Icebo LikaHamani Lokubhubhisa AbaJuda
1Emveni kwalezo zinto inkosi u-Arithahishashithi yamenza waba mkhulu uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umBhowagi, yamphakamisa yamnika igunya elikhulu kakhulu phezu kwazo zonke izikhulu ezazinayo. 2Ngakho-ke zonke izinceku zenkosi ezazisesigodlweni zazivame ukumkhothamela uHamani, njengoba inkosi yayiyalile ukuba kwenziwe njalo. Kepha uMoridekhayi akakhothamanga, kakhulekanga kuye. 3Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi kuMoridekhayi: “Weqelani isiyalezo senkosi na?”
4Zazikhuluma kuye imihla ngemihla engazilaleli, zamtshela uHamani ukuba zibone ukuthi amazwi kaMoridekhayi ayakuma yini, ngokuba wayezitshelile ukuthi ungumJuda. 5Lapho uHamani ezwa ukuthi akamkhothamelanga, akhuleke kuye, wathukuthela kakhulu. 6Wakha icebo lokubhubhisa onke abajuda angaphansi kombuso ka-Arithahishashithi. 7Ngonyaka weshumi nambili wokubusa kwenkosi u-Arithahishashithi, uHamani wenza isinqumo ngokushaya unkatho, ebala izinsuku zenyanga ngazinye, ukuze amise usuku azokubhubhisa ngalo sonke isizwe sikaMoridekhayi. Unkatho lwawela osukwini lweshumi nane enyangeni ka-Adari. 8UHamani wathi enkosini u-Arithahishashithi: “Kukhona isizwe esithile esihlakazekele phakathi kwabantu bezifunda zonke zombuso wakho; nemithetho yaso yehlukene kuneyezizwe zonke, futhi asigcini imithetho yenkosi, ngakho-ke akufanele ukuba inkosi isiyeke. 9Uma kukuhle enkosini, makulotshwe ukuba sichithwe; mina ngiyakukhokha amathalente ayizi-10 000 esiliva, esikhwameni senkosi.”
10Inkosi yakhumula indandatho yayo esandleni sayo, yayinika uHamani ukuba asicilele incwadi emelene namaJuda. 11Inkosi yathi kuHamani: “Igcine imali yakho, kodwa yenza kuleso sizwe lokho okubona kufanele.”
12Ngakho-ke ngosuku lwe-13 lwenyanga yokuqala kwabizwa omabhalane benkosi, kwathi njengokuyala kukaHamani, babhala izincwadi egameni lenkosi u-Arithahishashithi zasiwa kuzo zonke izimantshi, nababusi bezifunda kusuka eNdiya kuya eTopiya. Kwakuyizifunda eziyi-127 zizonke, nababusi babhalelwa yilowo ngolimi lwabo. 13Izigijimi zashesha zahambisa umyalo wenkosi kuzo zonke izifunda zombuso wenkosi ezaziyala ukuba kubulawe onke abaJuda ngosuku olumisiwe lwenyanga ye-12, engu-Adari, nokuba baphange impahla yabo.
ISENGEZO B
Isimemezelo Sika-Arithahishashithi NgabaJuda
13aNansi ikhophi yencwadi: “Inkosi enkulu u-Arithahishashithi ibhalela bonke ababusi nazo zonke izikhulu ezingaphansi kwakhe ezifundeni eziyi-127, kusukela eNdiya kuye eTopiya: 13bSelokhu ngibe ngumbusi wezizwe eziningi nenkosi yomhlaba wonke engaphakanyisiwe ngenxa yokuxhomondela amandla, kodwa ehlala yenza izinto ngobuhlakani nangesisa, senginqume ukuhlalisa ngokuthula bonke abantu bami ukuze ngenze umbuso wami ube nokuthula nabantu bakwazi ukuhamba kuwo ngokukhululeka nokuba kubuyiselwe ukuthula okufunwa ngabantu bonke.”
13c“Lapha ngibabuza abaluleki bami ukuthi lokhu singakwenza kanjani, uHamani ophakanyisiwe kunathi sonke ngokwahlulela okunobuqotho nowaziwayo ngokulunga kwakhe nangokwethembeka kwakhe owafumana lesi sikhundla esingesesibili embusweni 13dusitshelile ukuthi phakathi kwezizwe zonke emhlabeni kukhona abantu abathile abahlakazeke phakathi kwethu abayimidlwembe, abanemithetho ephambene neyethu abahlala njalo bengayinaki imithetho yenkosi okwenza ukuba ukuhlanganisa lo mbuso esikulangazelela kakhulu kube lukhuni ukukwenza. 13eSiyezwa ukuthi laba bantu, bona bodwa bahlala bemelene nazo zonke izizwe belandela indlela yokuphila nemithetho eyisigwegwe, abangawuthandi umbuso wethu futhi benza konke okusemandleni ukuwulimaza ukuze lo mbuso ungabi nakuthula.
13f“Ngakho-ke sinqumile ukuthi labo esikhuluma ngabo kulezi zincwadi ezibhalwe nguHamani ophethe zonke izindaba futhi ongubaba wethu wesibili, ukuthi bonke kuxhubene nabesifazane nezingane babhujiswe ngenkemba yezitha zabo, kungakhonjiswa luzwelo, konke lokhu kwenziwe ngolweshumi nane lwenyanga yeshumi nambili ka-Adari, kuwo lonyaka ophezulu, 13gukuze labo abamelene nathi sonke lesi sikhathi kuze kube manje, kuthi ngosuku olulodwa babhujiswe ngesihluku baye eHayidesi, bawushiye umbuso wethu umi uqinile ungenazixhwanguxhwangu kusukela manje.”
SIPHELA LAPHA ISENGEZO B.
14Wonke amakhophi ale ncwadi athunyelwa ezifundeni zonke, zonke izizwe zatshelwa ukuba zilulindele lolu suku. 15Lolu daba laphuthunyiswa kulo lonke elaseShushani. Lapho inkosi noHamani bethokoza bephuza ndawonye, umuzi waseShushani wagcwala ukudideka.
