U-ESTA 7

₁Ikosi noHamani baya emnyanyeni, bayokudla no-Esta indlovukazi. ₂Kwathi elangeni lesibili basasela iwayini njalo, ikosi yathi godu ku-Esta: “Ndlovukazi Esta, siyini isililo sakho? Uzakwenzelwa sona. Yitjho isibawo sakho! Ngitjho nanyana kungaba siquntu sombuswami, uzakuphiwa sona.”

₃Indlovukazi u-Esta yaphendula yathi: “Maye kosi, nangabe ngifunyene umusa emehlweni wekosi begodu nangabe kuthokozisa ikosi, ikosi ayingiphe ukuphila beyisindise nabantu bekhethu. Ngileso-ke isililo nesibawo sami. ₄Iye, kungombana sithengisiwe, mina nabantu bekhethu kufuze sibhujiswe, sibulawe besipheliswe. Ngathana besithengiswe njengamakhoboka namakhobokakazi, bengizozithulela ngombana isizi elingaka belingeze lafaka ikosi ebujameni obumasikizi.”

₅Nje-ke ikosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi yathi ku-Esta indlovukazi: “Ngubani umuntu obe nesibindi esingaka sokwenza lokho? Njekhona uphi umuntu wakhona loyo?”

₆U-Esta waphendula wathi: “Mumuntu ojamelene nathi nosisitha, ngitjho yena uHamani, into ekhohlakeleko le!”

Lokho kwenza uHamani abethwe livalo elikhulu phambi kwekosi nendlovukazi. ₇Ikosi yasikima emnyanyenapho inyenye khulu yatjhinga esivandeni sesigodlo. UHamani wahlala kobana ancengele ubuphilo bakhe endlovukazini u-Esta ngombana gade asele alemukile bonyana ikosi ihlose okumbi ngaye. ₈Kwathi lokha ikosi nayibuya esivandeni sesigodlo kobana ingene lapha bekubanjelwe khona umnyanya, qala nango uHamani awele esihlalweni sokuphumula lapha kuhlezi khona u-Esta, azincengela. Ikosi yathi: “Baba-ke! Umswa lo, sele afuna nokugagadlhela indlovukazi phambi kwami ngesigodlwenapha!”

Kuthe ikosi ingalitjho lelo, iinceku zagubuzesa ubuso bakaHamani. ₉Nje-ke uRharibhona ongomunye wabaphakulwa bekosi wathi: “Qala kosi, endlini kaHamani kujame isigodo esimamitha amatjhumi amabili nantathu ukuphakama. Isigodweso uHamani gade asilungiselele uMoridekayi umuntu owakhuluma ikosi kuhle.”

Ikosi yathi: “Mphanyekeni kiso!”

₁₀Mbala baphanyeka uHamani esigodweni egade asilungisele uMoridekayi. Nje-ke ilaka lekosi labohla.