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1 UNebhukadenetsare ukumkani wenza umfanekiso wegolide. Ukuphakama kwawo bekuziikubhite ezimashumi mathandathu, ububanzi bawo bebuziikubhite ezintandathu; wawumisa ethafeni laseDura, ezweni laseBhabheli.2 UNebhukadenetsare wathumela ukuba kuhlanganiswe iirhuluneli, nabathetheli bomkhosi, namabamba, nabagwebi abakhulu, nabagcini-ndyebo, nabaqondisi-mthetho, nabagwebi, nabo bonke abanegunya emazweni, ukuze beze ekusungulweni komfanekiso, abewumisile uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani.3 Zaza zahlanganisana iirhuluneli, nabathetheli bomkhosi, namabamba, nabagwebi abakhulu, nabagcini-ndyebo, nabaqondisi-mthetho, nabagwebi, nabo bonke abanegunya emazweni, ukuze usungulwe umfanekiso, abewumisile uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani; bema ke phambi komfanekiso abewumisile uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani.4 Ummemezi wadanduluka ngamandla, wathi, Kuthiwa kuni, zintlanga, zizwe, zilwimi:5 Ngexesha enithe neva izwi lesigodlo, nelembande, nelekitare, nelomrhubhe, nelohadi, nelogwali, nelezinye iintlobo zonke ezibethwayo, yiwani phantsi, niqubude kumfanekiso wegolide awumiseleyo uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani.6 Ongathanga awe phantsi, aqubude, uya kujulelwa kwaoko ezikweni elivutha umlilo.7 Ngenxa yoko, ngelo xesha, xa zalivayo iintlanga zonke ilizwi lesigodlo, nelembande, nelekitare, nelomrhubhe, nelohadi, nelogwali, nelezinye iintlobo zonke ezibethwayo, zawa phantsi zonke iintlanga, nezizwe, neelwimi, zaqubuda kumfanekiso wegolide abewumisile uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani.

8 Ngenxa yoko, ngelo xesha kwasondela amadoda angamaKaledi, awancetheza amaYuda.9 Athetha athi kukumkani uNebhukadenetsare, Kumkani, yidla ubomi ngonaphakade!10 Wena kumkani, uwise umthetho wokuthi, bonke abantu abathe baliva izwi lesigodlo, nelembande, nelekitare, nelomrhubhe, nelohadi, nelogwali, nelezinye iintlobo zonke ezibethwayo, mabawe phantsi baqubude kumfanekiso wegolide.11 Ongathanga awe phantsi, aqubude, makajulelwe ezikweni elivutha umlilo.12 Kukho amadoda angamaYuda, owamise enkonzweni yokuphatha ilizwe laseBhabheli, uShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego; la madoda akakhathali nguwe, kumkani; akababusi oothixo bakho, akaqubudi kumfanekiso wegolide owumisileyo.13 Waza wathi uNebhukadenetsare, equmbile, eshushu, mabaziswe ooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego. Aziswa ke la madoda phambi kokumkani.14 Waphendula uNebhukadenetsare, wathi kubo, Nenza ngabomi na, Shadraki, Meshaki, Abhede-nego, ukuthi ningambusi uthixo wam, ningaqubudi kumfanekiso wegolide endiwumisileyo?15 Ke ukuba nithe ngoku nalungela ukuthi, ngexesha lokuva kwenu izwi lesigodlo, nelembande, nelekitare, nelomrhubhe, nelohadi, nelogwali, nelezinye iintlobo zonke ezibethwayo, niwe phantsi, niqubude kumfanekiso endiwenzileyo, kolunga; kodwa ukuba anithanga niqubude, nojulelwa kwaoko ezikweni elivutha umlilo. Ngubani na ke uthixo oya kunisindisa esandleni sam?16 Baphendula ooShadraki, noMeshaki noAbhede-nego, bathi kukumkani, Nebhukadenetsare, akufuneki kuthi ukuba sikuphendule ngale ndawo.17 Ukuba uThixo wethu esimbusayo unako, wosisindisa ezikweni elivutha umlilo, nasesandleni sakho, kumkani.18 Ke, ukuba akunjalo, makwazeke kuwe, kumkani, ukuba asiyi kubabusa othixo bakho, asiyi kuqubuda kumfanekiso wegolide owumisileyo.

19 Wesuka uNebhukadenetsare wazala bubushushu, nokumila kobuso bakhe baba bubi kuShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego; waphendula wathi, iziko malenziwe libe shushu ngokuphindwe kasixhenxe, kunoko fudula lisenziwa shushu ngako.20 Wathi kumadoda, kumadoda anobukroti empini yakhe, makababophe ooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego, abajulele ezikweni elivutha umlilo.21 Aza la madoda abotshwa eneehempe zawo, neengubo zawo zangaphantsi, nezokwaleka, nezinye iingubo zawo, ajulelwa ezikweni elivutha umlilo.22 Kwathi, ngenxa enokuba ilizwi lokumkani belibukhali, neziko belenziwe lashushu ngokuncamisileyo, ngenxa yoko ilangatye lomlilo lawabulala loo madoda abafunqulayo ooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego.23 La madoda omathathu, ooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego, awa phakathi kweziko elivutha umlilo, ebotshiwe.24 Waza uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani wothuka, wesuka ngobungxamo, wathetha wathi kumaphakathi akhe, Besingajulelanga phakathi komlilo amadoda amathathu yini na, ebotshiwe? Aphendula athi kukumkani, Unyanisile, kumkani.25 Waphendula wathi, Khangelani, ndibona amadoda amane, ekhululekile, ehamba phakathi komlilo, engenzakele; ukubonakala kweyesine ke kufana nonyana woothixo.26 Waza uNebhukadenetsare wasondela esangweni leziko elivutha umlilo, waphendula wathi, Shadraki, Meshaki, Abhede-nego, bakhonzi boThixo Osenyangweni, phumani nize. Baza baphuma ooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego, emlilweni.27 Zahlanganisana iirhuluneli, nabathetheli bomkhosi, namabamba, namaphakathi okumkani; bawakhangela la madoda, ukuba umlilo awubanga namandla emizimbeni yawo, akurhawukanga nalunwele lwentloko yawo; iihempe zawo azibanga zizimbi, nevumba lomlilo alifikanga kuwo.

28 Waphendula uNebhukadenetsare wathi, Makabongwe uThixo kaShadraki, kaMeshaki, ka-Abhede-nego osithumileyo isithunywa sakhe, wabasindisa abakhonzi bakhe, ababekholose ngaye, baligqitha ilizwi lokumkani, bayinikela imizimba yabo, ukuba bangabusi, bangaqubudi, kuthixo nonguwuphi, ongenguye uThixo wabo.29 Ndiwisa umthetho wokuba zonke iintlanga, nezizwe, neelwimi, ezisukuba zithetha into eyimposiso ngoThixo kaShadraki, kaMeshaki, ka-Abhede-nego, ziya kwenziwa iziqwenga; izindlu zabo zenziwe indawo ekuyiwa kuyo endle; ngenxa enokuba kungekho thixo wumbi, unako ukuhlangula ngolo luhlobo.30 Waza ukumkani wabenza banempumelelo ooShadraki, noMeshaki, noAbhede-nego, ezweni laseBhabheli.