AbaJuda Bavunyelwa Ukuhlangana Bazivikele
1Ngalolo lusuku inkosi u-Ahasheveroshi yanika u-Esteri, indlovukazi, indlu kaHamani, isitha sabaJuda. UMoridekhayi weza enkosini, ngokuba u-Esteri wayeseyitshelile ukuthi bahlobene kanjani. 2Inkosi yathatha indandatho yayo yokusicilela, leyo eyayiyephuce uHamani, yayinika uMoridekhayi. U-Esteri waqoka uMoridekhayi ukuba engamele indlu kaHamani.
3U-Esteri waphinda wakhuluma nenkosi, wakhothamela ezinyaweni zayo, wakhala, wayincenga ukuba ibuguqule kubantu bakubo ububi uHamani, umAgagi, ayebucebe ngabo. 4Inkosi yamkhomba ngentonga yayo yegolide u-Esteri, wayesesukuma ema phambi kwayo, 5wathi: “Uma kukuhle enkosini, ngifumene umusa kuyo, futhi uma kulungile phambi kwayo, ngicela ibhale umyalelo wokuhoxisa icebo likaHamani, indodana kaHamedatha, umAgagi, owabhala izincwadi zokuthi kubhujiswe abaJuda abahlala kuzo zonke izifundazwe zenkosi. 6Ngingakumela kanjani ukubona ububi behlela abantu bakithi na? Ngingakumela kanjani ukuchithwa kwezihlobo zami na?”
7Inkosi u-Ahasheveroshi yase ithi ku-Esteri noMoridekhayi, umJuda: “Bhekani, indlu kaHamani ngiyinike indlovukazi u-Esteri, uHamani walengiswa esiphanyekweni ngenxa yozungu alwakhela abaJuda, 8kodwa umbhalo olotshwe egameni lenkosi wagxivizwa ngesigxivizo sasebukhosini, awusoze waguqulwa. Nokho-ke, nina nobabili ningababhalela abaJuda noma yini eniyifisayo; ningayibhala egameni lami, nifake isisicilelo sasebukhosini.”
9Ngaleso sikhathi kwase kubizwa ababhali benkosi. Kwakuwusuku lwama-23, ngenyanga yesithathu ebizwa ngokuthi uShivani. Bayalwa ukuba babhale noma yini uMoridekhayi abayala ukuba bayibhalele abaJuda ababesembusweni ka-Ahasheveroshi, neziphathimandla, nababusi, nezikhulu ezazikuzo zonke izifundazwe eziyi-127, kusuka eNdiya kuya eKhushe. Izincwadi bazibhala ngolimi lwaleso naleso sizwe, ngokwehlukana kwazo, nangokubhala kwazo, nakubaJuda, ngokubhala kwabo nangolimi lwabo. 10Lezo zincwadi bazibhala egameni lenkosi u-Ahasheveroshi; uMoridekhayi wazifaka isisicilelo sasebukhosini. Zathunyelwa ngezigijimi ezazigibele amahhashi anejubane, ayekhuliswe esitebeleni sasebukhosini. 11Kulezo zincwadi kwakubhalwe ukuthi abaJuda, emizini yonke babevunyelwe ukuba bahlangane, bazivikele, babulale, babhubhise amabutho esifundazwe abahlaselayo, izingane nabesifazane, baphange nezimpahla zabo, 12ngosuku olwaluqokelwe ukuba abaJuda ababehlala kuzo zonke izifundazwe zenkosi u-Ahasheveroshi, zili-13 ngenyanga ye-12, inyanga u-Adari. 13Ifuzela lalowo mthetho lalizokhishwa, libe ngumthetho kuzo zonke izifundazwe, laziswe bonke abantu kuleso naleso sizwe, ukuze abaJuda bame ngomumo ngalolo lusuku, bazivikele ezitheni zabo.
14Izigijimi zagibela amahhashi asebukhosini anejubane, zaphuma ngesivinini, ziqhutshwa ngumyalezo wenkosi. Lowo mthetho wawushaywe ngisho eShushani, inhlokomuzi.
15Ngesikhathi uMoridekhayi ephuma esigodlweni wayegqoke ingubo yasebukhosini enokuluhlaza sasibhakabhaka nokumhlophe, umjiva welineni elicolekileyo elibukhwebezane, nomqhele omuhle ocwebezelayo wegolide. Kwachwaza umuzi waseShushani ngomsindo wenjabulo nentokozo. 16KumaJuda kwakunokukhanya, nenjabulo, nentokozo, nokuhlonipheka. 17Kulowo nalowo muzi, nakuleso sifundazwe, lapho izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo kwase kufinyelele khona, kwaba nenjabulo nentokozo, abaJuda benedili, nosuku oluhle, bejabulile. Abantu abaningi bendawo baphenduka baba ngabaJuda, ngoba base bebesaba abaJuda.
