U-Esteri
4 Lapho uMoridekayi + ezwa ngakho konke okwakwenziwe, + waklebhula izingubo zakhe wagqoka indwangu yesaka wazithela ngomlotha. Ngemva kwalokho wasuka waya phakathi nedolobha, ekhala kakhulu kalusizi. 2 Wahamba waze wafika esangweni lenkosi, ngoba akukho muntu okwakumele angene esangweni lenkosi egqoke indwangu yesaka. 3 Kuzo zonke izifundazwe *+ lapho izwi lenkosi nomyalo wayo kwakufinyelela khona, kwaba khona isililo esikhulu phakathi kwamaJuda, nokuzila ukudla + nokukhala nokuklabalasa. Abaningi babelala ezindwangwini zamasaka nasemlotheni. + 4 Lapho izinceku zika-Esteri nabathenwa bakhe bengena futhi bemtshela, indlovukazi yezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu. Yabe isithumela izingubo kuMoridekayi ukuba azigqoke esikhundleni sendwangu yakhe yesaka, kodwa wazenqaba. 5 U-Esteri wabe esebiza uHathaki, omunye wabathenwa benkosi, lowo inkosi eyayimmise njengesikhonzi sakhe, wamyala ukuba athole kuMoridekayi ukuthi lokhu kwakusho ukuthini nokuthi kwakwenzekani.
6 Ngakho uHathaki waphuma waya kuMoridekayi esigcawini sedolobha esasingaphambi kwesango lenkosi. 7 UMoridekayi wamtshela ngazo zonke izinto ezazimehlele nangayo yonke imali + uHamani ayethembise ukuthi uzoyikhokha ifakwe emcebweni wenkosi ukuze amaJuda abhujiswe. + 8 Wamnika nekhophi yomyalo wokuba babulawe owawukhishwe eShushani. *+ Kwakumele ayitshengise u-Esteri futhi amchazele ngayo, amyale + ukuba angene enkosini acelele abantu bakubo umusa wayo futhi abanxusele ngokuqondile kuyo.
9 UHathaki wabuya, watshela u-Esteri okwakushiwo uMoridekayi. 10 U-Esteri waphendula uHathaki wamtshela lokho uMoridekayi + okwakufanele akwenze: 11 “Zonke izinceku zenkosi nabantu bezifundazwe* zenkosi bayazi ukuthi uma noma iyiphi indoda noma owesifazane engena egcekeni lenkosi elingaphakathi + engabizwanga, munye nje kuphela umthetho osebenzayo: Kumele abulawe. Angaphila kuphela uma inkosi yelulela kuye intonga yegolide. + Manje sekuphele izinsuku ezingu-30 inkosi ingangibizile.”
12 Lapho uMoridekayi etshelwa lokho u-Esteri ayekushilo, 13 waphendula u-Esteri wathi: “Ungacabangi ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi usendlini yenkosi, usethubeni elingcono lokusinda kunamanye amaJuda. 14 Ngoba uma uthula manje, ukusindiswa nokukhululwa kwamaJuda kuyovela kwenye indawo, + kodwa wena nendlu kayihlo niyoshabalala. Kwazi bani? Mhlawumbe uthole isikhundla sasebukhosini ngenxa yesikhathi esinjengalesi.” +
15 U-Esteri waphendula uMoridekayi wathi: 16 “Hamba uqoqe wonke amaJuda aseShushani* bese nizila ukudla + ngenxa yami. Ningadli futhi ningaphuzi izinsuku ezintathu, + ubusuku nemini. Nami nezinceku zami sizozila ukudla. Ngizongena enkosini, okuyinto ephambene nomthetho, futhi uma kumele ngife, ngizokufa.” 17 Ngakho uMoridekayi wahamba wayokwenza konke u-Esteri ayemyale ngakho.