UDaniyeli 3:19-30

Khona uNebukadinesari wagcwala ukufutheka, nesimo sobuso bakhe saguquka ngenxa yoShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego; wakhuluma wayaleza ukuba isithando somlilo sishiswe kasikhombisa ngaphezu kwalokho okuke kwabonwa sishiswa ngakho. Wayeseyaleza amadoda anamandla asempini yakhe ukuba abophe oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego, abaphonse esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. Aboshwa-ke lawa madoda egqoke amayembe, namabhulukwe, nezigqoko, nezinye izingubo, aphonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. Ngalokho ngokuba isiyalezelo senkosi sasicindezele, nesithando somlilo sasishisa kakhulu, ilangabi lomlilo lawabulala lawo madoda abakhuphula oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego. Kepha lawa madoda amathathu, oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego, awela phansi eboshiwe phakathi nesithando somlilo ovuthayo. Khona uNebukadinesari inkosi wethuka, wasuka wakhuluma, wathi kwabomkhandlu wakhe: “Angithi siphonse amadoda amathathu eboshiwe phakathi komlilo na?” Baphendula, bathi enkosini: “Uqinisile, nkosi.” Yaphendula yathi: “Bhekani, ngibona amadoda amane akhululekileyo ehamba phakathi komlilo, awachithwanga; ukubonakala kweyesine kunjengendodana yawonkulunkulu.” Wayesesondela uNebukadinesari emnyango wesithando somlilo ovuthayo; wakhuluma wathi: “Shadiraki, Meshaki, no-Abedi Nego, nina zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani nize lapha.” Base bephuma oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego phakathi komlilo. Izikhulu, nababusi, nezinduna, nabomkhandlu wenkosi babuthana, babona lawo madoda ukuthi umlilo awubanga namandla emizimbeni yawo, kungahamukanga lunwele olulodwa emakhanda awo, engaguqukanga amayembe awo, lingasondelanga kuwo nephunga lomlilo. UNebukadinesari wakhuluma wathi: “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu wawoShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego, othumile ingelosi yakhe, wakhulula izinceku zakhe ebezimethemba, zaze zaguqula izwi lenkosi, zanikela imizimba yazo ukuba zingakhonzi, zingakhuleki kunkulunkulu noyedwa, uNkulunkulu wabo kuphela. Ngalokho ngikhipha isimemezelo sokuba bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi ezikhuluma okungafanele ngoNkulunkulu wawoShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego ziyakuhlahlelwa, izindlu zazo zenziwe iquba, ngokuba akakho omunye unkulunkulu ongophula ngale ndlela.” Inkosi yabaphakamisa oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego esifundeni saseBabele.