orunaal raatthiri, nēbukaathnēchaar vitthiyaasamaana oru kanavai kandaan. adhai paartthu romba kulambippōnaan. avanaal thūngavē mudiyavillai. adhanaal thannudaiya mandhiravaadhigalai kūppittu, ‘ennudaiya kanavukku arttham sollungal’ endraan. adharku avargal, ‘raajaavē! nīngal paarttha kanavai sollungal’ endru kēttaargal. adharku nēbukaathnēchaar, ‘illai, naan enna kanavu kandēn endru nīngaldhaan solla vēndum. illaiyendraal ungalai kondruviduvēn’ endru mirattinaan. avargal marubadiyum, ‘enna kanavu kandīrgal endru engalukku sollungal. appōdhu adhan artthatthai ungalukku solgirōm’ endraargal. aanaal nēbukaathnēchaar, ‘nīngal ennai ēmaatra paarkkirīrgal. naan enna kanavu kandēn endru sollungal’ endraan. udanē avargal raajaavidam, ‘idhu nadakkaadha kaariyam. endha manidhanaalum adhai solla mudiyaadhu’ endru sonnaargal.

nēbukaathnēchaarukku bayangara kōbam vandhadhu. adhanaal dhēsatthil irundha ellaa nyaanigalaiyum kondrupōdumpadi kattalai pōttaan. andha nyaanigalil dhaaniyēl, saathraak, mēshaak, aabēthnēgōvum irundhaargal. dhaaniyēl, raajaavidam pōi kanavai solla konja kaalam tharumpadi kēttaar. piragu, avarum avarudaiya nanbargalum yegōvaavidam udhavi kēttu jebam seidhaargal. yegōvaa enna seidhaar?

nēbukaathnēchaar kanda kanavai yegōvaa oru dharisanatthil dhaaniyēlukku kaatti, adhan artthatthaiyum sonnaar. dhaaniyēl aduttha naalē raajaavin ūliyaridam pōi, ‘nyaanigal yaaraiyum kondruvidaadhīrgal. raajaavin kanavai ennaal solla mudiyum’ endru sonnaar. andha ūliyar dhaaniyēlai nēbukaathnēchaaridam kūttikkondu pōnaar. dhaaniyēl raajaavidam, ‘edhirkaalatthil nadakkappōvadhai kadavul ungalukku kaattiyirukkiraar. idhudhaan ungaludaiya kanavu: nīngal oru periya silaiyai paartthīrgal. adhan thalai thangam, maarbum kaigalum velli, vayirum thodaiyum sembu, kaalgal irumbu, paadham paadhi irumbum paadhi kalimannumaaga irundhadhu. piragu, malaiyilirundhu udaikkappatta oru kal andha silaiyin paadhatthil vandhu mōdhiyadhu. andha silai thūl thūlaagi kaatrōdu pōivittadhu. piragu, andha kal periya malaiyaagi būmiyai nirappiyadhu’ endru sonnaar.

 dhaaniyēl avaridam, ‘ungal kanavin arttham idhudhaan. ungal raajyamdhaan thangatthaalaana andha thalai. ungalukku adutthu varum raajyamdhaan velli. adharku piragu sembu pōndra oru raajyam varum adhu mulu būmiyaiyum aatchi seiyum. aduttha raajyam irumbu pōl urudhiyaaga irukkum. kadaisiyil varum raajyam pirindhu irukkum. adhan sila pagudhigal irumbu pōla urudhiyaagavum sila pagudhigal kaliman pōla urudhi illaadhadhaagavum irukkum. malaiyaaga maariya andha kaldhaan kadavuludaiya arasaangam. adhu indha raajyangalai ellaam norukkivittu endrendrum aliyaamal irukkum’ endru sonnaar.

udanē, nēbukaathnēchaar dhaaniyēlukku munbaaga vilundhu vananginaan. avan dhaaniyēlidam, ‘ungal kadavuldhaan indha kanavai unakku solliyirukkiraar. avarai pōndra kadavul yaarum illai’ endru sonnaan. dhaaniyēlai kolvadharku badhilaaga, avarai ellaa nyaanigalukkum thalaivaraaga aakkinaan. adhōdu baabilōnil avarai oru adhibadhiyaagavum aakkinaan. dhaaniyēlin jebatthukku yegōvaa eppadi badhil kodutthaar endru paartthaayaa?