UDaniyeli 1:1-21

Ngonyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, kwafika uNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, eJerusalema, walivimbezela. INkosi uNkulunkulu yanikela esandleni sakhe uJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, nengxenye yezitsha zasendlini kaNkulunkulu, waziyisa eShineyari endlini kankulunkulu wakhe; izitsha wazibeka endlini yengcebo kankulunkulu wakhe. Inkosi yakhuluma ku-Ashiphenazi, induna yabathenwa bayo, ukuba athathe kubantu bakwa-Israyeli abozalo lwenkosi nezikhulu, abalethe kuyo. Aqoke abafana abangenasici, ababukeka kahle, abanengqondo ekuhlakanipheni konke, abanolwazi ekwazini, abanokuqonda ekwazini, abanamandla okukhonza endlini yenkosi; abafundise izincwadi nolimi lwamaKhaledi. Inkosi yabamisela isabelo semihla ngemihla sokudla kwenkosi nesewayini eliphuzayo, ukuba bondliwe iminyaka emithathu; kuyakuthi ngasekugcineni kwayo, bame phambi kwenkosi. Kulabo kwakukhona abantu bakwaJuda: uDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, no-Azariya. Induna yabathenwa yabaqamba amagama; uDaniyeli yamqamba ngokuthi uBhelitheshazari, uHananiya waba nguShadiraki, uMishayeli waba nguMeshakhi, no-Azariya waba ngu-Abhedi Nego. Kepha uDaniyeli wazimisela enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba angazingcolisi ngesabelo sokudla kwenkosi nangewayini eliphuzayo; wayesecela enduneni yabathenwa ukuba angazingcolisi. UNkulunkulu wenza ukuba uDaniyeli athole umusa nobumnene emehlweni enduna yabathenwa. Induna yabathenwa yathi kuDaniyeli: “Mina ngiyesaba ukuthi inkosi yami, inkosi, emisile ukudla kwenu nokuphuza kwenu, iyakubona ubuso benu ukuthi buxhozekile kunobabafana abangontanga yenu, bese nibeka impilo yami engcupheni enkosini.” Wayesethi uDaniyeli encekwini, induna yabathenwa eyayibekwe phezu koDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, no-Azariya: “Ake ulinge izinceku zakho izinsuku ezilishumi, basiphe imifino yokudla namanzi okuphuza. Bese kuvezwa ubuso bethu phambi kwakho nobuso babafana abadla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi, wenze ezincekwini zakho njengokubona kwakho.” Yabalalela kulokho, yabalinga izinsuku ezilishumi. Ngasekupheleni kwezinsuku ezilishumi, ubuso babo babonakala bubuhle, babekhuluphele emzimbeni kunabo bonke abafana ababedla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi. Inceku yayisisusa isabelo sokudla newayini lokuphuza, yabapha imifino. Laba bafana abane uNkulunkulu wabanika ukwazi nokuqonda encwadini nasekuhlakanipheni; uDaniyeli wayenengqondo kuyo yonke imibono namaphupho. Ngasekugcineni kwezinsuku inkosi eyayishilo ukuthi bazakungeniswa ngazo, induna yabathenwa yabangenisa phambi kukaNebukhadinezari. Inkosi yakhuluma nabo; phakathi kwabo bonke akufunyaniswanga muntu onjengoDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, no-Azariya, ngenkathi sebemi phambi kwenkosi. Ezintweni zonke zokuhlakanipha nezokuqonda inkosi eyayibabuza ngazo, yabafumanisa bedlula kalishumi zonke izanusi nabathwebulayo ababesembusweni wayo wonke. UDaniyeli wayekhona, kwaze kwaba ngunyaka wokuqala kaKhoresi, inkosi.