Isahluko 1
1
Ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kukaJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, kwafika uNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, eJerusalema, walivimbezela.
2
INkosi yanikela esandleni sakhe uJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, nenxenye yezitsha zendlu kaNkulunkulu, waziyisa ezweni laseShineyari endlini kankulunkulu wakhe, waziyisa izitsha endlini yengcebo kankulunkulu wakhe.
3
Inkosi yakhuluma ku-Ashipenazi, induna yabathenwa bayo, ukuba athathe kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli abozalo lwenkosi nezikhulu, abalethe,
4
abafana abangenasici, ababukeka kahle, abanengqondo ekuhlakanipheni konke, abanolwazi ekwazini, abanokuqonda ekwazini, abanamandla ukukhonza endlini yenkosi, abafundise izincwadi nolimi lwamaKaledi.
5
Inkosi yabamisela isabelo semihla ngemihla sokudla kwenkosi nesewayini eliphuzayo, bondliwe iminyaka emithathu; kuyakuthi ngasekugcineni kwayo beme phambi kwenkosi.
6
Kulabo kwakukhona kubantwana bakwaJuda oDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, no-Azariya.
7
Induna yabathenwa yabetha amagama; uDaniyeli yametha ngokuthi uBeliteshasari, noHananiya uShadiraki, noMishayeli uMeshaki, no-Azariya u-Abedi Nego.
8
Kepha uDaniyeli wazimisela enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba angazingcolisi ngesabelo sokudla kwenkosi nangewayini eliphuzayo; wayesecela enduneni yabathenwa ukuba angazingcolisi.
9
UNkulunkulu wamnika uDaniyeli ukuba athole umusa nobumnene emehlweni enduna yabathenwa.
10
Induna 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.”
11
Wayesethi uDaniyeli encekwini, induna yabathenwa ebiyibeke phezu koDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, no-Azariya:
12
“Ake ulinge izinceku zakho izinsuku eziyishumi, basiphe imifino yokudla namanzi okuphuza.
13
Bese bubekwa ubuso bethu phambi kwakho kanye nobuso babafana abadla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi, wenze ezincekwini zakho njengokubona kwakho.”
14
Yabalalela kule nto, yabalinga izinsuku eziyishumi.
15
Ngasekugcineni kwezinsuku eziyishumi ubuso babo babonakala bubuhle, babekhuluphele emzimbeni kunabo bonke abafana ababedla isabelo sokudla kwenkosi.
16
Inceku yayisisusa isabelo sokudla newayini lokuphuza, yabapha imifino.
17
Laba bafana abane uNkulunkulu wabanika ukwazi nokuqonda encwadini nasekuhlakanipheni; uDaniyeli wayenengqondo kuyo yonke imibono namaphupho.
18
Ngasekugcineni kwezinsuku inkosi eyayishilo ukuthi bazakungeniswa ngazo, induna yabathenwa yabangenisa phambi kukaNebukadinesari.
19
Inkosi yakhuluma nabo; phakathi kwabo bonke akufunyaniswanga muntu onjengoDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, no-Azariya; base bemi ngaphambi kwenkosi.
20
Ezintweni zonke zokuhlakanipha nezokuqonda inkosi eyayibabuza ngazo yabafumanisa bedlula kayishumi zonke izanusi nabathwebulayo ababesembusweni wayo wonke.
21
UDaniyeli wayekhona kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi.