Ubukumkani Obunjengomthi Omkhulu

Ngobunye ubusuku, uNebhukadenetsare waphupha iphupha eloyikisayo. Wabiza amadoda akhe azizilumko ukuba azokumcacisela. Akukho nenye kuwo eyakwaziyo ukulicacisa. Ekugqibeleni, wathetha noDaniyeli.

UNebhukadenetsare wathi kuDaniyeli: ‘Ephupheni, ndibone umthi. Lo mthi uye wakhula waya kufika esibhakabhakeni. Ububonakala emhlabeni wonke. Unamasebe amahle neziqhamo ezininzi. Izilwanyana beziphumla phantsi kwawo, neentaka zisakha iindlwane zazo emasebeni awo. Kuye kwehla ingelosi ivela ezulwini. Yakhwaza yathi: “Wugawuleni umthi lowo, niwanqumle amasebe awo. Kodwa sona isikhondo sawo sishiyeni emhlabeni, nisibophe ngentsimbi nangekopolo. Intliziyo yomthi iza kutshintsha ingabi yeyomntu ibe yeyesilwanyana, kude kudlule amaxesha ayi-7. Bonke abantu baya kwazi ukuba uThixo unguMlawuli yaye ubukumkani unokubunika nabani na amthandayo.”’

UYehova watyhilela uDaniyeli oko kuthethwa liphupha. Wathi akukuqonda oko kuthethwa liphupha uDaniyeli, woyika. Wathi: ‘Owu kumkani, akwaba eli phupha belithetha ngeentshaba zakho, kodwa lithetha ngawe. Umthi omkhulu ogawuliweyo nguwe. Buza kuhluthwa ubukumkani kuwe, yaye uza kutya ingca njengezilwanyana zasendle. Kodwa ngenxa yokuba ingelosi ithe isikhondo somthi simele sishiywe neengcambu zaso, uza kuphinda ube ngukumkani.’

Emva konyaka, uNebhukadenetsare wayehamba phezu kwendlu yakhe, ebuka iBhabhiloni. Wathi: ‘Khawujonge le dolophu intle kangaka ndiyakhileyo. Kowu ndimkhulu kodwa!’ Wathi esathetha, weva ilizwi livela emazulwini lisithi: ‘Nebhukadenetsare! Ubukumkani buthathiwe kuwe.’

Kanye ngelo xesha, uNebhukadenetsare waphambana waza wanjengesilwanyana sasendle. Kwanyanzeleka ukuba ayishiye indlu yakhe aze aye kuhlala nezilwanyana zasendle. Iinwele zakhe zazinde okweentsiba zokhozi, neenzipho zakhe zinjengeenzipho zentaka.

Emva kweminyaka eyi-7, uNebhukadenetsare wabuyela ezingqondweni waza uYehova wamenza ukumkani waseBhabhiloni. Wathi: ‘Ndiyambonga uYehova, uKumkani wamazulu. Ngoku, ndiyazi ukuba uYehova nguMlawuli. Uyabathoba abo baziphakamisayo yaye ubukumkani ubunika lowo afuna ukumnika.’