Umbuso Onjengesihlahla Esikhulu

Ngobunye ubusuku uNebhukhadinezari waphinda waba lephupho elamethusayo. Wabiza izihlakaniphi ukuthi zizomtshela ukuthi lalisitshoni. Kodwa kazenelisanga ukulichasisa. Inkosi yacina ikhuluma loDanyeli.

UNebhukhadinezari wathi kuDanyeli: ‘Ephutsheni lami ngabona isihlahla. Sakhula saze safika esibhakabhakeni. Sasibonwa ngabantu bonke emhlabeni. Amahlamvu aso ayemahle futhi sasilezithelo ezinengi. Izinyamazana zaziphumula emthunzini waso futhi inyoni zazisakha izidleke engatsheni zaso. Kwasekusiza ingilosi ivela ezulwini. Yamemeza yathi: “Gamulani isihlahla leso siwele phansi beseliquma ingatsha zaso. Kodwa tshiyani isidindi kanye lempande zaso emhlabathini phakathi kotshani, sibotshwe ngebhanti lensimbi lelekhopha. Kasithathelwe inhliziyo yomuntu, siphiwe inhliziyo yenyamazana kuze kudlule izikhathi eziyisikhombisa. Abantu abaphilayo bakwazi ukuthi oPhezukonke ulamandla lokuthi umbuso uwunika loba ngubani afuna ukumnika.”’

UJehova wenza uDanyeli wabakwazi ukuthi iphupho lelo lalisitshoni. Okwakutshiwo liphupho kwamethusa kakhulu uDanyeli. Wathi: ‘Nkosi, ngifisa ukuthi ngabe iphupho leli likhuluma ngezitha zakho, kodwa likhuluma ngawe. Nguwe isihlahla esikhulu esaganyulwayo. Uzathathelwa umbuso uyekudla utshani egangeni njengenyamazana. Kodwa uzaphinda ube yinkosi ngoba ingilosi yathi isidindi sesihlahla sitshiywe.’

Sekudlule umnyaka, uNebhukhadinezari wayehambahamba ephahleni lwendlu yakhe ebuka iBhabhiloni. Wathi: ‘Khangela idolobho engalakhayo ukuthi lihle njani. Ngilamandla sibili.’ Wathi esakhuluma, wezwa ilizwi livela ezulwini lisithi: ‘Nebhukhadinezari! Usuwuthathelwe umbuso wakho.’

Ingqondo kaNebhukhadinezari yahle yaba ngeyenyamazana. Watshiya indlu yakhe wayahlala lezinyamazana egangeni. Inwele zakhe zaba zinde njengensiba zengqungqulu futhi inzipho zakhe zaba njengezenyoni.

Ngemva kweminyaka engu-7, ingqondo kaNebhukhadinezari yaphinda yabuyela esimeni sayo futhi uJehova wamenza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni. UNebhukhadinezari wathi: ‘Ngiyamdumisa uJehova, iNkosi yasezulwini. Sengikwazi ukuthi uJehova nguye uMbusi. Uyabathobisa bonke abazigqajayo njalo umbuso uwunika loba ngubani amfunayo.’