22 Kwathi, ngenxa yokuba ilizwi lokumkani belingqongqo, iziko lenziwa lashushu ngokugqithisileyo kangangokuba loo madoda ayebaphosa ooShedreki noMeshaki noAbhednigo kwelo ziko atshiswa ngumlilo lowo, afa.
23 Ke bona bobathathu uShedreki noMeshaki noAbhednigo baya kuwa besabotshiwe apho phakathi kweloo ziko livuthayo.
24 Kuthe kusenjalo wothuka wasuka waxhuma emangalisekile ukumkani uNebhukadenezare. Wabuza kumaphakathi akhe, wathi: “Kanene besingaphosanga amadoda amathathu na abotshiweyo kweli ziko lidangazelayo?”Ke aphendula athi: “Kunjalo, mhlekazi.”
25 Ke yena wathi: “Phofu ke, ngani ukuba ndibone amadoda amane ehamba-hamba emlilweni? Akabotshwanga nakubotshwa, futhi akabonakalisi nakwenzakala – ke yona le yesine ifana nonyana woothixo ngembonakalo.”
26 Ngoko ke ukumkani uNebhukadenezare wasondela esangweni lelo ziko livuthayo, wathi: “Shedreki! Meshaki! Abhednigo! Zicaka zikaThixo uPhezukonke! Phumani, nize apha!” Aphuma ke loo madoda omathathu.
27 Ke onke amagosa kakumkani ahlanganiselana, iziirhuluneli, nabaphathiswa, nabalawuli, nabacebisi, bonke bemangalisiwe kukubona loo mhlola wokuba umlilo awubanga namandla emizimbeni yaloo madoda. Ewe, iinwele zawo zange zirhawuke nokurhawuka oku, kanti neempahla zawo zange zitshe ngumlilo; ngenene wona ayengenalo nevumba eli lomlilo.
28 Ukumkani uNebhukadenezare ke wathi: “Makabongwe uThixo kaShedreki, kaMeshaki, noAbhednigo, othume isithunywa wazihlangula izicaka zakhe. Zona zimnqule ngentembeko, zaza azawuhoya umyalelo kakumkani, zaxolela ukuyinikela imizimba yazo endaweni yokuguqa zinqule nawuphi na uthixo ngaphandle koThixo wazo.