UDaniyeli 3:1-30

UNebukhadinezari, inkosi, wenza isithombe segolide, ubude baso bungamakhubhithi angama-60, ububanzi baso bungamakhubhithi ayisithupha; wasimisa ethafeni eDura esifundeni eBhabhele. UNebukhadinezari, inkosi, wathumela, waqoqa izikhulu, ababusi, izinduna, abehluleli, abaphathizikhwama, abomkhandlu, nabameli, nabo bonke abaphathizifunda ukuba beze ekwehlukaniselweni kwesithombe uNebukhadinezari, inkosi, asimisileyo. Khona izikhulu, ababusi, izinduna, abehluleli, abaphathizikhwama, abomkhandlu, abameli, nabo bonke abaphathizifunda baqoqelwa ukwehlukaniselwa kwesithombe uNebukhadinezari, inkosi, abesimisile; bama phambi kwesithombe uNebukhadinezari asimisileyo. Kwase kumemeza ngamandla ohlaba umkhosi, wathi: “We nina bantu nezizwe, nabezilimi ezehlukene, niyayalwa ukuba ngesikhathi enizwa ngaso ukukhala kwecilongo, igenkle, ihabhu, umqangala, ugubhu, negemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa; niwe phansi, nikhuleke esithombeni segolide uNebukhadinezari, inkosi, asimisileyo. Ongayukuwa phansi, akhuleke, uyakuphonswa ngaso leso sikhathi phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.” Ngalokho lapho abantu bezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, igekle, ihabhu, umqangala, nogubhu, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwayo; bonke abantu, izizwe, nezilimi bawa phansi, bakhuleka esithombeni segolide asimisileyo uNebukhadinezari, inkosi. Ngaso leso sikhathi kwasondela amadoda amaKhaledi, otha abaJuda. Akhuluma athi kuNebukhadinezari, inkosi: “Phila kade, nkosi. Wena nkosi ukhiphe isimemezelo sokuthi bonke abantu abezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, igekle, ihabhu, umqangala, ugubhu, igemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwayo bawe phansi, bakhuleke esithombeni segolide, nokuthi ongawi phansi, akhuleke, uyakuphonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. Kukhona amadoda abaJuda, owabeke ukuba aphathe isifunda eBhabhele: uShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego; lawa madoda, nkosi, awawunakanga umyalo wenkosi; awabakhothameli onkulunkulu bakho, awakhuleki esithombeni segolide osimisileyo.” Khona uNebukhadinezari wayaleza egcwele ulaka nentukuthelo, wayaleza ukuba kulethwe uShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego. Alethwa-ke lawo madoda phambi kwenkosi. UNebukhadinezari wathi kuwo: “Nenze ngamabomu yini, Shadirakhi, Meshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego ukuba ningabahloniphi onkulunkulu bami, ningakhuleki esithombeni segolide engisimisileyo na? Manje uma nilungele ukuba ngesikhathi enizwa ngaso ukukhala kwecilongo, igekle, ihabhu, umqangala, ugubhu, igemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwayo, niwe phansi, nikhuleke esithombeni engisenzileyo, kuhle; kepha uma ningakhuleki, niyakuphonswa ngaso leso sikhathi phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo; ngumuphi lowo nkulunkulu onganophula esandleni sami na?” UShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego baphendula, bathi enkosini: “Nebukhadinezari, thina asidingi ukukuphendula kule ndaba. Uma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo unamandla okusikhulula esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo; yebo, uyakusikhulula esandleni sakho, nkosi. Kepha noma kungenjalo, makwazeke kuwe nkosi ukuthi asiyukukhonza onkulunkulu bakho, asiyukukhuleka esithombeni segolide osimisileyo.” Khona uNebukhadinezari wathukuthela wafa, nesimo sobuso bakhe saguquka ngenxa kaShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego; wakhuluma wayaleza ukuba isithando somlilo sibaselwe kasikhombisa ngaphezu kwalokho okwejwayeleke ukuba sibaselwe ngakho. Wayeseyaleza amadoda anamandla ayengawempi yakhe ukuba abophe uShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego, abaphonse esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. Ngakho-ke aboshwa lawo madoda egqoke amayembe, amabhulukwe, izigqoko, nezinye izingubo; aphonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. Ngalokho ngokuba umyalo wenkosi wawunesihluku, nesithando somlilo sishisa ngokwedlulele, ilangabi lomlilo lawabulala lawo madoda ayequkula uShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego. Kepha lawa madoda amathathu; oShadirakhi, noMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego, awela phansi eboshiwe phakathi esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. Khona uNebukhadinezari, inkosi wethuka, wasuka ngokushesha wakhuluma kwabomkhandlu wakhe, wathi: “Angithi siphonse amadoda amathathu eboshiwe phakathi komlilo na?” Baphendula, bathi enkosini: “Uqinisile, nkosi.” Yaphendula yathi: “Bhekani, ngibona amadoda amane akhululekileyo ehamba phakathi komlilo, awafanga; eyesine ibonakala ifana nendodana yonkulunkulu.” Wayesesondela uNebukhadinezari emnyango wesithando somlilo ovuthayo; wakhuluma wathi: “Shadirakhi, Meshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego, nina zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani nize lapha.” Base bephuma oShadirakhi, noMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego phakathi komlilo. Izikhulu, ababusi, izinduna, nabomkhandlu wenkosi babuthana, babona lawa madoda ukuthi umlilo awubanga namandla emizimbeni yawo, akuhangukanga nolulodwa unwele emakhanda awo, namayembe awo awaguqukanga, ngisho nephunga lomlilo alisondelanga kuwo. UNebukhadinezari wakhuluma, wathi: “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu woShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego, othumele ingelosi yakhe, wakhulula izinceku zakhe ebezimethemba, zanikela imizimba yazo ukuba zingakhonzi, zingakhuleki nakoyedwa unkulunkulu, kuphela uNkulunkulu wazo, zalishaya indiva izwi lenkosi. Ngalokho ngikhipha isimemezelo sokuba bonke abantu, izizwe, izilimi ezikhuluma okungafanele ngoNkulunkulu woShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego ziyakuhlahlelwa, izindlu zazo zenziwe incithakalo, ngokuba akekho omunye unkulunkulu ongasindisa ngale ndlela.” Inkosi yabaphakamisa oShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego esifundeni eBhabhele.