UDaniyeli 3

₁UNebukhadinezari, inkosi, wenza isithombe segolide, ubude baso bungamakhubhithi angama-60, ububanzi baso bungamakhubhithi ayisithupha; wasimisa ethafeni eDura esifundeni eBhabhele. ₂UNebukhadinezari, inkosi, wathumela, waqoqa izikhulu, ababusi, izinduna, abehluleli, abaphathizikhwama, abomkhandlu, nabameli, nabo bonke abaphathizifunda ukuba beze ekwehlukaniselweni kwesithombe uNebukhadinezari, inkosi, asimisileyo. ₃Khona izikhulu, ababusi, izinduna, abehluleli, abaphathizikhwama, abomkhandlu, abameli, nabo bonke abaphathizifunda baqoqelwa ukwehlukaniselwa kwesithombe uNebukhadinezari, inkosi, abesimisile; bama phambi kwesithombe uNebukhadinezari asimisileyo.

₄Kwase kumemeza ngamandla ohlaba umkhosi, wathi: “We nina bantu nezizwe, nabezilimi ezehlukene, niyayalwa ₅ukuba ngesikhathi enizwa ngaso ukukhala kwecilongo, igenkle, ihabhu, umqangala, ugubhu, negemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa; niwe phansi, nikhuleke esithombeni segolide uNebukhadinezari, inkosi, asimisileyo. ₆Ongayukuwa phansi, akhuleke, uyakuphonswa ngaso leso sikhathi phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.”

₇Ngalokho lapho abantu bezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, igekle, ihabhu, umqangala, nogubhu, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwayo; bonke abantu, izizwe, nezilimi bawa phansi, bakhuleka esithombeni segolide asimisileyo uNebukhadinezari, inkosi.

₈Ngaso leso sikhathi kwasondela amadoda amaKhaledi, otha abaJuda. ₉Akhuluma athi kuNebukhadinezari, inkosi: “Phila kade, nkosi. ₁₀Wena nkosi ukhiphe isimemezelo sokuthi bonke abantu abezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, igekle, ihabhu, umqangala, ugubhu, igemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwayo bawe phansi, bakhuleke esithombeni segolide, ₁₁nokuthi ongawi phansi, akhuleke, uyakuphonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. ₁₂Kukhona amadoda abaJuda, owabeke ukuba aphathe isifunda eBhabhele: uShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego; lawa madoda, nkosi, awawunakanga umyalo wenkosi; awabakhothameli onkulunkulu bakho, awakhuleki esithombeni segolide osimisileyo.”

₁₃Khona uNebukhadinezari wayaleza egcwele ulaka nentukuthelo, wayaleza ukuba kulethwe uShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego. Alethwa-ke lawo madoda phambi kwenkosi. ₁₄UNebukhadinezari wathi kuwo: “Nenze ngamabomu yini, Shadirakhi, Meshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego ukuba ningabahloniphi onkulunkulu bami, ningakhuleki esithombeni segolide engisimisileyo na? ₁₅Manje 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?”

₁₆UShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego baphendula, bathi enkosini: “Nebukhadinezari, thina asidingi ukukuphendula kule ndaba. ₁₇Uma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo unamandla okusikhulula esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo; yebo, uyakusikhulula esandleni sakho, nkosi. ₁₈Kepha noma kungenjalo, makwazeke kuwe nkosi ukuthi asiyukukhonza onkulunkulu bakho, asiyukukhuleka esithombeni segolide osimisileyo.”

₁₉Khona 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. ₂₀Wayeseyaleza amadoda anamandla ayengawempi yakhe ukuba abophe uShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego, abaphonse esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo. ₂₁Ngakho-ke aboshwa lawo madoda egqoke amayembe, amabhulukwe, izigqoko, nezinye izingubo; aphonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. ₂₂Ngalokho ngokuba umyalo wenkosi wawunesihluku, nesithando somlilo sishisa ngokwedlulele, ilangabi lomlilo lawabulala lawo madoda ayequkula uShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego. ₂₃Kepha lawa madoda amathathu; oShadirakhi, noMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego, awela phansi eboshiwe phakathi esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo.

₂₄Khona uNebukhadinezari, inkosi wethuka, wasuka ngokushesha wakhuluma kwabomkhandlu wakhe, wathi: “Angithi siphonse amadoda amathathu eboshiwe phakathi komlilo na?”

Baphendula, bathi enkosini: “Uqinisile, nkosi.”

₂₅Yaphendula yathi: “Bhekani, ngibona amadoda amane akhululekileyo ehamba phakathi komlilo, awafanga; eyesine ibonakala ifana nendodana yonkulunkulu.”

₂₆Wayesesondela uNebukhadinezari emnyango wesithando somlilo ovuthayo; wakhuluma wathi: “Shadirakhi, Meshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego, nina zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani nize lapha.”

Base bephuma oShadirakhi, noMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego phakathi komlilo. ₂₇Izikhulu, ababusi, izinduna, nabomkhandlu wenkosi babuthana, babona lawa madoda ukuthi umlilo awubanga namandla emizimbeni yawo, akuhangukanga nolulodwa unwele emakhanda awo, namayembe awo awaguqukanga, ngisho nephunga lomlilo alisondelanga kuwo.

₂₈UNebukhadinezari wakhuluma, wathi: “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu woShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego, othumele ingelosi yakhe, wakhulula izinceku zakhe ebezimethemba, zanikela imizimba yazo ukuba zingakhonzi, zingakhuleki nakoyedwa unkulunkulu, kuphela uNkulunkulu wazo, zalishaya indiva izwi lenkosi. ₂₉Ngalokho ngikhipha isimemezelo sokuba bonke abantu, izizwe, izilimi ezikhuluma okungafanele ngoNkulunkulu woShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego ziyakuhlahlelwa, izindlu zazo zenziwe incithakalo, ngokuba akekho omunye unkulunkulu ongasindisa ngale ndlela.”

₃₀Inkosi yabaphakamisa oShadirakhi, uMeshakhi, no-Abhedi Nego esifundeni eBhabhele.