1 Ngomnyaka wesithathu wobukumkani bukaYehoyakim ukumkani wakwaYuda, kweza uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseBhabheli eYerusalem, wayingqinga.
2 INkosi yamnikela uYehoyakim ukumkani wakwaYuda esandleni sakhe, nenxalenye yeempahla zendlu kaThixo, awazithwalela ezweni laseShinare, endlwini yothixo wakhe; iimpahla ezo wazingenisa endlwini yobuncwane bothixo wakhe.
3 Wathi ukumkani kuAshpenazi, umthetheli-mathenwa akhe, makazise abakoonyana bakaSirayeli, nabembewu yakwakumkani, nabakumawaba;
4 abantwana abangenasiphako, abanomkhitha, ababuqiqileyo ubulumko bonke, abanokwazi, abanokuyiqonda bayazi into, abafanele ukuma ebhotweni lokumkani; abafundise incwadi nolwimi lwamaKaledi.
5 Ukumkani wabamisela umamkeliso wemini ngangemini yawo, ekudleni kokumkani nasewayinini ayiselayo, ukuze bondliwe iminyaka emithathu; bathi ekupheleni kwayo beme phambi kokumkani.
6 Ke phakathi kwabo abo kwaye kukho abakoonyana bakaYuda, inguDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, noAzariya.
7 Umthetheli-mathenwa wabathiya amagama; uDaniyeli wamthiya elokuba nguBheletshatsare, uHananiya elokuba nguShadraki, uMishayeli elokuba nguMeshaki, uAzariya elokuba nguAbhede-nego.
8 Ke kaloku, uDaniyeli wayegqibe entliziyweni yakhe, ukuba angazingcolisi ngokudla kokumkani nangewayini ayiselayo; wacela kumthetheli-mathenwa ukuba angazingcolisi.
9 UThixo wenza uDaniyeli ukuba afumane inceba nemfesane phambi komthetheli-mathenwa.
10 Umthetheli-mathenwa wathi kuDaniyeli, Ndiyayoyika inkosi yam ukumkani, omise eniya kukudla neniya kukusela; yini na ukuba abubone ubuso benu buthe matshamatsha kunobabaya baziintanga zenu? Noyizekisa ityala intloko yam kukumkani.
11 Wathi uDaniyeli kwinjoli, abethe umthetheli-mathenwa wayimisa phezu koDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, noAzariya,
12 Khawubalinge abakhonzi bakho iintsuku ezilishumi, sinikwe sidle imifuno, sisele namanzi;
13 kukhangelwe phambi kwakho ukubonakala kwethu, nokubonakala kwabantwana abadla ukudla kokumkani; wenze ke kubakhonzi bakho njengoko ubone ngako.
14 Yabaphulaphula ke kweli lizwi, yabalinga iintsuku ezilishumi.
15 Ekupheleni kweentsuku ezilishumi, yabonakala imbonakalo yabo intle, betyebile, ngaphezu kwabantwana bonke abadla ukudla kokumkani.
16 Yakususa ke injoli ukudla kwabo, newayini abange beyisela, yabanika imifuno.
17 Abo bantwana bane uThixo wabanika ukwazi, nokuziqonda iincwadi zonke, nobulumko; uDaniyeli waba nokuyiqonda imibono yonke, namaphupha.
18 Ekupheleni kweentsuku, abethe ukumkani maze baziswe ngazo, umthetheli-mathenwa wabangenisa ke phambi koNebhukadenetsare.
19 Ukumkani wathetha nabo; kubo bonke bephela akufumanekanga banjengoDaniyeli, noHananiya, noMishayeli, noAzariya. Bema ke bona phambi kokumkani.
20 Ke kuzo zonke iindawo zobulumko bokuqonda, abezibuza kubo ukumkani, wabafumana bebadlula ngokukalishumi zonke izazi nabakhwitsi abasebukumkanini bonke.
21 Ke kaloku uDaniyeli waba lapho, kwada kwangumnyaka wokuqala kaKoreshi ukumkani.