1Mhlokho ikosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi yanikela indlovukazi u-Esta ilifa lendlu kaHamani isitha samaJuda. UMoridekayi weza phambi kwekosi ngombana u-Esta gade ayitjelile bona uhlobana njani naye. 2Ikosi yakhupha idzilamnwanayo yesigibo egade iyithethe kuHamani, yayinikela uMoridekayi. Nje-ke u-Esta wajamisa uMoridekayi bona alawule ilifa lendlu kaHamani.
U-Esta usindisa amaJuda
3U-Esta wabuye wakhuluma nekosi ngokuziphosela eenyaweni zayo, waciphiza ezimathosi wayincenga bonyana iphambukise iqhinga elimbi uHamani umAgagi agade alihlose ngamaJuda. 4Ikosi yelulela ngaku-Esta intonga yegolide. Nje-ke u-Esta wasikima wajama phambi kwekosi, 5wathi: “Nangabe kuthokozisa ikosi nokobana ngifumene umusa emehlwenayo begodu lokho kulungile phambi kwekosi, khisibe nami ngiyathandeka emehlwenayo; akutlolwe umyalo osula iincwadi ebezihlelwe nguHamani umsa kaHamedata umAgagi egade azitlolele ukuphelisa amaJuda aseemfundeni zoke zekosi. 6Iye, ngingabekezela njani ngibona isizi elizokwehlela isizwe sekhethu na? Namkha nginganyamezela njani ngibona ukupheliswa kwabantu bekhethu?”
7Nje-ke ikosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi yathi endlovukazini u-Esta nakuMoridekayi umJuda: “Yelelani, nginikele u-Esta ilifa lendlu kaHamani begodu yena bamphanyeka esigodweni ngombana gade afuna ukubulala amaJuda. 8Ngalokho ngini eningatlola omunye umyalo eniwuthandako ngamaJuda ebizweni lekosi bese nigiba umyalo lowo ngedzilamnwana yekosi. Iye, isimemezelo esitlolwe ebizweni lekosi besagitjwa ngedzilamnwanayo angeze sasulwa mumuntu.”
9Khonokho, mhlana inyanga kaSivana, okuyinyanga yesithathu, inamalanga amatjhumi amabili nantathu, kwabizwa abososiba bekosi. Nje-ke kwatlolwa isimemezelo ukuya ngakho koke uMoridekayi ayala ngakho. Kwatlolelwa amaJuda, ababusi abakhulu bekosi, abomengameli nabarholi beemfunda zoke ezilikhulu namatjhumi amabili nalikhomba, ukusuka e-Indiya bekube seKutjhe. Isifunda esinye nesinye satlolelwa umtlolwaso ngokwamalimi wabantu baso. AmaJuda nawo atlolelwa wawo umtlolo ngelimi lawo. 10UMoridekayi watlola isimemezelweso ebizweni lekosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi bewasigiba ngedzilamnwanayo. Nje-ke wathumela iincwadi ngeengijimi ezikhwele iinjomani ezinebelo ezikhuliselwe emhlanjini webukhosini.
11Eencwadinezo ikosi beyivumela amaJuda kiwo woke amadorobho bona ahlangane avikele ipilwawo, abhubhise, abulale, aphelise abe aphange ipahla yananyana ngiliphi ibutho labantu namkha lesifunda elingahle lisahlele wona, abantwabawo nabafazi bawo. 12Lokho kwenziwe ngelanga elilodwa, mhlana zilitjhumi nantathu enyangeni yetjhumi nambili okuyinyanga ka-Adari, eemfundeni zoke zekosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi. 13Umkhuphelo womtlolo bekufuze ukhutjhwe njengomthetho uye kizo zoke iimfunda, kumenyezelwe ebantwini boke ukuze mhlokho amaJuda kube ngazilungiseleleko ukuzibuyiselela ezitheni zawo. 14Nje-ke iingijimi zakhwela iinjomani ezinebelo ezithethwe emhlanjini webukhosini, zaphuma ngebelo elikhulu ngokuhlohlozelwa myalo wekosi. Umthetho lowo godu bewukhutjhelwe nebuphephelweni beTjhutjhani.
15UMoridekayi waphuma asuka phambi kwekosi embethe zobukhosi zelineni ehlaza kwesibhakabhaka nemhlophe; athwele isihlohlo esikhulu segolide embethe nenaka lelineni ecolekileko nebubende. Idorobho leTjhutjhani lahlokoma ngokujabula. 16Kwaba sikhathi somkhanyo, ukujabula, ukuthaba nokuhlonipheka emaJudeni. 17Eemfundeni zoke nemadorobheni woke lapha umthetho wekosi bewufike khona, bekukhona ukujabula nokuthaba emaJudeni, kulilanga lokugidinga nokuphumula kiwo. Yeke abantu abanengi ezizweni baphendukela ebuJudeni ngombana baba nokwesaba amaJuda.
