UDanyeli

3 INkosi uNebhukhadinezari yenza isithombe segolide esasizingalo ezingu-60* ubude, lengalo eziyisithupha* ububanzi, yasisimisa egcekeni laseDura esabelweni seBhabhiloni. 2 Ngemva kwalokho, iNkosi uNebhukhadinezari yathumela ilizwi lokuthi kubuthaniswe ondunankulu, leziphathamandla, lababusi,* labacebisi, labagcinizikhwama, labahluleli, labomantshi, labo bonke abaphathi bezabelo ukuthi babuye emkhosini wokunikela isithombe esasimiswe yiNkosi uNebhukhadinezari.

3 Ngakho ondunankulu, leziphathamandla, lababusi,* labacebisi, labagcinizikhwama, labahluleli, labomantshi labo bonke abaphathi bezabelo babuthana emkhosini wokunikela isithombe esasimiswe yiNkosi uNebhukhadinezari. Bafika bama phambi kwesithombe esasimiswe nguNebhukhadinezari. 4 Isithunywa* senkosi sasesimemeza ngelizwi elikhulu sathi: “Zwanini mahlabezulu, lani bantu bezizwe ezitshiyeneyo labantu bendimi ezitshiyeneyo, 5 nxa lingezwa ukukhala kophondo lomhlanga, lechacho, lehabhu* elincane, lesiginci, lomqangala omkhulu* lokunye konke okukhaliswayo, lonke kumele lithi mbo phansi likhonze isithombe segolide esimiswe yiNkosi uNebhukhadinezari. 6 Loba ngubani ongasoze azilahle phansi akhonze isithombe, uzaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo+ ngokucwayiza kwelihlo.” 7 Ngakho kwathi kuzwakala ukukhala kophondo lomhlanga, lechacho, lehabhu elincane, lesiginci, lokunye konke okukhaliswayo, bonke abantu bezizwe ezitshiyeneyo lendimi ezitshiyeneyo bazilahla phansi bakhonza isithombe segolide esasimiswe yiNkosi uNebhukhadinezari.

8 Ngalesosikhathi amanye amaKhaledi asondela phambili amangalela* amaJuda. 9 Afika enkosini uNebhukhadinezari athi: “Bayethe nkosi, phila kuze kube nini lanini. 10 Angithi wena nkosi ubeke umlayo wokuthi wonke umuntu ozakuzwa ukukhala kophondo lomhlanga, lechacho, lehabhu elincane, lesiginci, lomqangala omkhulu* lokunye konke okukhaliswayo, kumele azilahle phansi akhonze isithombe segolide, 11 njalo uthe loba ngubani ongasoze azilahle phansi akhonze isithombe uzaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo.+ 12 Kodwa kulamanye amaJuda owabeke ukuthi abe ngabaphathi esabelweni seBhabhiloni: UShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho.+ Amadoda la ayakudelela nkosi, awabakhonzi onkulunkulu bakho njalo ayala ukukhonza isithombe segolide osimisileyo.”

13 INkosi uNebhukhadinezari yathi ikuzwa lokhu yazonda yabhubhudla amagwebu, yasisithi uShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho balethwe kuyo. Balethwa-ke phambi kwenkosi. 14 UNebhukhadinezari wathi kubo: “Shadrekhi, Mishekhi lo-Abhedinikho, kuliqiniso yini ukuthi alibakhonzi onkulunkulu bami+ lokuthi liyala ukukhonza isithombe segolide engisimisileyo? 15 Khathesi luzakhala futhi uphondo, lomhlanga, lechacho, lehabhu elincane, lesiginci, lomqangala omkhulu* lokunye konke okukhaliswayo. Nxa lingazilahla phansi likhonze isithombe engisenzileyo, angisoze ngihluphane lani. Kodwa nxa lingayala ukukhonza isithombe lesi lizaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo ngokucwayiza kwelihlo. Libona angani ukhona yini unkulunkulu ongalikhulula esandleni sami?”+

16 UShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho baphendula inkosi bathi: “Nkosi Nebhukhadinezari, ayikho enye impendulo esizakupha yona ngendaba le. 17 Nxa singaphoselwa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo uNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo ngeke ehluleke ukusikhulula kuso lokusikhulula esandleni sakho.+ 18 Kodwa lanxa engasoze asikhulule, inkosi ayihlale ikwazi ukuthi kasisoze sibakhonze onkulunkulu bayo kanye lesithombe segolide esimisileyo.”+

19 UNebhukhadinezari wathi ekuzwa lokhu wavutha ngolaka, wazondela uShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho, ubuso bakhe baze batshintsha,* wasesithi isithando somlilo sibaselwe okuphindwe kasikhombisa ukwedlula ukubaselwa kwaso okujayelekileyo. 20 Wasethuma amanye amadoda alamandla ayesebuthweni lakhe ukuthi abophe uShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho, abesebaphosela esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo.

21 Ngakho amadoda la abotshwa elokhu egqoke amajazi awo, lezigqoko zawo, lezingwane kanye lezinye impahla, asephoselwa esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. 22 Amalangabi omlilo abulala amadoda ayephosela uShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho esithandweni somlilo ngoba sasitshisa ngendlela engajayelekanga futhi lomlayo wenkosi wawulukhuni. 23 Bobathathu uShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho bawela esithandweni somlilo bebotshiwe.

24 Ngemva kwalokho iNkosi uNebhukhadinezari yathi lothu isiyethukile, yasisithi kuziphathamandla zayo: “Kanti kasibophanga amadoda amathathu sawaphosela emlilweni?” Zayiphendula zathi: “Kunjalo nkosi.” 25 Yathi: “Phela sengibona amadoda amane ezihambela ekhululekile phakathi komlilo, kawatshanga ngitsho futhi owesine ukhanya angathi yindodana yabonkulunkulu.”

26 UNebhukhadinezari wasesondela entubeni yesithando somlilo ovuthayo wathi: “Shadrekhi, Mishekhi lo-Abhedinikho lina zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke,+ phumani lize lapha!” UShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho basebephuma emlilweni. 27 Ondunankulu, leziphathamandla, lezikhulu zesikhosini kanye lababusi* ababebuthene lapho,+ babona ukuthi umlilo wawungawatshisanga amadoda la,*+ kwakungela lolulodwa unwele lwawo olwaluhaqazwe ngumlilo, lamajazi awo ayelokhu enjalo futhi akula loyedwa owayenuka umlilo.

28 UNebhukhadinezari wasesithi: “Kadunyiswe uNkulunkulu kaShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho+ othume ingilosi yakhe wahlenga izinceku zakhe. Bathembele kuye, baphikisa umlayo wenkosi njalo bebezimisele ukufa kulokuthi bakhonze omunye unkulunkulu ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu wabo.+ 29 Yikho nanku umlayo esengiwunika abantu bezizwe ezitshiyeneyo labantu abakhuluma indimi ezitshiyeneyo: Loba ngubani ozakhuluma kubi ngoNkulunkulu kaShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho kumele aqunywaqunywe njalo indlu yakhe yenziwe isambuzi somphakathi,* ngoba kakho omunye unkulunkulu owenelisa ukuhlenga njengaye.”+

30 Ngemva kwalokho inkosi yanika uShadrekhi loMishekhi lo-Abhedinikho izikhundla eziphezulu esabelweni seBhabhiloni.+