Abafana Abane eBhabhiloni

INKOSI uNebhukhadinezari ithatha ama-Israyeli wonke afunde kakhulu iwase eBhabhiloni. Ngemva kwalokho, inkosi ikhetha phakathi kwama-Israyeli abafana abancane abahle kakhulu labakwazi izinto ezinengi. Abafana abane obabona lapha ngabanye babo. Omunye wabo kuthiwa nguDanyeli njalo abanye abathathu amaBhabhiloni ababiza ngokuthi uShadreki, uMeshaki lo-Abhediniko.

UNebhukhadinezari ufuna ukufundisa amajaha la ukuze asebenze esigodlweni sakhe. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu efunda, uzakhetha akhanya ehlakaniphile ukuze amncedise nxa kulohlupho. Inkosi ifuna ukuthi abafana laba bafunde beqinile njalo bakhangeleke kuhle. Ngakho itshela izinceku zayo ukuthi ziphe amajaha la ukudla okukhethiweyo okufanana lokudliwa yimuli yakhe kanye lewayini.

Khangela uDanyeli osakhulayo emfanekisweni. Uyakwazi yini ukuthi uthini ku-Ashiphenazi, induna yezikhulu kaNebhukhadinezari? UDanyeli umtshela ukuthi kafuni ukudla izinto ezifanana lezenkosi. Kodwa u-Ashiphenazi ukhathazekile. Uthi: ‘Inkosi yiyo ekhethe elizakudla lelizakunatha. Nxa lingakhangeleka kubi kulamanye amajaha angangani, ingangibulala.’

Ngakho uDanyeli uya encekwini eyayinikwe umsebenzi ngu-Ashiphenazi wokukhangela yena labangane bakhe abathathu. Ufika athi: ‘Sicela usilinge okwamalanga alitshumi kuphela. Sinike imibhida lamanzi okunatha. Ubusufananisa imizimba yethu laleyo eyamajaha adla ukudla okufanana lokwenkosi ubusubona ukuthi ngobani abakhangeleka ngcono.’

Inceku le iyavuma ukwenza njalo. Ngemva kwamalanga alitshumi uDanyeli labangane bakhe abathathu bakhangeleka bengcono kulamajaha onke. Ngakho inceku le iyabavumela ukuthi baqhubeke besidla imibhida, bengadli abakunikwa yinkosi.

Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu, wonke amajaha ahanjiswa kuNebhukhadinezari. Ngemva kokukhuluma labo bonke, inkosi ibona ukuthi uDanyeli labangane bakhe abathathu balokuhlakanipha okudlula bonke. Ngakho wenza ukuthi basebenze esigodlweni. Nxa inkosi ibuza uDanyeli, uShadreki, uMeshaki lo-Abhediniko imibuzo, kumbe ibenza benze izinto ezinzima ithola ukuthi amajaha la akwazi ngokuphindwe ngokulitshumi ukudlula abaphristi bakhe lamadoda akhe ahlakaniphileyo.