¹ Mfumu Nebukadinezara idakonza chilinganilo cha golide chomwe tsonga lache likhali maboko makumi matanthatu na kupingasa kwache maboko khumi. Iyo idachiyimisa Mchigwa cha Dula mphimpha ya Babulo. ² Ndiye Nebukadinezara adatuma mitumi kunja kukakontcheza pabodzi akazeme wa mphimpha zikulu, mphimpha zing'ono, na mphimpha zing'ono letu, pabodzi na atsaphungu, akulu wakukoya mathungwa ya kobiri, ayeruzi wa milandu, na akulu wa bwalo, na wense wakuphata basa likulu likulu la mphimphazo kubwera kudzanamata chilinganilo ndicho mfumu Nebukadinezara idachiyikhazikisa. ³ Ndiye akazembe wa mphimpha zikuluzo, wa mphimpha zin'gono na mphimpha zing'ono letu, pabodzi na atsaphungu, akulu wakukoya mathungwa ya kobiri, ayeruzi, akulu wa bwalo, na wense wakuphata basa lukulu likulu adagwezekana pabodzi kukanamata chilinganilochi ndicho Mfumu Nebukadinezara adachikhazikisa. Iwo adaima pamaso pa chimwecho. ⁴ Ndiye wakukuwirira adakuwa, ''Mukutongewa, wanthumwe, madzinza, na bziseweredwe, ⁵ kuti nthawe zense mungabva kulira kwa nyanga, bzitoliro, ma fuluti, nkhotcho, a sansi, azeze, na miluli, na bzimbo bza moda wense, mumbagwe pansi mkunamata chilinganilo cha oro ndicho mfumu Nebukadinezara wakhazikisa. ⁶ Aliyense omwe am'bagwa lini pansi mkunamata, nthawe imweyo letu, amdzathusiwa pakati pa ng'anjo ya moto wakugaka.'' ⁷ Ndiye pomwe wanthu wense adabva kulira kwa nyanga, mafuluti, a sansi, nkhotcho, azeze, na miluli, na bzimbo bza moda wense, wanthu wense, madzinza, na bziseweredwe adagwa pansi achinamata chilinganilo cha oro ndicho Nebukadinezara mfumu adachikhazikisa. ⁸ Tsapano pa nthawr yoyi Akasidi winango adabwera achibweresa chitsimulo kuna Ayuda. ⁹ Iwo adati kuna Nebukadinezara mfumu, ''Mfumu, khalani na moyo wa muyaya! ¹⁰ Imwe mfumu, mwatonga kuti munthu aliyense angabva kulira kwa nyanga, mafuluti, nkhotcho, asansi, azeze na miluli, na bzimbo bza moda wense, agwe pansi kunamata chilinganilo cha oro. ¹¹ Omwe anigwa lini pansi kunamata athusiwe pakati pa ng'anjo ya moto wakugaka. ¹² Tsapano pana Ayuda winango omwe mwawaikha kunyang'anira mphimpha zina za Babulo; madzina yawo ni Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego. Wanthu amwewa, mfumu, ambakubverani lini. Iwowa amdzatumikira lini milungu yanu ayai kunamata chilinganilo cha oro mwakhazikisa chire.'' ¹³ Ndiye Nebukadinezara, pakudzaziwa na ukali na chiya, adatonga kuti Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego awabwerese kuna iye. Ndiye iwo adabweresa wanthu amwewa pamaso pa mfumu. ¹⁴ Nebukadinezara adati kuna iwo, ''Kodi mukuchita utowa terepa, Shadreki, Misheki na Abidinego, kuti mumdzatumikira lini milungu yangu ayai kunamata chilinganiro cha oro ndicho ine ndachikhazikisachi? ¹⁵ Tsapano penu mwakonzekera--mungabva kulira kwa nyanga, mafuluti, nkhotcho, asansi, azeze, na miluli, na bzimbo bza moda wense--kugwa pansi mkunamata chilinganiro ndicho ndaikha, bzense bzimdzakhala bwino. Soma penu muninamata lini, kamkulumize mumdzathusiwa pakati pa ng'anjo ya moto wakugaka. Mbani mulungu angakwanise kukupulumusani imwepo mmanja mwangu. ¹⁶ Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego adatawira mfumuyo, ''Nebukadinezara, timfunika lini kuti tikutawireni pa nkhani yoyi. ¹⁷ Punu pana mtawiro, ni Mulungu omwe ife timbamtumikira omwe angakwanise kutikhotcherera ku ng'anjo ya moto wakugaka, achidzatipulumusa ifepano mmanja mwanu, mfumu. ¹⁸ Soma angasaya kutenepo, lekani mudziwe, mfumu, kuti ife timdzatumikira lini milungu yanu, apo timdzatumikira lini chilinganiro cha oro mwakhazikisacho.' ¹⁹ Ndiye Nebukadinezara adadzaziwa na ukali; maonekedwe ya pa nkhope pache yadachinja pa Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego. Adatonga kuti ng'anjo iyeseriwe kupsa kanomwe kuposa ndimo ikhapsera nsiku zense. ²⁰ Kinangoko iye adatonga wanthu wina wa mphamvu maninge mu thimu lache kumanga Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego mkuwathusa mng'anjo ya moto wakugaka. ²¹ Iwo adamangiwa ali chibvalire mikanjo yawo, nsapato, nguwo zakumpsinkha kumsolo, na bzakubvala bzinango, achitusiwa pakati nakati pa ng'anjo ya moto wakugaka. ²² Thangwe chitongi cha mfumu chidateweziwa kwene kwene apo ng'anjo idalemwerera kupsa kwakunyanya, malambi ya moto yadapha wanthu ndiwo adaphata Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego. ²³ Amuna atatuwa, Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidenego, adagwera pakati nakati pa ng'anjo ya moto wakugaka ali wakumangiwa. ²⁴ Ndiye Nebukadinezara mfumyo akhali wakudabwisika achiima kamkulumize. Iye adabvunza wakumuyeruza wache, ''Kodi tiribe kuwathusa wakumangiwa wanthuwa?'' Iwo adatawira mfumuyo, ''Chadidi, mfumu.'' ²⁵ Iyo idati, ''Soma ndikuona wanthu anayi omwe alibe kumangiwa akufambafamba kuzungulira zungulira mkati mwa moto, apo alibe kudzonongeka. Kayetimidwe ka wachinayiyo kukulingana na mwana wa milungu.'' ²⁶ Ndiye Nebukadinezara adafendera pafupi na msuwo wa ng'anjo ya moto wakugakayo achikuwa, ''Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego, atumiki wa Mulungu Mkulu wa Mdzauluyo, bulani panja! Bwerani kuno!'' Ndiye Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego adabula panja kuchoka pakati nakati ya moto. ²⁷ Wakunyan'ganira mphimpha zikulu, mphimpha zing'ono, na wakunyang'anira winango, na wakuyeruza mfumu omwe akhadagwezekana pabodzi adaona amunawa. Moto ulibe kudzononga matupi yawo; tsisi la mu msolo mwawo liribe kubvuka; mikanjo yawo iribe kudzonongeka; apo pakhalibe neye nkhwema la moto pa iwo. ²⁸ Nebukadinezara adati, ''Mbatiye tilemekeze Mulungu wa Shadreki, Misheki na Abidinego, omwe watumiza mtumi wache kudzapulumusa atumiki wache wakumkhulupirira iye, achilamba chakutonga mfumu, mkupereka matupi yawo kusiyana na kutumikira ayai kunamata mulungu wina kupambula Mulungu wawo. ²⁹ Mthangwerache ndikuikha lamulo kuti munthu aliyense, dzinza, ayai chiseweredwe wakusewera chakuipa kuna Mulungu wa Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego agwatiwe nthindi nthindi, na kuti nyumba zawo zisandusiwe mathukuta yakutayira licho thangwe palibe mulungu wina omwe angapulumuse ninga tenepayu.'' ³⁰ Ndiye mfumuyo idachitisa Shadreki, Misheki, na Abidinego kukula mphimpha ya Babulo.