UDaniyeli 3:19-30

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. Khona-ke inkosi uNebukadinesari yamangala, yasukuma ngokushesha, yathi kubaphathi bayo: “Asiphonsanga yini amadoda amathathu eboshwe izandla emlilweni na? Baphendula, bathi enkosini: Kuyiqiniso, nkosi! Waphendula wathi: “Bheka, ngibona amadoda amane ehamba phakathi komlilo, awalimalanga; nesimo sesine sinjengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu. UNebukadinesari wasondela emnyango wesithando somlilo ovuthayo, wakhuluma wathi: “Shadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego, zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani nize lapha. Khona-ke uShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abhedinego baphuma emlilweni. Izikhulu, nababusi, nezinduna, nabeluleki benkosi ababebuthene bawabona lawa madoda, umlilo wawungenamandla emizimbeni yawo, nonwele lwamakhanda awo aluzange lushunqe, nezingubo zawo aziguqukanga, futhi iphunga lomlilo lidlule phezu kwabo. UNebukadinesari wakhuluma, wathi: “Makatuswe uNkulunkulu kaShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abedi Nego, othume ingelosi yakhe, wakhulula izinceku zakhe ezimethembayo, waguqula izwi lenkosi, wakhulula imizimba yazo, ukuze bangamkhonzi, bakhulekele noma yimuphi unkulunkulu. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wabo. Ngalokho ngiyaleza ukuba bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi, abakhuluma okubi ngoNkulunkulu kaShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abhedinego, banqunywe izicucu, izindlu zabo zenziwe iquba, ngokuba akakho omunye uNkulunkulu olandela lolu hlobo angahlenga. Inkosi yayisikhulisa oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abhedinego esifundeni saseBabele.