AbaJuda bavunyelwa ukuzilwela nokuphindisela
1Ngalolosuku inkosi uAhashiveroshi yanika uEsteri inkosikazi indlu kaHamani isitha sabaJuda. UMoridekayi weza phambi kwenkosi, ngokuba uEsteri wayeselandile ukuthi uyini naye.
2Inkosi yakhumula indandatho yayo ebiyisusile kuHamani, yayinika uMoridekayi. UEsteri wambeka uMoridekayi phezu kwendlu kaHamani.
3UEsteri waqhubeka wakhuluma phambi kwenkosi, wawa ngasezinyaweni zayo, wakhala, wayinxusa ukuba ibususe ububi bukaHamani umAgagi necebo lakhe ayelicebé ngabaJuda.
4Inkosi yamelulela uEsteri intonga yegolide. Wayesesukuma uEsteri, wema phambi kwenkosi.
5Wathi: Uma kukuhle enkosini, noma ngifumene umusa phambi kwayo, noma lento ilungile phambi kwenkosi, uma ngithandeka emehlweni ayo, makulotshwe ukuba zibuyiswe izincwadi zamacebo kaHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi azilobayo ukuba bachithwe abaJuda abasezifundeni zenkosi;
6ngokuba ngingakubuka kanjani okubi okuyakufica isizwe sakithi, noma ngingakubuka kanjani ukuchithwa kwezihlobo zami na?
7Inkosi uAhashiveroshi yathi kuEsteri inkosikazi nakuMoridekayi umJuda: Bhekani, nginiké uEsteri indlu kaHamani; yena bamphanyekile emthini, ngokuba wabeka isandla sakhe kubaJuda.
8Kepha lobani nani ngabaJuda njengokuhle emehlweni enu egameni lenkosi, nikunamathelise ngendandatho yenkosi, ngokuba umbhalo obhalwé egameni lenkosi wanamatheliswa ngendandatho yenkosi awunakubuyiswa-muntu.
9Abalobi benkosi babizwa ngalesosikhathi ngenyanga yesithathu eyinyanga kaSivani ngolwamashumi amabili nantathu lwayo; kwalotshwa njengakho konke uMoridekayi ayala ngakho abaJuda, nawothulasizwe, nababusi, nezikhulu zezifunda, kusukela eIndiya kuze kufike eKushe, izifunda eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa, izifunda ngezifunda njengokubhala kwazo, nezizwe ngezizwe njengolimi lwazo, nabaJuda njengokubhala kwabo nanjengolimi lwabo.
10Waloba egameni lenkosi uAhashiveroshi, wakunamathelisa ngendandatho yenkosi, wazithuma izincwadi ngesandla sezigijimi zamahashi, zigibela amahashi anejubane, amahashi enkosi akhethekileyo,
11inkosi eyavumela ngakho abaJuda ababesemizini ngemizi ukuba babuthane, bamele ukuphila kwabo, bachithe, babulale, babhubhise onke amabutho abantu nawesifunda abahlaselayo, izingane nabesifazane, impahla yabo ibe-yimpango,
12ngosuku oluthile ezifundeni zonke zenkosi uAhashiveroshi, ngolweshumi nantathu lwenyanga yeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari.
13Impinda yokulotshiweyo yanikwa ukuba ibe-yisimemezelo ezifundeni zonke, kumenyezelwe kubantu bonke ukuba abaJuda bazilungiselele lolosuku, baziphindisele ezitheni zabo.
14Zase ziphuma izigijimi zigibele amahashi anejubane, amahashi enkosi, zisheshiswa ziqhutshwa yizwi lenkosi; umthetho washaywa eShushani endlini yenkosi.
15Wayesephuma uMoridekayi ebusweni benkosi embethe isambatho sobukhosi esiluhlaza nesimhlophe, enomqhele omkhulu wegolide nengubo yelineni elicolekileyo nebubende; umuzi waseShushani wajabula, wathokoza.
16AbaJuda base benakho ukukhanya, nokuthokoza, nokujabula, nodumo.
17Ezifundeni zonke nasemizini yonke lapho kufika khona izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo, abaJuda babenokuthokoza nokujabula, nedili, nosuku oluhle. Abezizwe abaningi baphenduka abaJuda, ngokuba babehlelwe yingebhe ngabaJuda.
