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, makazìse abakoonyana bakaSirayeli, nabembewu yakwakumkani, nabakumawaba;
4. abantwana abangenasiphako, abanomkhitha, ababuqiqileyo ubulumko bonke, abanokwazi, abanokuyiqonda bayazi into, abafanele ukuma ebhotweni lokumkani; abafùndise 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 angàzingcolisi ngokudla kokumkani nangewayini ayiselayo; wacela kumthetheli-mathenwa ukuba angàzingcolisi.
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 kunobabayá 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;