U-Esteri
3 Ngemva kwalokhu iNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yamnikeza isikhundla uHamani, + indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, + yamphakamisa ngokubeka isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye izikhulu ezazikanye naye. + 2 Zonke izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi zazikhothamela uHamani ziguqe phambi kwakhe, ngoba yilokho inkosi eyayikuyalile ngokuqondene naye. Kodwa uMoridekayi wenqaba ukukhothama noma ukuguqa. 3 Ngakho izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi zathi kuMoridekayi: “Kungani uwushaya indiva umyalo wenkosi?” 4 Zazimbuza usuku nosuku, kodwa akazilalelanga. Zabe sezitshela uHamani ukuze zibone ukuthi okwakwenziwa uMoridekayi kwakuyobekezelelwa yini; + ngoba wayezitshelile ukuthi yena ungumJuda. +
5 Lapho uHamani ebona ukuthi uMoridekayi wayenqaba ukumkhothamela nokuguqa phambi kwakhe, wathukuthela kakhulu. + 6 Kodwa wayengafuni ukubulala* uMoridekayi yedwa ngoba wayetsheliwe ngabantu bakubo kaMoridekayi. Ngakho uHamani wafuna ukuwabhuqa aphele nya wonke amaJuda ayekuwo wonke umbuso ka-Ahashiveroshi, bonke abantu bakubo kaMoridekayi.
7 Ngenyanga yokuqala, okungukuthi, inyanga kaNisani,* ngonyaka ka-12 + weNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, benza iPhure, + (okungukuthi, iNkatho) phambi kukaHamani ukuze bathole usuku nenyanga, inkatho yadla inyanga ka-12, okungukuthi, inyanga ka-Adari. *+ 8 UHamani wabe esethi eNkosini u-Ahashiveroshi: “Kunesizwe esithile esihlakazekile nesisakazeke phakathi kwezizwe + kuzo zonke izifundazwe* zombuso wakho, + imithetho yaso ihlukile kweyezinye izizwe; asiyilaleli imithetho yenkosi, futhi ngeke kuyizuzise inkosi ukusiyeka. 9 Uma kukuhle enkosini, makubhalwe umyalo wokuba sibhujiswe. Ngizokhokhela izikhulu amathalenta* esiliva angu-10 000 ukuze ziwafake emcebweni wenkosi.”*
10 Kulokho, inkosi yakhipha indandatho enophawu + esandleni sayo yayinika uHamani + indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, + owayeyisitha samaJuda. 11 Inkosi yathi kuHamani: “Unikwa isiliva nabantu ukuze wenze kubo lokho okubona kufaneleka.” 12 Kwabe sekubizwa onobhala benkosi + ngenyanga yokuqala ngosuku luka-13. Bakubhala + konke uHamani ayekuyale ababusi bezifundazwe benkosi nezinduna zezifundazwe* nezikhulu zezizwe ezihlukahlukene, esifundazweni* ngasinye incwadi ebhalwe ngokwendlela yaso yokubhala, esizweni ngasinye incwadi ebhalwe ngolimi lwaso. Kwabhalwa egameni leNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi futhi kwaphawulwa ngendandatho yenkosi enophawu. +
13 Kwathunyelwa izincwadi ngezithunywa kuzo zonke izifundazwe* zenkosi, ezaziyala ukuba kuqothulwe, kubulawe futhi kubhujiswe wonke amaJuda, omncane nomdala, izingane nabesifazane, ngosuku olulodwa, ngosuku luka-13 lwenyanga ka-12, okungukuthi, inyanga ka-Adari, + nokuba kuphangwe izinto abanazo. + 14 Kwakumele kukhishwe ikhophi yombhalo ibe umthetho kuzo zonke izifundazwe, umenyezelwe kuzo zonke izizwe, ukuze zilungele lolo suku. 15 Izithunywa zaphuma ngokushesha + ngokomyalo wenkosi; umthetho ngokwawo wakhishwa esigodlweni* iShushani. *+ Inkosi noHamani bahlala phansi ukuze baphuze, kodwa idolobha laseShushani* lalinesiphithiphithi.