UDaniyeli 1:1-21

Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakimi inkosi yakwaJuda, uNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, wafika eJerusalema walivimbezela. UJehova wanikela uJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, esandleni sakhe kanye nengxenye yezitsha zendlu kaNkulunkulu aziletha ezweni laseShineyari endlini kankulunkulu wakhe; wazingenisa izitsha endlini yengcebo kankulunkulu wakhe. Inkosi yasikhuluma ku-Aspenasi induna yabathenwa bakhe ukuthi alethe abanye babantwana bakoIsrayeli labenzalo yenkosi leyeziphathamandla; Abantwana abangenasici kubo, kodwa abathandekayo nabanamandla kukho konke ukuhlakanipha nobuqili olwazini nasekuqondeni kwesayensi, ababenamandla okuma esigodlweni senkosi, ababengafundisa kubo ukufunda nolimi lamaKaledi. Inkosi yababekela isabelo semihla ngemihla sokudla kwenkosi nesewayini eliphuzayo; ngakho wabapha ukudla iminyaka emithathu, ukuze ekupheleni kwayo beme phambi kwenkosi. Phakathi kwabo kwakukhona kubantwana bakwaJuda, uDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, no-Azariya; Induna yabathenwa yabaqamba amagama, ngokuba yaqamba uDaniyeli ngokuthi uBelitshasari; noHananiya kaShadiraki; noMishayeli kaMeshaki; no-Azariya, ku-Abhedinego. Kepha uDaniyeli wanquma enhliziyweni yakhe ukuthi angazingcolisi ngokudla kwenkosi nangewayini aliphuzayo; ngakho wacela induna yenkundla ukuthi ingamngcolisi. UNkulunkulu wamenzela uDaniyeli umusa nesisa enduneni yabathenwa. Induna yabalindi yathi kuDaniyeli: “Ngiyayesaba inkosi yami, inkosi, emisile ukudla kwenu nesiphuzo senu; khona-ke kumelwe ubeke ikhanda lami engozini ngenxa yenkosi. Khona-ke uDaniyeli wathi kuMelzari owabeka induna yezikhulu phezu kukaDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli no-Azariya: Zivivinye izinceku zakho izinsuku eziyishumi; futhi mabasinike imifino ukuze sidle namanzi ukuba siphuze. Khona ubuso bethu mabube ubuso bakho nobuso babantwana abadla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi, wenze ezincekwini zakho ngokubona kwakho. Wavumelana nabo kule ndaba, wabavivinya izinsuku eziyishumi. Ekupheleni kwezinsuku eziyishumi ubuso babo babonakala buhle kakhulu, zikhuluphele kunabo bonke abantwana abadla ukudla kwenkosi. Ngakho uMelzari wathatha ingxenye yenyama yabo newayini ababenalo ukuze baliphuze; futhi wanikeza umphefumulo wabo. Kepha laba bantwana abane uNkulunkulu wabanika ukwazi nokuqonda kuyo yonke imfundo nokuhlakanipha; uDaniyeli wayenengqondo kuyo yonke imibono namaphupho. Kwathi ekupheleni kwezinsuku inkosi eyayithe mabangeniswe ngazo, induna yabalindi yabangenisa phambi kukaNebukadinesari. Inkosi yasikhuluma kubo; futhi phakathi kwabo bonke akutholakalanga owayenjengoDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, no-Azariya; ngakho bema phambi kwenkosi. Kuzo zonke izindaba zokuhlakanipha nokuqonda inkosi eyayibabuza yona, yathola ukuthi babengcono ngokuphindwe kashumi kunabo bonke abahlola imilingo nabahlola izinkanyezi ababesembusweni wayo wonke. UDaniyeli wahlala kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi.