U-Ahasheveroshi Wenza Idili
1Lokhu kwenzeka ngesikhathi sokubusa kwenkosi u-Ahasheveroshi; lona ngu-Ahasheveroshi owayebusa izifundazwe eziyi-127, kusukela eNdiya kuye eKhushe. 2Inkosi u-Ahasheveroshi, ngaleso sikhathi, yayibusa ihlezi esihlalweni sayo esasisenhlokomuzi yayo, iShushani, 3kwathi ngonyaka wesithathu wokubusa kwayo, yenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili, abombutho wempi yasePheresiya naseMediya, izikhulu nababusi bezifundazwe, babelapho. 4Izinsuku eziningi ezaba yi-180, yayibukisa ngomcebo wayo, nodumo lombuso wayo, nobukhazikhazi nangengcebo yobukhulu bayo.
5Ekupheleni kwalezo zinsuku, inkosi yenzela bonke abantu ababelapho eShushani, inhlokomuzi yayo, idili, abantukazana nezikhulu; idili elathatha izinsuku eziyisikhombisa yalenzela egcekeni lengadi yesigodlo sayo. 6Igceke lalihlotshiswe ngamakhethini kakotini amhlophe naluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, kunemichilo yelineni elicolekileyo nebukhwebezane, kuboshelwe kokusandilinga kwesiliva ezikwedlaneni zemabuli. Izihlalo zokuphumula ezenziwe ngegolide nesiliva zibekwe egcekeni elaligandaywe ngemabuli emhlophe, amagwadle abomvu, amagobolondo ahlotshiswe ngaphakathi acwebezelayo, netshe eliyigugu eliluhlaza sasibhakabhaka. 7Okuphuzwayo kwakuthungelwa ezindebeni zegolide ezahlukahlukene, iwayini laliliningi njengokufanele inkosi. 8Okuphuzwayo kwakhishwa ngokomthetho, akekho owayephoqwa; ngokuba inkosi yayiyale zonke izikhulu zayo zasesigodlweni ukuba zenzele wonke umuntu ngokufisa kwakhe. 9Indlovukazi uVashiti yabenzela idili abesifazane basesigodlweni senkosi u-Ahasheveroshi.
10Ngosuku lwesikhombisa, inkosi seyeneme kakhulu ngenxa yewayini, yayala abathenwa ababengabasizi bayo, uMehumani, uBhizitha, uHaribhora, uBhigitha, u-Abigitha, uZethari noKarikhasi, 11ukuba balethe indlovukazi uVashiti ifake umqhele wobundlovukazi. Indlovukazi yayingowesifazane omuhle, inkosi yayifuna ukubukisa ngobuhle bayo kubantu nasezikhulwini. 12Kodwa indlovukazi uVashiti yenqaba ukuza njengoba kwakuyaleze inkosi kubathenwa. Lokho kwayenza inkosi yathukuthela kakhulu, yabhodla umlilo.
13Kwakuwumkhuba wenkosi ukubuza maqondana nezinto eziphathelene nomthetho nokwehlulela, kubeluleki, 14abaseduze nayo, uKarishena, uShetari, u-Adimatha, uTharishishi, uMeresi, uMarisena noMemukhani, okwakuyibona ababeyisiza, futhi beyizethenjwa zayo. 15Yabuza yathi kubo: “Njengoba ngithumele abathenwa ukuba bayolanda indlovukazi uVashiti, kodwa ayiwugqizanga qakala umyalelo wami, ngabe uthini umthetho maqondana nalolo daba na?”
16UMemukhani wayesethi phambi kwenkosi nezikhulu: “UVashiti akadelelanga nje inkosi kuphela, kodwa wedelele zonke izikhulu nabantu bonke abasezifundazweni zenkosi u-Ahasheveroshi. 17Uma abesifazane bakuzo zonke izizwe bezwa ukuthi uVashiti uziphathe kanje, kuzobenza ukuthi bonke abesifazane bangabe besabahlonipha abayeni babo, ngoba inkosi imbizile, yena wenqaba ukuza kuyo. 18Khona namuhla amakhosikazi ezikhulu zamaPheresiya namaMediya, uma ezwa ngokuziphatha kwendlovukazi, azomelana nezikhulu zenkosi, kube nendelelo nentukuthelo. 19Uma kukuhle kuwe nkosi, mawukhiphe isimemezelo sasebukhosini, sibhalwe emthethweni ukuthi uVashiti uyamenqabela ukuba aphinde angene lapho inkosi ikhona, kube wumthetho wamaPheresiya namaMediya ongaguquki, bese inkosi ithatha enye indlovukazi engcono kunaye. 20Uma abantu kuwo wonke umbuso wakithi, njengoba umkhulu kangaka, bezwa ngaleso simemezelo, bonke abesifazane, noma ngabe bangabantukazana noma yizikhulu, bayobahlonipha abayeni babo.”
21Leso seluleko sikaMemukhani sayithokozisa inkosi nezikhulu zayo, inkosi yenza njengoba eyelulekile uMemukhani, 22yathumela izincwadi kuzo zonke izifundazwe, kuleso naleso sifundazwe, ngokohlelo lokubhala lwakhona, nakulabo bantu ngolimi lwakubo, sigcizelela ukuthi: onke amadoda angomakhonya emizini yawo, nokuthi wulimi lwesizwe sakubo oluzokhulunywa kulelo khaya.
