Daniyeli
1 Ngonyaka wesithathu wokulawula kukaKumkani uYehoyakim+ wakwaYuda, uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare waseBhabhiloni weza eYerusalem waza wayirhangqa.+ 2 Ekuhambeni kwexesha uYehova wanikela uKumkani uYehoyakim wakwaYuda kuNebhukadenetsare,+ nenye impahla yendlu* kaThixo wokwenene. Yena wayisa kwilizwe laseShinare*+ endlini* yothixo wakhe. Iimpahla zona wazibeka koovimba bobutyebi bothixo wakhe.+
3 Emva koko ukumkani wayalela uAshpenazi, igosa eliyintloko lendlu yakhe, ukuba azise amanye amaSirayeli,* kuquka awasebukhosini nawenzala yezikhulu.+ 4 Yayimele ibe lulutsha olungenaziphene,* iinzwana, ulutsha olunobulumko, ulwazi nokuqonda,+ nolunokukwazi ukusebenza endlini kakumkani. Wayemele alufundise iincwadi nolwimi lwamaKhaledi. 5 Ngaphezu koko, ukumkani wathi malunikwe kwizimuncumuncu zikakumkani nakwiwayini yakhe yonke imihla. Lwalumele luqeqeshwe* iminyaka emithathu, luze ekupheleni kwayo lusebenzele ukumkani.
6 Ngoko phakathi kolo lutsha, kwakukho abanye besizwe sakwaYuda: uDaniyeli,*+ uHananiya,* uMishayeli* noAzariya.*+ 7 Igosa eliyintloko lendlu kakumkani labathiya amagama;* lathi uDaniyeli nguBheleteshatsare;+ uHananiya nguShadraki; uMishayeli nguMeshaki; uAzariya nguAbhednego.+
8 Kodwa uDaniyeli wagqiba entliziyweni yakhe ukuba angazingcolisi ngezimuncumuncu zikakumkani okanye ngewayini yakhe. Ngoko wacela kwigosa eliyintloko lendlu kakumkani ukuba limvumele angazingcolisi. 9 UThixo wokwenene wenza ukuba igosa eliyintloko lendlu kakumkani limenzele ububele nenceba uDaniyeli.+ 10 Lona igosa eliyintloko lendlu kakumkani lathi kuDaniyeli: “Ndiyayoyika inkosi yam ukumkani, eyalele into emaniyitye nemaniyisele. Ndoba yintoni xa inokunibona nimpatsha-mpatsha, ningafani noontanga benu?* Ningandenza ndibe netyala* kukumkani.” 11 Kodwa uDaniyeli wathi kunogada owayemiselwe ligosa eliyintloko lendlu kakumkani ukuba agade yena, uHananiya, uMishayeli noAzariya: 12 “Ndicela uzivavanye izicaka zakho iintsuku ezilishumi, usinike imifuno namanzi; 13 uze emva koko uthelekise inkangeleko yethu neyolutsha olutya* izimuncumuncu zikakumkani, uze ke wenze kwizicaka zakho ngokokubona kwakho.”
14 Wavuma waza wabavavanya iintsuku ezilishumi. 15 Ekupheleni kweentsuku ezilishumi, babekhangeleka bebahle futhi besempilweni* kunalo lonke ulutsha olwalusitya* kwizimuncumuncu zikakumkani. 16 Unogada wayezithatha izimuncumuncu zabo newayini aze abanike imifuno. 17 UThixo wokwenene wanika aba bafana* bane ulwazi, wabenza baziqonda zonke iincwadi nobulumko; yaye wenza uDaniyeli wakwazi ukuqonda yonke imibono namaphupha.+
18 Xa lafikayo ixesha elalimiselwe ngukumkani lokuba kuziswe kuye lonke ulutsha,+ igosa eliyintloko lendlu kakumkani laluzisa kuNebhukadenetsare. 19 Ukumkani wathetha nalo, wafumanisa ukuba akukho namnye kwelo qela owayekumgangatho kaDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli noAzariya.+ Baqhubeka ke bona besebenza phambi kokumkani. 20 Ukumkani wababuza zonke izinto ezifuna ubulumko nokuqonda, wafumanisa ukuba babebodlula kalishumi bonke ababingeleli ababesenza imilingo nababenobugqi+ ababekuwo wonke ummandla awayewulawula. 21 UDaniyeli waqhubeka ehlala eBhabhiloni kwade kwangunyaka wokuqala kaKumkani uKoreshi.+