U-Arithahishashithi Uhlonipha UMoridekhayi
1Ngalobo busuku inkosi yaqwasha, ngalokho yayala ukuba kulethwe incwadi yezikhumbuzo zezindaba zemihla ngemihla, yafundwa phambi kwenkosi. 2Kwafumaniseka kulotshiwe ukuthi uMoridekhayi wayexwayisile inkosi ngozungu olwaluboshwa ngabathenwa ababili benkosi ukuba ziyibulale inkosi u-Arithahishashithi. 3Inkosi yathi: “Ludumo luni nobukhulu buni obenzelwe uMoridekhayi ngalokho na?”
Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezaziyikhonza: “Akenzelwanga lutho.”
4Inkosi isabuza lokho ngoMoridekhayi, uHamani wayesegcekeni. Inkosi yabuza ukuthi: “Ngubani osegcekeni na?”
UHamani wayeze ukukhuluma nenkosi ngokuphanyekwa kukaMoridekhayi esiphanyekweni ayemlungisele sona. 5Zathi-ke izinceku enkosini: “Bheka uHamani umi egcekeni.”
Yathi inkosi: “Makangene.”
6Yayisithi inkosi kuHamani: “Umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa wenzelwani na?”
UHamani wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Ngubani inkosi ebingathanda ukumenzela udumo ngaphandle kwami na?”
7Wayesethi enkosini: “Umuntu Inkosi ethanda ukumenzela udumo, 8makalethelwe isembatho sobukhosi ekade isembethe inkosi, kanye nehhashi ekade inkosi ikhwela kulo 9isembatho nehhashi makunikezwe abanye babangani abahloniphekile benkosi, ukuba bamembathise lowo muntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa, bamgibelise ehhashini, kumenyezelwe ezigcawini zomuzi ukuthi: ‘Uyakwenzelwa okunje umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumhlonipha.’ ”
10Inkosi yayisithi kuHamani: “Ubeke umbono omuhle kakhulu! Yenza njalo njengokusho kwakho kuMoridekhayi umJuda ohlezi egcekeni lenkosi. Makungaphuthi lutho lwakho konke okukhulumileyo.”
11UHamani wathabatha isambatho nehashi, wamembathisa uMoridekhayi wenza ukuba uMoridekhayi adabule egcekeni lomuzi egibele ehashini, ememezela ukuthi: “Uyakwenzelwa okanje umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumhlonipha.”
12UMoridekhayi wabuyela egcekeni, kodwa uHamani waphangisa wabuyela endlini yakhe edumele, elila futhi egubuzele ikhanda lakhe. 13UHamani walandisa umkakhe uZosara nabo bonke abangani bakhe konke okumehleleyo. Abangane bakhe nomkakhe bathi kuye: “Njengoba usuhlazeke kanje phambi kukaMoridekhayi ongumJuda, awuseyikumahlula, kepha uyakuwa nokuwa phambi kwakhe. Uyokwahluleka ukuzivikela, ngokuba uNkulunkulu ophilayo unaye.”
14Besakhuluma naye, bafika abathenwa benkosi, bashesha ukumusa uHamani edilini u-Esteri alilungisileyo.
