Ukudabuka kukaMoridekayi nokwabaJuda
1UMoridekayi esekwazi konke okwenziweyo, uMoridekayi waziklebhula izingubo zakhe, wembatha indwangu yamasaka nomlotha, waphumela phakathi komuzi, wakhala ngokukhala okukhulu okumunyu;
2waya naphambi kwesango lenkosi, ngokuba kwakungekho ongangena esangweni lenkosi embethe indwangu yamasaka.
3Kuzo zonke izifunda lapho kwafika khona izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo, kwaba-khona ukulila okukhulu phakathi kwabaJuda, nokuzila ukudla nokukhala ngezinyembezi, nokulila; abaningi balala phansi bembethe izindwangu zamasaka nomlotha.
UEsteri uyabikelwa indaba. Impendulo yakhe
4Izintombi zikaEsteri nezinduna zakhe zafika zamtshela lokho; inkosikazi yazwiswa kakhulu ubuhlungu; yathuma izingubo zokumembathisa uMoridekayi, yasusa kuye ingubo yakhe yamasaka; kepha akazamukelanga.
5UEsteri wayesebiza uHathaki wezinduna zenkosi eyayimmisile ukuba amkhonze, wamyala ukuba aye kuMoridekayi, ukuze akwazi ukuthi kuyini nokuthi kungani na?
6UHathaki wayesehamba, waya kuMoridekayi esigcawini somuzi esasiphambi kwesango lenkosi.
7UMoridekayi wamtshela konke okumehleleyo nenani lemali uHamani ayethembisile ukulikhokhela esikhwameni senkosi ngabaJuda ukuba babhujiswe.
8Wamnika futhi impinda yomthetho olotshiweyo owashaywa eShushani wokuba babhujiswe, ukuze amtshengise yona uEsteri, amtshele ngayo, amyale ukuba angene enkosini ukunxusa kuyo, acelele abantu bakhe phambi kwayo.
9Wafika uHathaki, wamtshela uEsteri amazwi kaMoridekayi.
10Wayesethi uEsteri kuHathaki, wayala ukuba kuthiwe kuMoridekayi:
11Zonke izinceku zenkosi nabantu bezifunda zenkosi bayazi ukuthi bonke abesilisa nabesifazane abeza enkosini egcekeni elingaphakathi bengabizwanga, kukhona umthetho munye ngabo wokuba babulawe, ngaphandle kwalowo inkosi eyakwelulela kuye intonga yegolide ukuba aphile; kodwa mina angibizwanga ukuba ngingene enkosini ngalezizinsuku ezingamashumi amathathu.
12Bamtshela uMoridekayi amazwi kaEsteri.
13Wayesesho uMoridekayi ukuba babuyisele impendulo kuEsteri ngokuthi: Ungacabangi enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi wena uyakusinda endlini yenkosi kunabaJuda bonke.
14Ngokuba uma uthula nokuthula ngalesisikhathi, ukukhululwa nokophulwa kwabaJuda kuyakuvela kwenye indawo, wena nendlu kayihlo nibhubhe; ngubani okwaziyo, uma ungafikanga embusweni ngenxa yesikhathi esinjengalesi na?
15UEsteri wayesesho ukuba kubuyiselwe impendulo kuMoridekayi yokuthi:
16Hambani nibuthe bonke abaJuda abakhona eShushani, ningizilele ukudla, ningadli, ningaphuzi izinsuku ezintathu ubusuku nemini; nami nezintombi zami siyakuzila kanjalo, ngingene enkosini noma kungengamthetho; uma ngibhubha, mangibhubhe.
17Wayesehamba uMoridekayi, wenza njengakho konke uEsteri amyalé ngakho.
