1. Kwaba kuhle kuDariyu ukubeka phezu kombuso izikhulu eziyikhulu namashumi amabili ebeziyakuba sembusweni wonke.
2. Phezu kwazo wamisa abongameli abathathu, uDaniyeli engomunye wabo, ukuba izikhulu zibike kubo, ukuze inkosi ingalimali ngalutho.
3. Khona uDaniyeli lo wabadlula abongameli nezikhulu, ngokuba umoya ophakemeyo wawukuye; inkosi yayicabanga ukummisa phezu kombuso wonke.
4. Khona abongameli nezikhulu base befuna ukuthola utho ngoDaniyeli oluqondene nombuso, kepha abatholanga lutho nacala kuye, ngokuba wayethembekile; akutholwanga siphosiso nacala kuye.
5. Ayesethi lawa madoda: “Asiyikuthola lutho ngoDaniyeli, uma singalutholi kokuqondene nomthetho kaNkulunkulu wakhe.”
6. Base bebuthana labo bongameli nezikhulu enkosini, basho kanje kuyo, bathi: “Mana njalo, nkosi Dariyu.
7. Bonke abongameli bombuso, nababusi, nezikhulu, nabomkhandlu, nezinduna balulekene kanyekanye ukuba kumiswe isimiso senkosi, kumenyezelwe isiyalezo esiqinileyo sokuthi yilowo nalowo ocela isicelo nakumuphi unkulunkulu noma kumuntu ngezinsuku ezingamashumi amathathu, kuphela kuwe nkosi, uyakuphonswa emphandwini wezingonyama.
8. Kalokhu, nkosi, simemezele isiyalezo, ulobe umbhalo ukuba ungaguqulwa ngokomthetho wamaMede namaPheresiya ongenakuguquka.”
9. Ngokunjalo inkosi uDariyu yayisiloba umbhalo nesiyalezo.
10. UDaniyeli esekwazi ukuthi umbhalo ulotshiwe, wangena endlini yakhe amafasitele ekamelo lakhe ayevulekile ebhekisa eJerusalema waguqa ngamadolo kathathu ngosuku, wakhuleka, wabonga uNkulunkulu wakhe, njengalokho enzile kuqala.
11. Ayesebuthana lawo madoda, amfumana uDaniyeli ekhuleka, enxusa kuNkulunkulu wakhe.
12. Asondela, akhuluma phambi kwenkosi ngesiyalezo senkosi, athi: “Asithi ulobile isiyalezo sokuthi yilowo nalowo ocela nakumuphi unkulunkulu noma kumuntu ngezinsuku ezingamashumi amathathu, kuphela kuwe nkosi, uyakuphonswa emphandwini wezingonyama na?”Inkosi yaphendula yathi: “Iqinisile leyo nto ngokomthetho wamaMede namaPheresiya ongenakuguquka.”