5. ze nithi nakuva isandi sesigodlo, ixilongo, umrhubhe, ikatala, ihapu, impempe, nazo zonke ezinye iintlobo zezixhobo zomculo, ewe, xa ninonke mayithi nje yakuqala loo ngoma, nithi guqaqa nikhahlele ninqule lo mfanekiso umiswe ngukumkani uNebhukadenezare!
6. Kambe ke nabani na ongakhahlelanga anqule, ngoko nangoko uya kuthathwa aphoswe kwiziko elidangazela umlilo.”
7. Ngenene ke sathi sakuvakala eso sandi sesigodlo, nexilongo, nomrhubhe, nekatala, nehapu, nazo zonke ezinye iintlobo zezixhobo zomculo, wonke umntu nazo zonke izizwe iintlanga neelwimi, xa bebonke bee waca bakhahlela banqula loo mfanekiso wegolide wawumiswe ngukumkani uNebhukadenezare.
8. Ngeli thuba ke amaKaledi athile amangalela inxenye yamaJuda.
9. Abhekisa kukumkani uNebhukadenezare, athi: “Bayethe, mhlekazi! Phila ngonaphakade!
10. Wena uwise umthetho wokuba ze kuthi kusakuvakala isandi sesigodlo, ixilongo, umrhubhe, ikatala, ihapu, impempe, nazo zonke ezinye izixhobo zomculo, wonke umntu akhahlele anqule umfanekiso wegolide.
11. Watsho nokuthi umntu ongakhahlelanga anqule lo mfanekiso uya kuthathwa aphoswe kwiziko elidangazela umlilo.
12. Ke, mhlekazi, kukho amaJuda athile wena owawamisayo angoomaqhuzu kwimicimbi yesi sithili saseBhabheli – abo nguShedreki, uMeshaki, noAbhednigo – abo kanye ke, mhlekazi, abakuhoyanga. Ewe, ababanquli oothixo bakho, bengakhahleli nakulo mfanekiso uwumisileyo.”
13. Ukumkani wavutha ngumsindo, wathi mabaziswe kuye ooShedreki noMeshaki noAbhednigo. Aziswa ke la madoda phambi kokumkani,
14. wabhekisa kuwo wathi: “Shedreki, Meshaki, nawe Abhednigo, ngaba yinyani ukuba nina niyala ukubanqula oothixo bam, ningavumi nokukhahlela kumfanekiso wegolide endiwumisileyo?
15. Nangoku ke ze nithi nisakuva isandi sesigodlo, ixilongo, umrhubhe, ikatala, ihapu, impempe, nazo zonke ezinye izixhobo zomculo, ningathingazi, koko nikhahlele ninqule lo mfanekiso ndiwumisileyo. Ke ukuba aniyenzanga loo nto, ngoko nangoko niya kuphoswa kwiziko elivutha umlilo. Kakade ke nguwuphi na uthixo onganihlangulayo esandleni sam?”
16. Ke kaloku uShedreki noMeshaki noAbhednigo baphendula ukumkani bathi: “Mhlekazi Nebhukadenezare, akukho mfuneko yokuba sizithethelele kulo mbandela.
17. Sinaye uThixo wethu esimnqulayo. Unawo amandla okusihlangula kwelo ziko lidangazela umlilo, yaye uya kusisindisa esandleni sakho, kumkani.
18. Kambe ke, noba akasihlangulanga, yazi mhlophe, mhlekazi, ukuba asiyi kubanqula oothixo bakho, futhi asiyi kuguqa sikhahlele kulo mfanekiso wegolide uwumisileyo.”
19. Hayi ke ngoku, ukumkani uNebhukadenezare watsho wandlongozela ngumsindo, nobuso bakhe baxubayela ngakooShedreki noMeshaki noAbhednigo. Ngoko ke wathi iziko malibaswe ngokuphindwe kasixhenxe kunesiqhelo.
20. Waza ke wayalela ezinye iingwanyalala zomkhosi wakhe ukuba zibaqamangele ooShedreki noMeshaki noAbhednigo, zibaphose kwelo ziko lidangazelayo.
21. Aza ke la madoda abotshwa aphoswa phakathi kwelo ziko livuthayo enxibe ezo mpahla zawo – iminweba, iibhulukhwe, nezankwane.