SIFUNDVO 61
Abazange Basikhotsamele
Ngemva kwekutsi Inkhosi Nebukhadnezari iphuphe sitfombe lesikhulu, yenta sitfombe segolide. Yasibeka esifundzeni saseDura yase ibita bantfu labasetikhundleni letisetulu, lokufaka ekhatsi boShadraki, Meshaki, na-Abednego, kutsi bete kulesitfombe. INkhosi yatsi: ‘Nibotsi naniva umsindvo wempalampala, wemahabhu, newemntjingo, niguce phansi nikhotsamele lesitfombe. Nome ngubani longasikhotsameli utawujikijelwa ekhatsi elangabini lemlilo.’ LamaHebheru lamatsatfu abetasikhotsamela yini lesitfombe, nome abetawukhonta Jehova kuphela?
INkhosi yabese itsi akushaywe lamahabhu naletimpalampala. Bonkhe bantfu baguca phasi futsi bakhotsamela lesitfombe ngaphandle kwaboShadraki, Meshaki, na-Abednego. Lamanye emadvodza akubona loko ase atjela inkhosi, atsi: ‘LamaHebheru lamatsatfu alile kukhotsamela sitfombe sakho.’ Nebukhadnezari wawabita watsi kuwo: ‘Ngitaninika lelinye litfuba lekutsi nikhotsamele lesitfombe. Naningasikhotsameli, ngitanijikijela kulelilangabi lemlilo. Kute nkulunkulu lotawukhona kunisindzisa.’ Aphendvula atsi: ‘Asilidzingi lelinye litfuba. Nkulunkulu wetfu utasisindzisa. Kodvwa ngisho angasikhululi angeke size sisikhotsamele lesitfombe.’
Nebukhadnezari wakwata kakhulu. Watjela emadvodza kutsi abase umlilo fusi ushise ngalokuphindvwe kangu-7. Wabese utsi: ‘Bophani lamadvodza futsi niwajike kulomlilo!’ Lomlilo bewushisa kakhulu kangangekutsi atsi nawasondzela lamasotja avele afa. LamaHebheru lamatsatfu ajikwa kulomlilo. Kodvwa watsi Nebukhadnezari ubuka lena emlilweni, wabona emadvodza lamane ahambahamba ekhatsi kulomlilo. Wacala kwesaba wase ubuta lamadvodza watsi: ‘Asikajiki yini emadvodza lamatstfu kulomlilo? Ngibona emadvodza lamane, futsi yinye yawo ibonakala njengengilosi!’
Nebukhadnezari wasondzela kulomlilo wamemeta watsi: ‘Phumani, nine tinceku taNkulunkulu Losetikwako Konkhe!’ Bonkhe bantfu bamangala nababona boShadraki, Meshaki, na-Abednego baphuma emlilweni bangakashi. Sikhumba sabo, tinwele tabo kanye netimphahla tabo betingakashi futsi bebanganuki ngisho neliphungana nje lemlilo.
Nebukhadnezari watsi: ‘Nkulunkulu waShadraki, Meshaki, na-Abednego mkhulu. Utfumele ingilosi yakhe kutsi itobasindzisa. Kute lomunye nkulunkulu lofana naye.’
NjengalamaHebheru lamatsatfu, utimisele yini nawe kwetsembeka kuJehova noma ngabe kwentekani?
“Kufanele ukhotsamele Jehova Nkulunkulu wakho, futsi nguye yedvwa lokufanele umkhonte.”—Matewu 4:10