Esta
4 Ngesikhatsi Modekhayi+ eva ngako konkhe lobekwentekile,+ wadzabula tingubo takhe, wagcoka indvwangu yelisaka futsi watitsela ngemlotsa. Wase uya emkhatsini welidolobha, wakhala kakhulu futsi kabuhlungu. 2 Wahamba waze wafika esangweni lenkhosi futsi wema lapho, ngobe kute umuntfu lobekufanele angene kulo agcoke indvwangu yelisaka. 3 Kwesuka sililo lesikhulu kumaJuda kuto tonkhe tifundza+ lapho lomyalo wenkhosi wamenyetelwa khona, azila kudla,+ akhala futsi alila. Linyenti lawo belilele phansi lembetse tindvwangu temasaka futsi lititsele ngemlotsa.+ 4 Ngesikhatsi tinceku* netincekukati ta-Esta tita kutomtjela ngaloku, lenkhosikati yakhatsateka kakhulu. Yabese itfumelela Modekhayi timphahla kute akhumule lendvwangu yelisaka, kodvwa Modekhayi akativumanga. 5 Ngako Esta wabese ubita Hathaki loyinhloko yendlu yalabasikati,* lobekabekwe yinkhosi kutsi abe sisebenti sa-Esta, futsi wamtfuma kutsi ayobuta Modekhayi kutsi kwentekeni nekutsi loku bekusho kutsini.
6 Hathaki waya kuModekhayi esigcawini selidolobha embikweligede lenkhosi. 7 Modekhayi wabese umtjela konkhe lobekwenteke kuye, wamtjela nangemali+ Hamani lebeketsembise kuyifaka emcebeni wenkhosi kute kucotfulwe emaJuda.+ 8 Wamnika nencwadzi lebeyisuka eShushani*+ lebeyinalomtsetfo wekutsi kubulawe onkhe emaJuda. Bekufanele ayikhombise Esta futsi amchazele lesimo amtjele+ nekutsi ahambe aye enkhosini ayocela kutsi imentele umusa futsi ancengele nebantfu besive sakhe.
9 Hathaki wabuyela ku-Esta wafike wamtjela loko Modekhayi labekushito. 10 Esta watjela Hathaki emavi lobekufanele awasho kuModekhayi,+ watsi: 11 “Tonkhe tinceku tenkhosi nebantfu labasetifundzeni tembuso wayo bawati kahle umtsetfo losebentako nangabe umuntfu aya ebaleni lenkhosi lelingekhatsi+ angakabitwa: Loyo muntfu utawubulawa; angaphila kuphela nangabe inkhosi imphakamisela intfonga yayo yeligolide.+ Nyalo sekuphele emalanga langu-30 solo inkhosi ingangibiti.”
12 Ngesikhatsi Modekhayi atjelwa loko lokushiwo ngu-Esta, 13 wamphendvula watsi: “Ungacabangi kutsi njengobe usendlini yenkhosi utawusindza nakubulawa onkhe lamanye emaJuda. 14 Nangabe uthula nyalo, lusito nekukhululwa kwemaJuda kutawuchamuka kulenye indzawo,+ kodvwa wena netihlobo takho nitawubulawa. Kwati bani nje, mhlawumbe lesi ngiso sizatfu lesabangela kutsi ube yinkhosikati.”+
15 Ngako Esta waphendvula Modekhayi watsi: 16 “Hamba uhlanganise ndzawonye onkhe emaJuda laseShushani* futsi ningizilele.+ Ningadli lutfo nobe ninatse kuze kwendlule emalanga lamatsatfu+ nebusuku lobutsatfu. Nami netincekukati tami sitawuzila kudla. Ngitawuya enkhosini, ngisho nobe loku kuyintfo lengekho emtsetfweni, futsi nangabe ngiyafa, angife kube kanye.” 17 Ngako Modekhayi wahamba wenta konkhe loko Esta labemtjele kutsi akwente.