Daniyeli 3:1-30
3 UNebhukadenetsare ukumkani wenza umfanekiso wegolide. Wawuziikubhite eziyi-60* ubude, uziikubhite ezintandathu* ububanzi. Wawumisa kwithafa laseDura, kwiphondo laseBhabhiloni.*
2 Emva koko uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare wathumela ukuba kuqokelelwe abaphathiswa bamaphondo, amasekela-baphathiswa, abalawuli, abacebisi, abagcini-mali, abagwebi, oomantyi, nabo bonke abasemagunyeni kumaphondo,* beze xa kunikezelwa umfanekiso omiswe ngukumkani.
3 Abaphathiswa, amasekela-baphathiswa, abalawuli, abacebisi, abagcini-mali, abagwebi, oomantyi, nabo bonke abalawuli bamaphondo,* badibana ukuze kunikezelwe umfanekiso awumisileyo uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare. Bema phambi kwalo mfanekiso.
4 Kwabakho umntu okhwazayo esithi: “Nina zizwana, nani zintlanga neelwimi, niyalelwa ukuba
5 xa nisiva isandi sophondo, sempempe, sekitare, sohadi olunxantathu, somrhubhe, sempempe enengxowa, nesazo zonke izixhobo zomculo, nimele niqubude nikhonze umfanekiso wegolide awumisileyo uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare.
6 Nabani na ongaqubudiyo akhonze ngawo loo mzuzu, uza kuphoswa kwiziko lomlilo elivuthayo.”+
7 Sathi sakuvakala isandi sophondo, sempempe, sekitare, sohadi olunxantathu, somrhubhe, nesazo zonke ezinye izixhobo zomculo, zaqubuda ngaxeshanye zonke izizwana, iintlanga neelwimi, zakhonza umfanekiso wegolide omiswe nguKumkani uNebhukadenetsare.
8 Kwathi ngelo xesha, amanye amaKhaledi eza ngaphambili aza amangalela amaYuda.*
9 Athi kuKumkani uNebhukadenetsare: “Phila ngonaphakade kumkani.
10 Wena kumkani, ukhuphe umyalelo wokuba wonke umntu ova isandi sophondo, sempempe, sekitare, sohadi olunxantathu, somrhubhe, sempempe enengxowa, nesazo zonke ezinye izixhobo zomculo, ufanele aqubude akhonze umfanekiso wegolide;
11 nokuba nabani na ongaqubudanga aze akhonze, ufanele aphoswe kwiziko lomlilo elivuthayo.+
12 Kodwa kukho amaYuda owabekileyo ukuba alawule iphondo laseBhabhiloni.* NguShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego.+ La madoda akanaxesha lakho kumkani, akabakhonzi oothixo bakho, nomfanekiso wegolide owumisileyo akafuni kuwukhonza.”
13 Evutha ngumsindo uNebhukadenetsare, wayalela ukuba uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego babizwe. Ngoko baziswa kukumkani.
14 UNebhukadenetsare wathi: “Yinyani na Shadraki, Meshaki nawe Abhednego, ukuba anibakhonzi oothixo bam+ yaye niyala ukuwukhonza nomfanekiso wegolide endiwumisileyo?
15 Ukuba nithe xa nisiva isandi sophondo, sempempe, sekitare, sohadi olunxantathu, somrhubhe, sempempe enengxowa, nesazo zonke ezinye izixhobo zomculo, nabe nikulungele ukuqubuda nikhonze umfanekiso endiwenzileyo, kulungile. Kodwa ukuba anifuni, niza kuphoswa ngoko nangoko kwiziko lomlilo elivuthayo. Ibe nguwuphi uthixo onokunisindisa kum?”+
16 UShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego bamphendula ukumkani bathi: “Owu Nebhukadenetsare, akuyomfuneko ukuba sikuphendule.
17 Ukuba kumele kube njalo, uThixo wethu esimkhonzayo, uyakwazi ukusisindisa kwiziko lomlilo elivuthayo, nasesandleni sakho kumkani.+
18 Kodwa nokuba akasisindisi, yazi kumkani ukuba asizukubakhonza oothixo bakho, okanye umfanekiso wegolide owumisileyo.”+
19 Ngoko uNebhukadenetsare waba nomsindo, kangangokuba watshintsha ebusweni njengoko wayejonge* uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego. Wayalela ukuba iziko lomlilo lenziwe shushu ngokuphindwe kasixhenxe kunesiqhelo.
20 Wayalela amanye amadoda omeleleyo omkhosi wakhe ukuba abophe uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego, abaphose kwiziko lomlilo elivuthayo.
21 Abotshwa ke la madoda eseneengubo zawo zokwaleka, iimpahla, iminqwazi nezinye izinto awayezinxibile, aza aphoswa kwiziko lomlilo elivuthayo.
22 Ngenxa yokuba umyalelo kakumkani wawungqongqo, lenziwa lashushu ngokugqithiseleyo iziko, kangangokuba loo madoda ayephosa uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego, abulawa ngamadangatye omlilo.
23 Kodwa la madoda mathathu, uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego, awela phakathi kwiziko lomlilo elivuthayo, ebotshiwe.
24 Emva koko uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare woyika waza waphakama ngokukhawuleza. Wathi kumagosa akhe aphakamileyo: “Besingaphosanga amadoda amathathu ebotshiwe na emlilweni?” La magosa athi kukumkani: “Ewe kumkani.”
25 Yena wathi: “Jongani! Ndibona amadoda amane ahamba-hamba emlilweni engabotshwanga. Akonzakalanga yaye le yesine ifana nonyana woothixo.”
26 UNebhukadenetsare wasondela kwigeyithi yeziko lomlilo elivuthayo. Wathi: “Shadraki, Meshaki, nawe Abhednego, bakhonzi bOyena Thixo Uphakamileyo,+ phumani nize apha!” Baphuma ke emlilweni uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego.
27 Abaphathiswa, amasekela-baphathiswa, abalawuli namagosa aphakamileyo kakumkani awayelapho,+ abona ukuba akukho nto uyenzileyo* umlilo kwimizimba yala madoda.+ Kwakungarhawukanga nonwele olu kwiintloko zawo. Iingubo zawo zokwaleka zazingenzekanga nto, engenalo nevumba eli lomlilo.
28 UNebhukadenetsare wathi: “Makadunyiswe uThixo kaShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego,+ othumele ingelosi yakhe yabasindisa abakhonzi bakhe. Baye bathembela ngoThixo wabo, abalithobela ilizwi likakumkani, bexolele ukufa* kunokuba bakhonze nawuphi na uthixo ngaphandle koThixo wabo.+
29 Ngoko ke ndikhupha umyalelo wokuba nabaphi na abantu, iintlanga, okanye iilwimi ezithetha kakubi ngoThixo kaShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego, zifanele zinqunqwe, nezindlu zazo zenziwe iindawo zangasese zikawonke-wonke;* kuba akakho omnye uthixo onako ukusindisa ngale ndlela.”+
30 Emva koko ukumkani wanika uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego izikhundla eziphezulu kwiphondo laseBhabhiloni.*+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Malunga ne-27 m. Funda Isihlomelo B14.
^ Malunga ne-2,7 m. Funda Isihlomelo B14.
^ Okanye “kwingingqi yaseBhabhiloni.”
^ Okanye “kwiingingqi.”
^ Okanye “beengingqi.”
^ Okanye “angcolisa igama lamaYuda.”
^ Okanye “ingingqi yaseBhabhiloni.”
^ Okanye “yatshintsha ngokupheleleyo indlela awayemjonge ngayo.”
^ Okanye “khange ube namandla.”
^ Okanye “ukunikela ngemizimba yabo.”
^ Okanye kusenokwenzeka, “iindawo zokulahla inkunkuma; imfumba yelindle lezilwanyana.”
^ Okanye “kwingingqi yaseBhabhiloni.”
