UDaniyeli 1

₁Ngonyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, kwafika uNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, eJerusalema, walivimbezela. ₂INkosi uNkulunkulu yanikela esandleni sakhe uJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, nengxenye yezitsha zasendlini kaNkulunkulu, waziyisa eShineyari endlini kankulunkulu wakhe; izitsha wazibeka endlini yengcebo kankulunkulu wakhe.

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

₆Kulabo kwakukhona abantu bakwaJuda: uDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, no-Azariya. ₇Induna yabathenwa yabaqamba amagama; uDaniyeli yamqamba ngokuthi uBhelitheshazari, uHananiya waba nguShadiraki, uMishayeli waba nguMeshakhi, no-Azariya waba ngu-Abhedi Nego.

₈Kepha uDaniyeli wazimisela enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba angazingcolisi ngesabelo sokudla kwenkosi nangewayini eliphuzayo; wayesecela enduneni yabathenwa ukuba angazingcolisi. ₉UNkulunkulu wenza ukuba uDaniyeli athole umusa nobumnene emehlweni enduna yabathenwa. ₁₀Induna yabathenwa yathi kuDaniyeli: “Mina ngiyesaba ukuthi inkosi yami, inkosi, emisile ukudla kwenu nokuphuza kwenu, iyakubona ubuso benu ukuthi buxhozekile kunobabafana abangontanga yenu, bese nibeka impilo yami engcupheni enkosini.”

₁₁Wayesethi uDaniyeli encekwini, induna yabathenwa eyayibekwe phezu koDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, no-Azariya: ₁₂“Ake ulinge izinceku zakho izinsuku ezilishumi, basiphe imifino yokudla namanzi okuphuza. ₁₃Bese kuvezwa ubuso bethu phambi kwakho nobuso babafana abadla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi, wenze ezincekwini zakho njengokubona kwakho.”

₁₄Yabalalela kulokho, yabalinga izinsuku ezilishumi.

₁₅Ngasekupheleni kwezinsuku ezilishumi, 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 kukaNebukhadinezari. ₁₉Inkosi yakhuluma nabo; phakathi kwabo bonke akufunyaniswanga muntu onjengoDaniyeli, uHananiya, uMishayeli, no-Azariya, ngenkathi sebemi phambi kwenkosi. ₂₀Ezintweni zonke zokuhlakanipha nezokuqonda inkosi eyayibabuza ngazo, yabafumanisa bedlula kalishumi zonke izanusi nabathwebulayo ababesembusweni wayo wonke.

₂₁UDaniyeli wayekhona, kwaze kwaba ngunyaka wokuqala kaKhoresi, inkosi.