Inkhosi ibeka Modekhayi esikhundleni
1Kulobo busuku abuzange sebehle butfongo enkhosini, ngako yatfumela kutsi akulandvwe emabhuku emilandvo yembuso ifundzelwe. 2Lendzawo leyafundvwa yayinemlandvo lapho kwakubhalwe kutsi Modekhayi wavumbulula lisu letindvuna letimbili letatigadza iminyango yenkhosi, boBikthani naThereshi. 3Inkhosi yabuta yatsi: “Modekhayi sambonga ngekumnika mvuzo muni ngalesento lesi?”
Letinceku tatsi: “Kute lentelwa kona.”
4Inkhosi yabuta yatsi: “Kukhona yini lomunye wetindvuna tami lolapha esigodlweni?”
Ngaleso sikhatsi Hamani abengena esibuyeni sendlunkhulu ete enkhosini kutewucela kutsi Modekhayi alengiswe entsanjeni leyase ilungiselwe yena. 5Ngako letinceku taphendvula tatsi: “Hamani ukhona la ngephandle, umele kutawukhuluma nawe.”
Inkhosi yatsi: “Mngeniseni.”
6Ngako Hamani wangeniswa, inkhosi yakhuluma kuye, yatsi: “Kukhona umuntfu lengifisa kumbonga kakhulu. Wena utsi ngingakukhombisa kanjani loko kumbonga kwami?”
Hamani wacabanga watsi: “Konje ngubani nje inkhosi lengafisa kumbonga kakhulu ngaphandle kwami?” 7Hamani wayiphendvula watsi: “Lomuntfu inkhosi lefisa kumbonga 8ayimembese ngengubo yebukhosi leyembatfwa ngiyo, imekhwete ehhashini layo lelifakwe umchele webukhosi. 9Lesinye setikhulu tayo letetsembekile asimembatsise lowo muntfu inkhosi letsandza kumbonga, bese sihamba embikwalo lelihhashi, lidzabule licotfote ekhatsi nelidolobha. Lesikhulu asihambe simemetela, sitsi: ‘Ase nibuke-ke kutsi inkhosi imentelani lowo muntfu lefisa kumbonga!’ ”
10Inkhosi yatsi kuHamani: “Phutfuma, utsatse ingubo yebukhosi nelihhashi njengobe ushito, konkhe loko ukwente kuModekhayi, liJuda. Utamkhandza ahleti emphundvwini yendlunkhulu.”
11Ngako Hamani watsatsa lengubo yebukhosi wembatsisa Modekhayi, wamekhweta ehhashini lebukhosi, walihambela embili, ahamba amemetela atsi: “Ase nibuke-ke kutsi inkhosi imentelani umuntfu lefisa kumbonga!”
12Emvakwaloko Modekhayi wabuyela emphundvwini yendlunkhulu, kodvwa Hamani wabuyela ekhaya kakhe ajabhe, waze wembonya nebuso bakhe ngenca yekudliwa ngemahloni. 13Wafike walandzisa umkakhe nebangani bakhe bonkhe lokwase kumehlele. Umkakhe Zereshi nalabangani bakhe bamtjela batsi: “Nangabe Modekhayi aliJuda, wena sewucalile kuwa, futsi ungeke umkhone. Nakanjani utakwehlula.” 14Batsi basakhuluma tindvuna tenkhosi tefika setilandze Hamani ngekushesha kutsi aye edzilini, lakhe nenkhosi, lababelentelwe ngu-Esta.
