UDaniyeli
1 Ngonyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakimi + inkosi yakwaJuda, uNebukhadinezari inkosi yaseBhabhiloni weza eJerusalema walivimbezela. + 2 Ngemva kwesikhathi uJehova wanikela esandleni sakhe uJehoyakimi inkosi yakwaJuda + kanye nezinye zezitsha zendlu* kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, waziletha ezweni laseShinari *+ endlini* kankulunkulu wakhe. Wazibeka endlini yokugcina ingcebo kankulunkulu wakhe. +
3 Khona-ke inkosi yatshela u-Ashipenazi, isikhulu sayo segceke esiyinhloko, ukuba alethe abathile bakwa-Israyeli,* ngokukhethekile labo basebukhosini nabazalwa yizicukuthwane. + 4 Kwakufanele kube yintsha* engenasici, ebukeka kahle, ehlakaniphile, enolwazi, enokuqonda + nezokwazi ukukhonza esigodlweni senkosi. Wayezoyifundisa ulimi lwamaKhaledi nendlela yokulubhala. 5 Ngaphezu kwalokho, inkosi yabela le ntsha isabelo sansuku zonke sezibiliboco zayo newayini layo. Yayizoqeqeshwa* iminyaka emithathu, ekupheleni kwayo yayizoqala ukukhonza inkosi.
6 Manje phakathi kwayo kwakunabathile besizwe sakwaJuda:* uDaniyeli, *+ uHananiya,* uMishayeli* no-Azariya. *+ 7 Isikhulu segceke esiyinhloko sabaqamba amagama;* uDaniyeli samqamba igama elithi uBheliteshazari, + uHananiya samqamba ngokuthi uShadiraki, uMishayeli sathi uMeshaki, kwathi u-Azariya sathi u-Abhedinego. +
8 Kodwa uDaniyeli wanquma enhliziyweni yakhe ukuthi wayengeke azingcolise ngezibiliboco zenkosi nangewayini layo. Ngakho wacela imvume esikhulwini segceke esiyinhloko ukuba angazingcolisi ngalezi zinto. 9 UNkulunkulu weqiniso wenza ukuba isikhulu segceke esiyinhloko simbonise umusa nesihe uDaniyeli. + 10 Kodwa isikhulu segceke esiyinhloko sathi kuDaniyeli: “Ngiyayesaba inkosi yami enabele ukudla neziphuzo. Ngizokwenzenjani uma inibona nibukeka nizacile uma niqhathaniswa nenye intsha* engontanga yenu? Nizongenza ngibe* necala enkosini.” 11 Kodwa uDaniyeli wakhuluma nomqaphi owayebekwe yisikhulu segceke esiyinhloko phezu kukaDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya wathi: 12 “Sicela uvivinye izinceku zakho izinsuku eziyishumi, masinikwe imifino ukuba sidle namanzi ukuba siphuze; 13 bese uqhathanisa ukubukeka kwethu nokubukeka kwentsha* edla izibiliboco zenkosi, bese wenza lokho okubonayo ezincekwini zakho.”
14 Ngakho wavumelana nalokho ababekucela, wabavivinya izinsuku eziyishumi. 15 Ekupheleni kwezinsuku eziyishumi babebukeka kangcono futhi bebukeka benempilo* kunayo yonke enye intsha* eyayidla izibiliboco zenkosi. 16 Ngakho umqaphi wayezithatha izibiliboco zabo newayini labo abanike imifino. 17 UNkulunkulu weqiniso wanika laba bafana abane* ulwazi nokuqonda zonke izindlela zokubhala nokuhlakanipha; uDaniyeli wenziwa ukuba aqonde zonke izinhlobo zemibono namaphupho. +
18 Ekupheleni kwaleso sikhathi inkosi eyayithe mabangeniswe ngaso, + isikhulu segceke esiyinhloko sabaletha kuNebukhadinezari. 19 Lapho inkosi ikhuluma nabo, akekho kulo lonke lelo qembu owatholakala efana noDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya; + baqhubeka bekhonza inkosi. 20 Kuzo zonke izindaba ezazidinga ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda inkosi eyayibabuza ngazo, yabathola behlakaniphe ngokuphindwe kayishumi kunabo bonke abapristi abenza imilingo nabalumbi + ababekuwo wonke umbuso wayo. 21 UDaniyeli waqhubeka ehlala lapho kwaze kwaba unyaka wokuqala weNkosi uKoresi. +