UDANYELA 1

₁Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kwakaJehoyakhimu ikosi yakwaJuda, uNebukadinetsari ikosi yeBhabheli weza eJerusalema walivimbezela. ₂USomandla wanikela uJehoyakhimu ikosi yakwaJuda kanye nezinye iimpahla zethempeli lakaZimu esandleni sakhe. Wazithatha wazisa enarheni yeTjhinari, ethempelini lakazinyanakhe, wafese wazifaka ngendlini yamagugu.

₃Wayala u-Atjhipenazi oyindunakhe ekulu kobana athathe hlangana nama-Israyeli, okutjho endlini yobukhosi nakibosaziwako, ₄amasokana anganamphambo, anejamo nahlakaniphileko, anekghono loke, anelwazi elibanzi kanye anekghono lokuhlathulula begodu kube ngalungele ukusebenza esigodlweni. Wona-ke bekufuze awafundise umtlolo nelimi lamaKasidi. ₅Ikosi yahlosa kobana amasokana lawo anikelwe isabelo sangemihla sokudla okudliwa yikosi newayini eliselwa ngiyo. Bekufuze abandulwe iminyaka emithathu, kuthi emva kwalokho angene emsebenzini wekosi ngesigodlweni.

₆Hlangana nawo bekunamasokana abuya kwaJuda: kunguDanyela, uRhananiya, uMitjhayeli no-Azariya. ₇Induna ekulu yabathiya amabizo amatjha: uDanyela waba nguBhelithetjhatsari, uRhananiya waba nguTjhedreke, uMitjhayeli waba nguMitjhaka, u-Azariya waba ngu-Abhedinigo.

₈Kodwana nakunguDanyela waqeda nehliziywakhe bonyana akazokuzisilaphaza ngokudla okudliwa yikosi newayini eliselwa ngiyo. Ngalokho wabawa induna ekulu bonyana imvumele kobana angazisilaphazi ngendlela enjalo. ₉UZimu wenza kobana induna ekulu ibe nomusa nezwelo kuDanyela. ₁₀Kodwana induna leyo yakhuluma noDanyela yathi: “Ngesaba umphathami ikosi ekungiyo enihlukanisele ukudla nesiselo senu. Nange ingabona nikhehlile hlangana namasokana ekubontangenu, nizokubeka ipilwami engozini phambi kwekosi.”

₁₁UDanyela wakhuluma nomelusi ebegade abekwe yinduna leyo kobana engamele uDanyela, uRhananiya, uMitjhayeli no-Azariya, wathi: ₁₂“Ngiyakubawa, zizinya iinceku zakho amalanga alitjhumi: Esabelwenapho, sinikela kwaphela umbhido sidle namanzi sisele. ₁₃Emva kwalokho uhlole ubujamo bethu nabulinganiswa nebamasokana adla ukudla okudliwa yikosi bese uphathe iinceku zakho ngendlela obona ngayo.” ₁₄Nje-ke wavumelana nabo ngendaba le, wabazizinya amalanga alitjhumi.

₁₅Emva kwamalanga alitjhumi, babonakala babahle begodu bondleke khulu kunamasokana ebekadla ukudla okudliwa yikosi. ₁₆Ngalokho umelusi wasusa kibo isabelo sokudla newayini lekosi wabanikela imibhido kwaphela.

₁₇UZimu wangezelela emasokaneni amane lawo ukuzwisisa nokuba nelihlo elibukhali kiyo yoke imitlolo kanye nobuhlakani. UDanyela bekazwisisa ihlathululo yayo yoke imibono namabhudango.

₁₈Kwathi ekupheleni kwesikhathi ikosi eyayala ngaso kobana woke amasokana alethwe kiyo, induna ekulu yawethula phambi kwakaNebukadinetsari. ₁₉Yeke ikosi yakhuluma nawo. Phakathi kwawo woke bekangekho afana noDanyela, uRhananiya, uMitjhayeli no-Azariya. Yeke bathoma ukulotjha ngesigodlweni. ₂₀Kiyo yoke indaba ephathelene nobuhlakani nokuzwisisa ikosi eyababuza yona, yafumana bona embuswenayo woke, badlula boke abosomlingo nabaloyi ngokubuyelelwe kalitjhumi.

₂₁UDanyela yena waragela phambili nokulotjha lapho bekwaba mnyaka wokuthoma wokubusa kwekosi uKoretjhi.