Ukuthunjwa nokufundiswa kukaDaniyeli nabangane bakhe
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 kuAshipenazi induna yabathenwa bayo ukuba athathe kubantwana bakwaIsrayeli 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, noAzariya.
7Induna yabathenwa yabatha amagama; uDaniyeli yamutha ngokuthi uBeliteshasari, noHananiya uShadiraki, noMishayeli uMeshaki, noAzariya uAbediNego.
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 ebiyibeké phezu koDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, noAzariya:
12Ake ulinge izinceku zakho izinsuku eziyishumi, basiphe imifino yokudla namanzi okuphuza.
13Besebubekwa ubuso bethu phambi kwakho kanye nobuso babafana abadla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi, wenze ezincekwini zakho njengokubona kwakho.
14Yabalalela kulento, 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.
17Lababafana 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, noAzariya; 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.
