UDaniyeli 1

₁Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, kwafika uNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, eJerusalema, walivimbezela. ₂INkosi yanikela esandleni sakhe uJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, nenxenye yezitsha zendlu kaNkulunkulu, waziyisa ezweni laseShineyari endlini kankulunkulu wakhe, waziyisa izitsha endlini yengcebo kankulunkulu wakhe.

₃Inkosi yakhuluma ku-Ashipenazi, induna yabathenwa bayo, ukuba athathe kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli abozalo lwenkosi nezikhulu, abalethe, ₄abafana abangenasici, ababukeka kahle, abanengqondo ekuhlakanipheni konke, abanolwazi ekwazini, abanokuqonda ekwazini, abanamandla ukukhonza endlini yenkosi, abafundise izincwadi nolimi lwamaKaledi. ₅Inkosi yabamisela isabelo semihla ngemihla sokudla kwenkosi nesewayini eliphuzayo, bondliwe iminyaka emithathu; kuyakuthi ngasekugcineni kwayo beme phambi kwenkosi.

₆Kulabo kwakukhona kubantwana bakwaJuda oDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, no-Azariya. ₇Induna yabathenwa yabetha amagama; uDaniyeli yametha ngokuthi uBeliteshasari, noHananiya uShadiraki, noMishayeli uMeshaki, no-Azariya u-Abedi Nego.

₈Kepha uDaniyeli wazimisela enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba angazingcolisi ngesabelo sokudla kwenkosi nangewayini eliphuzayo; wayesecela enduneni yabathenwa ukuba angazingcolisi. ₉UNkulunkulu wamnika uDaniyeli ukuba athole umusa nobumnene emehlweni enduna yabathenwa. ₁₀Induna yabathenwa yathi kuDaniyeli: “Mina ngiyesaba ukuthi inkosi yami, inkosi, emisile ukudla kwenu nokuphuza kwenu, iyakubona ubuso benu ukuba buxhozekile kunabafana abayintanga yenu, nilifake engozini ikhanda lami enkosini.”

₁₁Wayesethi uDaniyeli encekwini, induna yabathenwa ebiyibeke phezu koDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, no-Azariya: ₁₂“Ake ulinge izinceku zakho izinsuku eziyishumi, basiphe imifino yokudla namanzi okuphuza. ₁₃Bese bubekwa ubuso bethu phambi kwakho kanye nobuso babafana abadla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi, wenze ezincekwini zakho njengokubona kwakho.” ₁₄Yabalalela kule nto, yabalinga izinsuku eziyishumi.

₁₅Ngasekugcineni kwezinsuku eziyishumi ubuso babo babonakala bubuhle, babekhuluphele emzimbeni kunabo bonke abafana ababedla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi. ₁₆Inceku yayisisusa isabelo sokudla newayini lokuphuza, yabapha imifino.

₁₇Laba bafana abane uNkulunkulu wabanika ukwazi nokuqonda encwadini nasekuhlakanipheni; uDaniyeli wayenengqondo kuyo yonke imibono namaphupho.

₁₈Ngasekugcineni kwezinsuku inkosi eyayishilo ukuthi bazakungeniswa ngazo, induna yabathenwa yabangenisa phambi kukaNebukadinesari. ₁₉Inkosi yakhuluma nabo; phakathi kwabo bonke akufunyaniswanga muntu onjengoDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, no-Azariya; base bemi ngaphambi kwenkosi. ₂₀Ezintweni zonke zokuhlakanipha nezokuqonda inkosi eyayibabuza ngazo yabafumanisa bedlula kayishumi zonke izanusi nabathwebulayo ababesembusweni wayo wonke.

₂₁UDaniyeli wayekhona kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi.