1 Ngomnyaka wesithathu kaKoreshi ukumkani wamaPersi, watyhilelwa ilizwi uDaniyeli, ogama libizwa ngokuba nguBheletshatsare. Elo zwi liyinyaniso, lisingisele eluzengezengeni ke olukhulu; waliqonda elo lizwi, waba nokuwuqonda umbono.
2 Ngayo loo mihla mna, Daniyeli, bendisenza isijwili iintsuku zonke zeeveki ezintathu.
3 Àndidlanga sonka sinencasa, akungenanga nyama nawayini emlonyeni wam, andizithambisanga, zada zazaliseka iintsuku zonke zeeveki ezintathu.
4 Ngomhla wamashumi amabini anané wenyanga yokuqala, mna ndaba secaleni lomlambo omkhulu oyiHidekele.
5 Ndawaphakamisa amehlo am, ndabona: nantso indoda yambethe ilinen emhlophe, ibhinqe esinqeni sayo igolide ecikizekileyo yaseUfazi.
6 Umzimba wayo wawunjengekrizolite,* ubuso bayo ngathi ngumbane, ukubonakala kwabo; amehlo ayo enjengezikhuni ezitshangatshangiswayo; iingalo zayo neenyawo zayo zibonakala ngathi lubhedu olubengezelisiweyo; nesandi samazwi ayo ngathi sisandi sengxokolo yabantu.
7 Mna, Daniyeli, ndawubona ndedwa umbono lowo; amadoda abenam akawubonanga umbono; kodwa awelwa kukugubha okukhulu, abaleka azimela.
8 Mna ndasala ndedwa, ndayibona le mbonakalo inkulu, ndaphelelwa ngamandla, nebala lobuso bam lasuka lajika, lonakala kum, ndaphelelwa ngamandla.
9 Ndasiva isandi samazwi ayo; ndakusiva ke isandi samazwi ayo, ndawa mna, ndawa isiduli ngobuso, ubuso bam bubheke emhlabeni.
10 Ndeva naso isandla sindichukumisa, sandimisa ngamadolo am nangeentende zezandla zam ezihexayo.
11 Yathi kum, Daniyeli, ndoda inqwenelekayo, waqonde amazwi endiwathetha kuwe, ume endaweni yokuma kwakho; kuba ndithunyiwe ngokunje kuwe. Ithe yakulithetha kum elo lizwi, ndesuka ndema ndithuthumela.
12 Yathi kum, Musa ukoyika, Daniyeli, kuba kususela kumhla wokuqala, owayinikelayo intliziyo yakho ekuqondeni nasekuzithobeni phambi koThixo wakho, aviwa amazwi akho, mna ke ndize ngenxa yamazwi akho.
13 Ke umthetheli wobukumkani bamaPersi wamelana nam imihla engamashumi amabini anamanye; uyabona, uMikayeli,* omnye wakubathetheli abaziintloko, weza kundinceda; mna ndamoyisa khona, kookumkani bamaPersi.
14 Ndize kukuqondisa ke okuya kubahlela abantu bakowenu ekupheleni kwemihla; kuba umbono lo usengowemihla leyo.
15 Ithe ekuthetheni kwayo nam ngokwala mazwi, ndabubhekisa ubuso bam emhlabeni, ndasisidenge.
16 Nanko ofana noonyana babantu, echukumisa umlomo wam. Ndawuvula umlomo wam, ndathetha, ndathi kulo umi phambi kwam, Nkosi yam, ngenxa yembonakalo indifikele inimba yam, ndaphelelwa ngamandla.
17 Angáthini na ke ukuba nako umkhonzi wenkosi yam le, ukuthetha nenkosi yam le? Mna okwam àndisenamandla, akusekho mphefumlo kum.
18 Waphinda wandichukumisa onjengomntu, ukubonakala kwakhe, wandomeleza.
19 Wathi, Musa ukoyika, ndoda inqwenelekayo, yiba noxolo; yomelela, yomelela. Úthe ekuthetheni kwakhe nam ndomelezeka, ndathi, Mayithethe inkosi yam, kuba ùndomelezile.
20 Wathi, Úyazi na into endizé ngayo kuwe? Ngoku ke ndiya kubuya ndiye kulwa nomthetheli wamaPersi; ndiphuma nje, nanko umthetheli wakwaYavan* esiza.
21 Noko ke ndiya kukuxelela okubhaliweyo esibhalweni senyaniso. Akukho namnye womelezana nam ngakwabo, ngaphandle kukaMikayeli, umthetheli wenu.