U-Esteri 2

₁Emveni kwalezo zinto, selubohlile ulaka lwenkosi u-Ahasheveroshi, yakhumbula uVashiti nayekwenzile, nokuthi kwakhishwa simemezelo sini ngaye. ₂Izinsizwa ezazisiza inkosi zathi kuyo: “Inkosi mayifunelwe izintombi ezinhle. ₃Inkosi iqoke izikhulu kuzo zonke izifundazwe embusweni wayo, ukuba ziqoqe zonke izintombi ezibukekayo, zilethwe esigodlweni kuHegayi, umthenwa, okunguyena owengamele indlu yabesifazane, azinike izimonyo zazo. ₄Inkosi mayikhethe intombi eyoyithanda, ibe yindlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashithi.”

Sayithokozisa inkosi leso seluleko, yenza kanjalo.

₅Kwakukhona eShushani inhlokomuzi, uMoridekhayi umJuda, indodana kaJayiri, kaShimeyi, kaKhishi wakwaBhenjamini, ₆owayethunjwe eJerusalema nguNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, ngesikhathi ithumba uJekhoniya, inkosi yakwaJuda. ₇Wayenomzala ogama lakhe lingu-Esteri, elesiHebheru kunguHadasa, owayemuhle futhi eme kahle. Uyise nonina babengasekho, ngakho-ke uMoridekhayi wamthatha wamkhulisa njengendodakazi yakhe.

₈Kwathi sesiphumile isimemezelo senkosi, kwalethwa izintombi eziningi ekomkhulu eShushani, ukuba zibhekwe nguHegayi; no-Esteri walethwa esigodlweni ukuba azobhekwa nguHegayi owayengamele indlu yabesifazane. ₉U-Esteri waba nogazi, wathandeka kuHegayi, futhi wafumana umusa kuye, washeshe wamnika okokuziqhola nesabelo sakhe sokudla kwekhethelo. Wamnika indawo enhle kakhulu esigodlweni, waqoka izintombi eziyisikhombisa ezikhethekile esigodlweni ukuba zimnakekele.

₁₀U-Esteri akatshelanga muntu ngezihlobo zakhe noma ngabakubo, ngoba wayemdonse ngendlebe uMoridekhayi ukuba angasho lutho. ₁₁Nsuku zonke uMoridekhayi wayezidlisa satshanyana ngasesangweni lendlu yabesifazane, ukuze ahogele ukuthi uqhuba kanjani u-Esteri, nokuthi yini ezokwenzeka kuye.

₁₂Ukucolwa kwabesifazane kwakuvamise ukuthatha isikhathi esingunyaka. Izinyanga eziyisithupha zokuqala, owesifazane wayegcotshwa ngamafutha emure, kuthi ngezilandelayo aqholwe ngamafutha ebhalisamu. Uma sekwenziwe lokho, intombi ngayinye yayithathwa ingeniswe enkosini u-Ahasheveroshi. ₁₃Uma isuka endlini yabesifazane iya esigodlweni, yayigqoka noma yini eyithandayo. ₁₄Yayiya lapho kusihlwa, kuthi ngakusasa ekuseni iyiswe kwenye indlu iyonakekelwa nguShawashigazi, umthenwa owayengamele izancinza zenkosi. Yayingeke iphinde ingene enkosini, ngaphandle kokuba inkosi iyithandile, yayibiza ngegama.

₁₅Laze lafika nethuba lika-Esteri indodakazi ka-Abhihayili, umfowabo kaMoridekhayi. UMoridekhayi wayemkhulise kwangathi yindodakazi yakhe. U-Esteri akazange acele lutho ngaphandle kwalokho uHegayi, umthenwa owayephethe, ayethe akakusebenzise. Bonke ababembona babethatheka ngubuhle bakhe. ₁₆Wasiwa enkosini u-Ahasheveroshi ngenyanga yeshumi, inyanga okuthiwa uThebhethi, ngonyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo. ₁₇Inkosi yamthanda kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abesifazane; wafumana umusa emehlweni ayo, yamphatha kahle ukuzedlula zonke izintombi. Yamethwesa umqhele wobukhosi yamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashithi. ₁₈Inkosi yenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili: “Idili lika-Esteri.” Lolo lusuku lwaba yiholide ezifundazweni, futhi yapha abantu izipho njengobuningi bengcebo yasebukhosini.

₁₉Lapho izintombi ziqoqwa okwesibili, uMoridekhayi wayehleli esangweni lenkosi. ₂₀U-Esteri wayengakaze atshele muntu ukuthi ungumJuda, nokuthi bangobani abomndeni wakubo, njengoba uMoridekhayi ayemyalile, ngoba wayengachezuki eziyalweni zikaMoridekhayi njengangesikhathi esahlala naye.

₂₁Ngelinye ilanga uMoridekhayi ehleli esangweni lesigodlo, uBhigithana noThereshi, abathenwa ababili ababeqapha isango lendlu yenkosi, babenokukhononda ngenkosi, ngakho-ke benza uzungu lokuyibulala. ₂₂Wayesesuka uMoridekhayi wayobikela indlovukazi u-Esteri, yona yabikela inkosi ngaleyo ndaba eyayiyitshelwe nguMoridekhayi. ₂₃Lwaphenywa lolo daba kwatholakala ukuthi luyiqiniso, ngakho-ke laba bathenwa ababili balengiswa esiphanyekweni. Le ndaba yabhalwa phansi emilandweni yenkosi phambi kwayo.