Lisu laHamani lekubulala sive semaJuda
1Ngekuhamba kwetikhatsi, inkhosi Ahashiveroshi yamphakamisa Hamani yamnika sikhundla sekuba ngundvunankhulu. Hamani bekuyindvodzana yaHamedatha, umtukulu wa-Agagi. 2Inkhosi yakhipha umtsetfo lewawucondzene nato tonkhe tiphatsimandla tayo kutsi tifanele tiguce phansi tikhotsame nakwendlula Hamani, timhloniphe. Tonkhe tiphatsimandla tatikwenta loko, ngaphandle kwaModekhayi lowala wangete wakhotsama. 3Leti letinye tindvuna tatimbuta titsi: “Wena awuwulaleli ngani umtsetfo wenkhosi?” 4Bambuta loko imihla ngemihla bamecwayisa ngalesento sakhe kutsi akasiyekele, kodvwa akazange abalalele. Abebatjela atsi: “NgiliJuda mine, ngeke ngikhotsamele Hamani.” Ngako base bayawumceba kuHamani nabo sebamangele kutsi ingabe utasibeketelela yini lesento saModekhayi. 5Hamani watfukutsela wagaya tiboti, nakabona kutsi Modekhayi akamhloniphi, futsi akamkhotsameli. 6Watsi kube eve kutsi Modekhayi uliJuda, wase ufuna lisu kutsi angasabulali Modekhayi yedvwa, kodvwa asale abulala onkhe emaJuda kulo lonkhe lasePheresiya.
7Kwatsi ngenyanga yekucala, yaNisani, ngemnyaka weli-12 wekubusa kwenkhosi Ahashiveroshi, kwentiwa inkatho embikwaHamani yekutfola kutsi kungaba nguliphi lilanga nenyanga lekutsi aphumelelise lelisu lakhe. Ngako kwakhetfwa lilanga leli-13 ku-Adari, inyanga yeli-12.
8Ngako-ke Hamani wabikela inkhosi, watsi: “Kukhona sive lesisakateke nalo lonkhe lelive lakho sigcwele tonkhe tifundza. Siyatehlukisa emasikweni etfu. Emasiko nemihambo yaso yehlukile, ayifani nemasiko ato tonkhe letinye tive; futsi asiyilaleli imitsetfo yalelive lakho. Ngako akukafaneli kutsi inkhosi isiyekele. 9Nakukuhle enkhosini, ayikhiphe simemetelo sasebukhosini sekutsi asibulawe sonkhe lesive. Nawungakwenta loko, mine Hamani ngingafaka isiliva lengemakhilogremu langaba-340 000 esikhwameni senkhosi.”
10Inkhosi yakhumula indandatho yayo leyayineluphawu lwekugcoba simemetelo lesiphuma enkhosini, yayinika lesitsa semaJuda, Hamani, umsa waHamedatha, umtukulu wa-Agagi. 11Inkhosi yamtjela yatsi: “Leyo mali yakho, naleso sive sakho; yenta lokutsandzako ngaso.”
12Ngako-ke kwatsi ngelilanga leli-13 lenyanga yekucala, Hamani wabita bonkhe bomabhalane benkhosi, ababitela lesatiso kuze basihumushe basibhale ngato tonkhe tilimi neluhlobo lwekubhala lolwalusetjentiswa eveni lasePheresiya. Tase titfunyelwa kuto tonkhe tindvuna, netikhulu, netiphatsimandla temibuso. Takhishwa egameni lenkhosi Ahashiveroshi tineluphawu lwendandatho yakhe. 13Kwaphuma emancusa agijimisa lesatiso kuwo onkhe emave embuso. Lesimemetelo sasebukhosini sasatisa kutsi ngalanga linye, lilanga leli-13 enyangeni ya-Adari, onkhe emaJuda, labancane nalabadzala, bafati nebantfwana kufanele babulawe. Kufanele babhujiswe ngaphandle kwesihawu, timphahla tabo tidliwe. 14Lesimemetelo kwakufanele simenyetelwe ebaleni, singafihlwa, kuto tonkhe tive, kuze kutsi litsi lifika lelo langa wonkhe umuntfu abe asatilungiselele.
15Ngekuyala kwenkhosi leso simemetelo sakhishwa eSusa inhlokodolobha yalowo mbuso; emancusa aphutfumisa lesimemetelo kuwo onkhe emave. Inkhosi naHamani bona bahlala phansi banatsa ngesikhatsi lidolobha lonkhe laseSusa lidzidzekile ngekumangala.
