1. UNebukadinesari, inkosi, wenza isithombe segolide, ubude baso buyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha, ububanzi baso buyizingalo eziyisithupha, wasibeka ethafeni laseDura esifundeni saseBabele.
2. UNebukadinesari inkosi wayesethumela ukubutha izikhulu, nababusi, nezinduna, nabahluleli, nabaphathizikhwama, nabomkhandlu, nabameli, nabo bonke abaphathizifunda ukuba beze ekwahlukaniselweni kwesithombe uNebukadinesari inkosi asimisileyo.
3. Khona izikhulu, nababusi, nezinduna, nabahluleli, nabaphathizikhwama, nabomkhandlu, nabameli, nabo bonke abaphathizifunda babuthelwa ukwahlukaniselwa kwesithombe uNebukadinesari inkosi abesimisile, bema phambi kwesithombe uNebukadinesari asimisileyo.
4. Kwase kumemeza ummemezeli ngamandla, wathi: “We nina bantu nezizwe, nezilimi, niyayalwa
5. ukuba ngesikhathi enizwa ngaso ukukhala kwecilongo, negenkle, nehabhu,* nomqangala, nogubhu, negemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa, niwe phansi, nikhuleke esithombeni segolide uNebukadinesari inkosi asimisileyo.
6. Ongawi phansi, akhuleke, uyakuphonswa ngasona leso sikhathi phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.”
7. Ngalokho lapho abantu bezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, negenkle, nehabhu,* nomqangala, nogubhu, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa, bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi bawa phansi, bakhuleka esithombeni segolide asimisileyo uNebukadinesari inkosi.
8. Ngalokho kwasondela ngaleso sikhathi amadoda amaKaledi, ahleba abaJuda.
9. Athatha athi kuNebukadinesari inkosi: “Mana njalo, nkosi.
10. Wena nkosi ukhiphe isimemezelo sokuba bonke abantu abezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, negenkle, nehabhu,* nomqangala, nogubhu, negemfe, nazo zonke izinhlobo zokubethwa bawe phansi, bakhuleke esithombeni segolide,
11. nokuba ongawi phansi, akhuleke, aphonswe phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.
12. Kukhona amadoda abaJuda owabeke phezu kwezindaba zesifunda saseBabele, oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego; lawa madoda, nkosi, awakunakanga; awakhonzi onkulunkulu bakho, awakhuleki esithombeni segolide osimisileyo.”
13. Khona uNebukadinesari wayaleza ngolaka nangokufutheka ukuba kulethwe oShadiraki, noMeshaki, no-Abedi Nego. Base beletha lawo madoda phambi kwenkosi.
14. UNebukadinesari wathatha wathi kuwo: “Kungamabomu yini, Shadiraki, Meshaki, no-Abedi Nego ningakhonzi unkulunkulu wami, ningakhuleki esithombeni segolide engisimisileyo, na?