou, ka kawea atu ratou e te rangatira unaka ki te aroaro o Nepukaneha.

Now at the end of the time which the king had set for bringing, the chief of the eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.

19 N a ka korerorero te kingi ki a ratou; a kihai i kitea i roto i a ratou katoa tetahi e rite ana ki a Raniera ratou ko Hanania, ko Mihaera, ko Ataria: na tu ana ratou i te aroaro o te kingi.

And the king conversed with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they were assigned to stand before the king.

20 N a, i nga mea katoa o te whakaaro nui, o te matauranga i ui ai te kingi ki a ratou, ka kitea e ia tekau noa atu to ratou pai i to nga tohunga maori katoa, i to nga kaititiro whetu puta noa i tona kingitanga.

And in all matters of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king asked them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in his whole realm.

21 I tutuki ano a Raniera a tae noa ki te tuatahi o nga tau o Kingi Hairuha.

And Daniel continued there even to the first year of King Cyrus.