UDaniyeli 3
3
Isithando somlilo ovuthayo
1UNebukadinesari, inkosi, wenza isithombe segolide, ubude baso buyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha, ububanzi baso buyizingalo eziyisithupha, wasibeka ethafeni laseDura esifundeni saseBabele. 2UNebukadinesari inkosi wayesethumela ukubutha izikhulu, nababusi, nezinduna, nabahluleli, nabaphathizikhwama, nabomkhandlu, nabameli, nabo bonke abaphathizifunda ukuba beze ekwahlukaniselweni kwesithombe uNebukadinesari inkosi asimisileyo. 3Khona izikhulu, nababusi, nezinduna, nabahluleli, nabaphathizikhwama, nabomkhandlu, nabameli, nabo bonke abaphathizifunda babuthelwa ukwahlukaniselwa kwesithombe uNebukadinesari inkosi abesimisile, bema phambi kwesithombe uNebukadinesari asimisileyo.
4Kwase kumemeza ummemezeli ngamandla, wathi: “We nina bantu nezizwe, nezilimi, niyayalwa 5ukuba ngesikhathi enizwa ngaso ukukhala kwecilongo, negenkle, nehabhu,* nomqangala, nogubhu, negemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa, niwe phansi, nikhuleke esithombeni segolide uNebukadinesari inkosi asimisileyo. 6 Ongawi phansi, akhuleke, uyakuphonswa ngasona leso sikhathi phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.”
7Ngalokho lapho abantu bezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, negenkle, nehabhu,* nomqangala, nogubhu, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa, bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi bawa phansi, bakhuleka esithombeni segolide asimisileyo uNebukadinesari inkosi.
8Ngalokho kwasondela ngaleso sikhathi amadoda amaKaledi, ahleba abaJuda. 9 Athatha athi kuNebukadinesari inkosi: “Mana njalo, nkosi. 10Wena nkosi ukhiphe isimemezelo sokuba bonke abantu abezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, negenkle, nehabhu,* nomqangala, nogubhu, negemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa bawe phansi, bakhuleke esithombeni segolide, 11nokuba ongawi phansi, akhuleke, aphonswe phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. 12 Kukhona amadoda abaJuda owabeke phezu kwezindaba zesifunda saseBabele, oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego; lawa madoda, nkosi, awakunakanga; awakhonzi onkulunkulu bakho, awakhuleki esithombeni segolide osimisileyo.”
13Khona uNebukadinesari wayaleza ngolaka nangokufutheka ukuba kulethwe oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego. Base beletha lawo madoda phambi kwenkosi. 14UNebukadinesari wathatha wathi kuwo: “Kungamabomu yini, Shadiraki, Meshaki, no-Abedi Nego ningakhonzi unkulunkulu wami, ningakhuleki esithombeni segolide engisimisileyo, na? 15Manje uma nilungele ukuba ngesikhathi enizwa ngaso ukukhala kwecilongo, negenkle, nehabhu,* nomqangala, nogubhu, negemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa, niwe phansi, nikhuleke esithombeni engisenzileyo, kuhle; kepha uma ningakhuleki, niyakuphonswa ngasona leso sikhathi phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo; ngumuphi lowo nkulunkulu oyakunikhulula ezandleni zami na?”
16OShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego baphendula, bathi enkosini: “Nebukadinesari, thina asidingi ukukuphendula kule ndaba. 17 Uma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo unamandla okusikhulula esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo; yebo, uyakusikhulula esandleni sakho, nkosi. 18 Kepha noma kungenjalo, makwazeke kuwe nkosi ukuthi asiyikukhonza onkulunkulu bakho, ngeke sakhuleka esithombeni segolide osimisileyo.”
19Khona 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. 20Wayeseyaleza amadoda anamandla asempini yakhe ukuba abophe oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego, abaphonse esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. 21Aboshwa-ke lawa madoda egqoke amayembe, namabhulukwe, nezigqoko, nezinye izingubo, aphonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. 22Ngalokho ngokuba isiyalezelo senkosi sasicindezele, nesithando somlilo sasishisa kakhulu, ilangabi lomlilo lawabulala lawo madoda abakhuphula oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego. 23Kepha lawa madoda amathathu, oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego, awela phansi eboshiwe phakathi nesithando somlilo ovuthayo.
24Khona uNebukadinesari inkosi wethuka, wasuka wakhuluma, wathi kwabomkhandlu wakhe: “Angithi siphonse amadoda amathathu eboshiwe phakathi komlilo na?”
Baphendula, bathi enkosini: “Uqinisile, nkosi.”
25Yaphendula yathi: “Bhekani, ngibona amadoda amane akhululekileyo ehamba phakathi komlilo, awachithwanga; ukubonakala kweyesine kunjengendodana yawonkulunkulu.”
26Wayesesondela 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. 27 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.
28 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. 29 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.”
30 Inkosi yabaphakamisa oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego esifundeni saseBabele.
Okuqokiwe okwamanje:
UDaniyeli 3: ZUL59
Qhakambisa
Dlulisela
Kopisha
Ufuna ukuthi okuvelele kwakho kugcinwe kuwo wonke amadivayisi akho? Bhalisa noma ngena ngemvume
© Bible Society of South Africa 1959, 1997. Used with permission. All rights reserved.