UDaniyeli 3:13-23

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.