Ngesikhatsi Nebukhadnezari atfumba tikhulu takaJuda atiyisa eBhabhulona, watjela emasotja akhe kutsi akhetse bafana labaphilile nalabahlakaniphile. Labafana bebatawuceceshwa iminyaka lemitsatfu. Lokuceceshwa bekutawubenta babe tiphatsimandla taseBhabhulona. Nebukhadnezari wabeka sikhulu lokutsiwa ngu-Ashpenazi kutsi sibaceceshe. Labafana bekufanele bakwati kufundza, kubhala kanye nekukhuluma lulwimi loluvamile lwaseBhabhulona. Bekufanele badle kudla inkhosi lebeyikudla kanye naletinye tiphatsimandla. Kulabafana labane, bekunaDanyela, Hananiya, Mishayeli na-Azariya. Ashpenazi wase ubanika emagama lamasha aseBhabhulona: Bhelteshasari, Shadraki, Meshaki na-Abednego. Lemfundvo yaseBhabhulona beyitabenta bayekele yini kukhonta Jehova?

 Labafana labane bebatimisele kulalela Jehova. Bebati kutsi akukafanele badle kudla lobekudliwa yinkhosi ngobe umtsetfo waJehova bewutsi lokunye kwako kungcolile. Ngako-ke batsi ku-Ashpenazi: ‘Sicela ungasiniki ngenkhani lokudla kwenkhosi.’ Ashpenazi watsi kubo: ‘Nangabe ningadli futsi inkhosi inibona senondzile, itangibulala.’

Danyela weta nelicebo lelihle. Watsi kulobekabagadzile: ‘Sicela usinike tibhidvo nemanti kuphela kuze kuphele emalanga langu-10. Utawubese ucatsanisa kubukeka kwetfu nekwalabafana lebebadla kudla kwenkhosi.’ Lona bekabagadzile wavuma.

Ngemva kwemalanga lalishumi, Danyela nebangani bakhe labatsatfu bebabahle futsi baphilile emtimbeni kunalaba labanye bafana. Jehova wajabula ngekutsi bamlalela. Waze waniketa naDanyela kuhlakanipha kuze akwati kuchaza imibono kanye nemaphupho.

Ngesikhatsi sekacedzile kubacecesha labafana, Ashpenazi wase ubamikisa kuNebukhadnezari. Ngesikhatsi akhuluma nabo, wabona kutsi Danyela, Hananiya, Mishayeli na-Azariya bebahlakaniphe kakhulu kunalalabanye bafana. Ngako wabakhetsa kutsi bayosebenta esigodlweni sakhe. Lenkhosi beyivamise kucela neseluleko kuletinye tintfo. Jehova wabenta bahlakanipha kwengca bonkhe beluleki benkhosi kanye nalabenta imilingo.

Ngisho nobe bebangekho eveni lakubo, boDanyela, Hananiya, Mishayeli na-Azariya abazange bakhohlwe kutsi babantfu baJehova. Utamkhumbula yini wena Jehova ngisho nobe batali bakho bangekho?