Esta
8 Ngalelolanga iNkhosi Ahashiveroshi yaniketa iNkhosikati Esta indlu yaHamani*+ lositsa semaJuda,+ futsi kusukela ngalelolanga Modekhayi waba nemvume yekungena enkhosini, ngobe Esta abeyitjelile kutsi bahlobene njani naModekhayi.+ 2 Ngemuva kwaloko inkhosi yakhipha indandatho yayo yesicinisekiso+ lebeyiyitsetse kuHamani, yabese iyinika Modekhayi. Esta wabeka Modekhayi kutsi engamele indlu yaHamani.*+
3 Ngetulu kwaloko, Esta waphindze wakhuluma nenkhosi. Waguca etinyaweni tayo, wakhala futsi wayincenga kutsi imise lenhlekelele lebeyitawehlela emaJuda, imise nelichinga laHamani um-Agagi lekuwabulala.+ 4 Inkhosi yaphakamisela Esta intfonga yayo yeligolide,+ futsi Esta wasukuma wema embikwenkhosi. 5 Watsi: “Nakukuhle enkhosini futsi nangitfole umusa kuyo, nanangabe kulungile kuyo, futsi nami ngemukeleka emehlweni ayo, akubhalwe umtsetfo lotawucisha tincwadzi taHamani+ indvodzana yaHamedatha um-Agagi,+ latibhala kute acotfule emaJuda lakuto tonkhe tifundza tenkhosi. 6 Ngobe ngingakubeketelela njani kubona inhlekelele letawehlela bantfu bakitsi, futsi ngingakubeketelela njani kubukela tihlobo tami ticotfulwa?”
7 Ngako iNkhosi Ahashiveroshi yakhuluma neNkhosikati Esta naModekhayi umJuda yatsi: “Indlu yaHamani ngiyinike Esta,+ ngakhipha nelivi lekutsi kulengiswe Hamani elugodvweni+ ngenca yalelichinga labekalentile lekubulala emaJuda.* 8 Nyalo ningabhala nobe yini lenibona kutsi itawusita emaJuda, niyibhale egameni lenkhosi futsi niyibeke luphawu lwendandatho yayo yesicinisekiso, ngobe umtsetfo lobhalwa egameni lenkhosi bese ubekwa luphawu lwendandatho yayo yesicinisekiso awushintjwa.”+
9 Ngaleso sikhatsi, ngelilanga lesi-23 enyangeni yesitsatfu, lokuyinyanga yaSivani,* kwabitwa bomabhalane benkhosi futsi babhala konkhe lokwashiwo nguModekhayi, bakubhalela emaJuda, labamelele inkhosi,+ babusi, netindvuna tetifundza+ letingu-127 kusukela eNdiya kuya eTopiya. Nguleso naleso sifundza sabhalelwa ngendlela yaso yekubhala futsi nguleso naleso sive sabhalelwa ngelulwimi lwaso, nemaJuda abhalelwa ngelulwimi lwawo nangendlela yawo yekubhala.
10 Modekhayi wabhala lomtsetfo egameni leNkhosi Ahashiveroshi wase uwubeka luphawu lwendandatho yayo yesicinisekiso,+ futsi letincwadzi tahanjiswa titfunywa letigibela emahhashi lagijimako letiwasebentisa natitfumela tincwadzi, futsi lagcinelwe kwenta umsebenti wasebukhosini. 11 Kuletincwadzi, inkhosi yavumela emaJuda kuwo onkhe emadolobha lehlukahlukene kutsi abutsane ndzawonye kute ativikele futsi abulale, abhubhise aphindze acotfule onkhe emabutfo emasotja lakunobe ngusiphi sive nobe sifundza labengawahlasela, abulale nebafati bawo kanye nebantfwana bawo, futsi kudliwe netintfo tawo.+ 12 Loku bekufanele kwenteke ngelilanga linye kuto tonkhe tifundza teNkhosi Ahashiveroshi, ngelilanga lesi-13 enyangeni yesi-12, lokuyinyanga ya-Adari.*+ 13 Loko lobekubhalwe kuletincwadzi bekufanele kutfunyelwe njengemtsetfo kuto tonkhe tifundza. Bekufanele kufundzelwe bonkhe bantfu, kute emaJuda akulungele kutiphindziselela etitseni tawo ngalelolanga.+ 14 Letitfunywa lebetigibele emahhashi lagijimako letiwasebentisa natitfumela tincwadzi, futsi lagcinelwe kwenta umsebenti wasebukhosini, taphuma ngekushesha njengobe bekushito inkhosi. Lomtsetfo wakhishwa nasesigodlweni* lesiseShushani.*+
15 Modekhayi waphuma enkhosini agcoke ingubo yasebukhosini leyentiwe ngendvwangu leluhlata njengesibhakabhaka nalemhlophe, afake umchele lokhatitelako weligolide futsi agcoke sembatfo lesentiwe ngendwangu ledulile yeboya lobubukhwebeletane.*+ Bantfu labebasedolobheni laseShushani* bamemeta kakhulu bajabulile. 16 EmaJuda akhululeka* futsi ajabula, atfokota aphindze ahlonishwa. 17 Kuto tonkhe tifundza nakuwo onkhe emadolobha lapho wevakala khona lomtsetfo wenkhosi, emaJuda ajabula, atfokota, enta emadzili futsi ahalalisa. Bantfu labanyenti bakuletinye tive bagucukela enkholweni yebuJuda,+ ngobe besebawesaba kakhulu.