1 Ngomnyaka wesithathu kaKhurosi inkosi yasePhezhiya, kwafika kuDanyeli (owayebizwa ngokuthi nguBhelitheshazari) isambulelo. Umbiko waso wawuqinisile umayelana lempi enkulu. Ukuzwisiseka kombiko lowo kwamehlela ngombono.

2 Kulesosikhathi mina Danyeli ngalila okwamaviki amathathu. 3 Angizange ngikudle ukudla okuconsayo; inyama loba iwayini kakuzange kuzithinte izindebe zami; njalo kangizange ngisebenzise amagcobo lakanye kwaze kwaphela amaviki amathathu.

4 Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lane lwenyanga yokuqala, ngathi ngimi ekhunjini lomfula omkhulu, iThigrisi, 5 ngakhangela ngabona khonapho phambi kwami kumi indoda igqoke ilineni, ilebhanti legolide elihle okhalweni lwayo. 6 Umzimba wayo wawufana lekhrisolathi, ubuso bayo bunjengombane, amehlo ayo enjengezibane ezivuthayo, izingalo zayo lemilenze yayo kufanana lokukhazimula kwethusi elilolongiweyo, lelizwi layo linjengomsindo wexuku labantu.

7 Mina Danyeli, yimi ngedwa engawubonayo umbono; amadoda ayelami kawubonanga, kodwa afikelwa yikwesaba okukhulu aze abaleka ayacatsha. 8 Ngakho ngasala ngedwa, ngiqhuzule amehlo ami kulo umbono omkhulu; ngaphela amandla, ubuso bami bahloba okokufa njalo sengiphelelwe. 9 Ngasengimuzwa ekhuluma, kwathi ngilokhu ngimlalele, ngehlelwa likhoza lobuthongo ngithe mbo phansi ngobuso.

10 Isandla sangithinta ngezwa sengiqhaqhazela ezandleni lemadolweni. 11 Wathi, “Danyeli, uyaqakathekiswa kakhulu, nanzelela amazwi esengizawakhuluma kuwe, usukume, ngoba manje ngithunywe kuwe.” Wathi esitsho lokhu kimi ngasukuma ngiqhaqhazela.

12 Waseqhubeka wathi, “Ungesabi, Danyeli. Kulokhu kwasukela mhla ubeka ingqondo yakho ukuzuza ukuzwisisa lokuzithoba phambi kukaNkulunkulu wakho, amazwi akho ezwakala, yikho ngilapha ngenxa yalokho. 13 Kodwa inkosi yombuso wasePhezhiya yangivimbela okwensuku ezingamatshumi amabili lanye. Kwasekusithi uMikhayeli, omunye wamakhosana amakhulu, weza ezongisiza, ngoba ngangivalelwe khonale yinkosi yasePhezhiya. 14 Manje ngilande ukuzakuchasisela lokho okuzakwenzakala ebantwini bakini esikhathini esizayo, ngoba umbono umayelana lesikhathi esizafika.”

15 Uthe esitsho lokhu kimi ngakhothamisela ubuso bami phansi ngehluleka ukukhuluma. 16 Kwasekusithi othile owayefana lomuntu wathinta izindebe zami, ngasengivula umlomo wami ngakhuluma. Ngathi kulowo owayemi phambi kwami, “Sengigajelwa yikudabuka kwenhliziyo ngenxa yombono, nkosi yami, njalo sengiphelelwe yikho konke. 17 Mina inceku yakho, ngingakhuluma kanjani lawe na, nkosi yami? Amandla ami kawasekho njalo sekusala ukuthi ngiphefumule.”

18 Waphinda njalo othile owayefana lomuntu wangithinta wangipha amandla. 19 Wathi, “Ungesabi, Oh muntu oqakathekiswayo kakhulu. Ukuthula! Qina manje; qina.”

Wathi ekhuluma lami ngaqina ngathi, “Khuluma, nkosi yami, njengoba usungiphile amandla.”

20 Ngakho wasesithi, “Uyakwazi nje ukuthi kungani ngize kuwe na? Masinyane ngizabuya ukuzakulwa lenkosi yasePhezhiya, kuthi ngingahamba, kuzakuza inkosi yaseGrisi; 21 kodwa ngizaqala ngikutshele okulotshiweyo eNcwadini yeQiniso. (Kakho ongelekelelayo ukumelana labo ngaphandle kukaMikhayeli inkosana yakho.