UEsteri uyinkosikazi
1Emva kwalokho lapho ulaka lwenkosi uAhashiveroshi selubohlile, yamkhumbula uVashiti nalokho akwenzileyo, nalokho okumenyezelwe ngaye.
2Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezaziyikhonza: Inkosi mayifunelwe izintombi ezibukekayo,
3inkosi imise ababonisi ezifundeni zonke zombuso wakho ukuba babuthele ndawonye zonke izintombi ezibukekayo eShushani endlini yenkosi endlini yabesifazane phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi induna yenkosi, umgcini wabesifazane, zinikwe izinto zazo zokuqhola.
4Intombi enhle emehlweni enkosi mayibe-yinkosikazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti. Yabanhle leyonto emehlweni enkosi, yenze njalo.
5Kwakukhona umuntu womJuda eShushani endlini yenkosi ogama lakhe lalinguMoridekayi kaJayire kaShimeyi kaKishi wakwaBenjamini,
6owayethunjiwe eJerusalema kanye nabathunjwa ababethunjwé noJekoniya inkosi yakwaJuda owathunjwa nguNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele.
7Wayelokhu emondla uHadasa onguEsteri indodakazi kayisekazi, ngokuba wayengenayise, engenanina; intombi yayiyinhle, yayibukeka; sebefile uyise nonina, uMoridekayi wayithatha yaba-yindodakazi yakhe.
8Kwathi lapho izwi lenkosi nesimemezelo sayo sekuzwakele, nalapho izintombi eziningi zibuthene eShushani endlini yenkosi phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, uEsteri wangeniswa endlini yenkosi phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, umgcini wabesifazane.
9Intombi yayiyinhle emehlweni akhe, yafumana umusa kuye; washesha wayinika izinto zokuqhola, nezabelo zayo, nezintombi eziyisikhombisa ezazikhethelwe yona zivela endlini yenkosi, wayiyisa yona nezintombi zayo endaweni enhle yendlu yabesifazane.
10Kepha uEsteri wayengakhulumanga ngabantu bakubo nangezihlobo zakhe, ngokuba uMoridekayi wayeyiyalile ukuba ingakusho.
11UMoridekayi wayehamba zonke izinsuku phambi kwegceke lendlu yabesifazane ukuba azi impilo kaEsteri nokuthi kwenziwe-njani kuye.
12Lapho kufika isikhathi sezintombi ngezintombi sokuba zingene enkosini uAhashiveroshi emva kokuba kwenziwe kuzo njengomthetho wabesifazane izinyanga eziyishumi nambili — ngokuba zagcwaliswa kanjalo izinsuku zokuqholwa kwazo, izinyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure* nezinyanga eziyisithupha ngamakha nangezinto zokuqhola abesifazane —
13intombi yangena ngaleyondlela enkosini, nakho konke eyakushoyo yakunikwa ukuba iphume nakho endlini yabesifazane, iye endlini yenkosi.
14Yangena khona kusihlwa; ekuseni yabuyela endlini yesibili yabesifazane phansi kwesandla sikaShahashigazi induna yenkosi, umgcini wezancinza, ingaphindi ingene enkosini, uma inkosi ingathokozanga ngayo, ibizwe ngegama.
15Lapho sesifikile isikhathi sikaEsteri indodakazi ka-Abihayili uyisekazi kaMoridekayi omthathé ukuba abe-yindodakazi yakhe sokuba angene enkosini, akafunanga-lutho, kuphela lokho akushoyo uHegayi induna yenkosi, umgcini wabesifazane. UEsteri wafumana umusa emehlweni abo bonke abambonayo.
16UEsteri wayeseyiswa enkosini uAhashiveroshi endlini yakhe yobukhosi ngenyanga yeshumi eyinyanga kaThebeti ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo.
17Inkosi yamthanda uEsteri phezu kwabo bonke abesifazane, wafumana umusa nesihe emehlweni ayo kunazo zonke izintombi, wamfaka umqhele wobukhosi, wamenza inkosikazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.
18Inkosi yayisizenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili elikhulu, idili likaEsteri, wanika izifunda ukuphumula, waphana ngezipho njengokupha kwenkosi.
19Lapho izintombi sezibuthwa ngokwesibili, uMoridekayi wahlala esangweni lenkosi.
20UEsteri wayengakalandi-lutho ngezihlobo zakhe nangabantu bakhe, njengalokho uMoridekayi amyalé ngakho, ngokuba uEsteri wenza okushiwo nguMoridekayi njengalapho esondliwa nguye.
21Ngalezozinsuku uMoridekayi esahlezi esangweni lenkosi, izinduna ezimbili zenkosi oBigithani noThereshi kubalindisango zazithukuthele, zafuna ukubeka izandla enkosini uAhashiveroshi.
22Leyondaba yaziwa nguMoridekayi, wayitshela uEsteri inkosikazi; uEsteri wayisho enkosini egameni likaMoridekayi.
23Lapho indaba iphenywa, kufunyanwa ukuthi injalo, zaphanyekwa zombili emthini; kwalotshwa encwadini yezindaba zemihla ngemihla phambi kwenkosi.
