UDanyeli
1 Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakhimi+ inkosi yakoJuda, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebhukhadinezari yafika yavimbezela iJerusalema.+ 2 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJehova wanikela uJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda kanye lezinye izitsha zendlu kaNkulunkulu* weqiniso esandleni seNkosi uNebhukhadinezari.+ Inkosi le yathatha izitsha lezo yahamba lazo elizweni laseShinari*+ endlini kankulunkulu* wayo yafika yazifaka endlini yenotho kankulunkulu wayo.+
3 Inkosi yasitshela u-Ashiphenazi umkhokheli weziphathamandla zesikhosini ukuthi alethe amanye ama-Israyeli,* ikakhulu lawo azalwa ezimulini zesikhosini lezabahlonitshwa.+ 4 Kwakumele kube ngabasakhulayo* abangelasici, ababukekayo, abahlakaniphileyo, abalolwazi, labaqedisisayo+ futhi abangenelisa ukusebenza esigodlweni senkosi. U-Ashiphenazi kwakufanele abafundise ulimi lwamaKhaledi lendlela yawo yokubhala.* 5 Inkosi yahlela lokuthi baphiwe izibiliboco zayo kanye lewayini elalinathwa yiyo. Kwakumele bafundiswe* okweminyaka emithathu besekusithi ngemva kwalesosikhathi baqalise ukusebenzela inkosi.
6 Phakathi kwabo kwakulabanye ababevela esizwaneni sakoJuda.* Amabizo abo kwakunguDanyeli,*+ loHananiya,* loMishayeli,* lo-Azariya.*+ 7 Induna yeziphathamandla zesikhosini yabanika amanye amabizo.* UDanyeli yamnika ibizo elithi Bhelitheshazari,+ uHananiya yamnika elithi Shadrekhi, uMishayeli yamnika elithi Mishekhi, u-Azariya yena yamnika elithi Abhedinikho.+
8 UDanyeli wazimisela enhliziyweni yakhe ukuthi wayengasoze azingcolise ngokudla izibiliboco zenkosi kumbe ngokunatha iwayini layo. Ngakho wakhuluma lenduna yeziphathamandla zesikhosini ecela ukuthi angazingcolisi ngezinto lezo. 9 UNkulunkulu weqiniso wenza ukuthi induna yeziphathamandla zesikhosini ibe lomusa lesihawu+ kuDanyeli. 10 Kodwa induna yeziphathamandla zesikhosini yathi kuDanyeli: “Ngiyayesaba inkosi yami ehloniphekayo ngoba yiyo ethe linikwe ukudla lokhu kanye lokunathwayo. Izathini inkosi nxa isibona abanye abasakhulayo* abalingana lani bebukeka kodwa lina licakile? Ngiyabe ngizakuba lecala phambi kwenkosi.” 11 UDanyeli wasekhuluma lomphathi owayekhethwe yinduna yeziphathamandla zesikhosini ukuthi agcine uDanyeli, loHananiya, loMishayeli, lo-Azariya wathi: 12 “Ngiyacela, ake ulinge izinceku zakho okwamalanga alitshumi uziphe imibhida lamanzi kuphela. 13 Ngemva kwalokho ubusuqathanisa imizimba yethu leyabasakhulayo* abadla izibiliboco zenkosi, wahlulele izinceku zakho ngalokho okubonayo.”
14 Ngakho wavuma ukwenza ababekutsho, wabalinga okwamalanga alitshumi. 15 Ngemva kwamalanga alitshumi basebekhangeleka bebahle futhi bezimukile* ukwedlula bonke abasakhulayo* ababesidla izibiliboco zenkosi. 16 Umphathi wabo kasazange abaphe izibiliboco zenkosi lewayini ababeliphiwa, kodwa wayesebanika imibhida. 17 UNkulunkulu weqiniso wanika abasakhulayo* laba abane ukuhlakanipha lolwazi njalo wabancedisa ukuthi bazwisise wonke amabhuku. UDanyeli wanikwa lesiphiwo sokuzwisisa yonke imibono lamaphupho.+
18 Sathi sesifikile isikhathi inkosi eyayithe balethwe ngaso,+ induna yeziphathamandla zesikhosini yabahambisa kuNebhukhadinezari. 19 Inkosi yathi ikhuluma labo yathola ukuthi kakho phakathi kweqembu lonke owayenjengoDanyeli, loHananiya, loMishayeli, lo-Azariya.+ Basebeqhubeka-ke besebenzela inkosi. 20 Kuzo zonke indaba inkosi eyayibabuza zona ezazidinga ukuhlakanipha lokuzwisisa, yabathola bengcono ngokuphindwe ka-10 ukwedlula zonke izinyanga+ labaphristi abenza amasalamusi ababekuwo wonke umbuso wayo. 21 UDanyeli wahlala khona kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wokuqala wokubusa kweNkosi uKhoresi.+