UDaniyeli 3:13-23

UNebukadinesari wayala ngokuthukuthela nangokufutheka ukuba kulethwe oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abhedinego. Base beletha lawa madoda phambi kwenkosi. UNebukadinesari wakhuluma kubo, wathi: “Kuyiqiniso yini, Shadiraki, Meshaki, no-Abedi Nego, ukuthi anibakhonzi onkulunkulu bami, anikhuleki esithombeni segolide engisimisileyo na? Futhi lapho senilungile ngesikhathi enizwa ngaso ukukhala kwecilongo, negenkle, nehabhu, nehabhu, nehabhu, nehabhu, nempumputhe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zezinsimbi zomculo, niwela phansi nikhuleke esithombeni engiwenzile; yebo, kodwa uma ningakhuleki, ngaso leso sikhathi niyophonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo esivuthayo; futhi ngubani uNkulunkulu oyakunikhulula esandleni sami na? OShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego baphendula, bathi enkosini: “Nebukadinesari, asiqinanga ukuba sikuphendule ngale ndaba. Uma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu wethu osikhonzayo angasikhulula esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo, asikhulule esandleni sakho, nkosi. Kepha uma kungenjalo, makwazeke kuwe, nkosi, ukuthi asiyikukhonza onkulunkulu bakho, sikhuleke esithombeni segolide osimisileyo. Khona uNebukadinesari wagcwala intukuthelo, nesimo sobuso bakhe sashintsha kuShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abhedinego; ngakho-ke wakhuluma futhi wayala ukuthi isithando somlilo kufanele sibase ngokuphindwe kasikhombisa kunalokho esijwayele ukushiswa ngaso. Wayala amaqhawe ayesempini yakhe ukuba abophe oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abhedinego, abaphonse esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. Khona-ke la madoda aboshwa egqoke izingubo zawo, amabhulukwe nezigqoko nezinye izingubo zawo, aphonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. Ngakho-ke, ngenxa yokuthi umyalo wenkosi wawushubile futhi isithando somlilo sasishisa kakhulu, ilangabi lomlilo lawabulala lawo madoda athatha oShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abhedinego. Lawa madoda amathathu, oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abhedinego, awela eboshwe izandla phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.