U-ESTA 4

₁Kwathi uMoridekayi sele azwile ngokwenzakeleko, wadabula izambatho zakhe wembatha imigodla wazithela nangomlotha. Waphuma ebandla lesigodlweni waya phakathi kwedorobho wafese wakhihla esibuhlungu isililokazi. ₂Kwathi lokha nakabuyela phambi kwebandla lesigodlweni wajama ngombana bekungakameli umuntu angene lapho ambethe zemigodla. ₃Eemfundeni zoke lapha bekufike khona umyalo nomthetho wekosi, kwaba nokulila okukhulu phakathi kwamaJuda. Azila ukudla, athwala imikhono ehloko abe ahlaba umkhosi. Inengi lawo lazibhudabhuda phasi lembethe imigodla, lizithele nangomlotha.

₄Kwathi lokha abantazana kanye nabaphakulwa baka-Esta nabambikelako, wakhathazeka khulu. Wathumela izambatho kuMoridekayi kobana azembathe esikhundleni semigodla, kodwana akhange azamukele. ₅Nje-ke u-Esta wabiza uHataki, ongomunye wabaphakulwa bekosi nogade akhethelwe kobana aqalelele iindingo zakhe, wamyala bonyana ayokuqala uMoridekayi bona udliwa yini. ₆Mbala uHataki waya kuMoridekayi etatawini ledorobho ngaphambi kwebandla lesigodlo. ₇UMoridekayi watjela umphakulwa loyo koke okwenzeke kuye, ukufaka phakathi nesamba sesiliva uHamani athembise ukusifaka eenlulwini zesigodlo kobana kupheliswe amaJuda. ₈Godu uMoridekayi wamnikela nomthunzi wencwadi yesimemezelo eyakhutjhwa eTjhutjhani yokubhujiswa kwamaJuda. Incwadi leyo bekufuze ayitjengise u-Esta abe amhlathululele yona nokobana amyale bona aye ekosini ayokuncancabeza abe ancengele abantu bekhabo kiyo. ₉UHataki wabuya wafese wabikela u-Esta bona uMoridekayi utheni.

₁₀Nje-ke u-Esta wakhuluma noHataki wamthuma kuMoridekayi bona athi kuye: ₁₁“Zoke iinsebenzi zekosi nabantu beemfundeni zekosi bayazi bonyana nanyana ngubani ongena ngesirhodlweni esingaphakathi sesigodlo angakabizwa, kungaba yindoda namkha umfazi, kunomthetho munye wokuthi umuntu loyo uzakubulawa. Ozakuphila ngiloyo kwaphela ikosi ezamelulela intonga yegolide. Nami ngokwami angikabizwa bona ngingene ekosini emalangeni amatjhumi amathathu la.”

₁₂Kwathi lokha nakubikelwa uMoridekayi lokho u-Esta akutjhwileko, ₁₃uMoridekayi wathi akubuyiselwe ku-Esta ipendulo ethi: “Ungadlumbani bonyana wena esigodlwenapho uzakuba ngophephileko kiwo woke amaJuda. ₁₄Iye, nakube uyathula esikhathini esinje, ukwenyulwa nokusindiswa kuzokuvela kumaJuda akwenye indawo, kodwana wena nendlu kayihlo nizakubhubha. Ngubani owaziko, mhlamunye kungesizathwesi bonyana esikhathini esinje ube yindlovukazi!”

₁₅Nje-ke u-Esta wathi akubuyiselwe kuMoridekayi ipendulo ethi: ₁₆“Khamba uyokubuthelela woke amaJuda afunyaneka eTjhutjhani bese ningizilela ukudla. Ningadli namkha nisele bekube malanga amathathu ubusuku nemini. Nami-ke nabantazana bami sizakuzila njengani njalo. Ngemva kwalokho mina ngizakuya ekosini, nanyana lokho kuphambene nomthetho. Ngithi nakube ngiyabhubha, angibhubhe!”

₁₇UMoridekayi wakhamba wayokwenza koke njengombana u-Esta amyalile.