U-Esteri
8 Ngalolo suku iNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yanika iNdlovukazi u-Esteri indlu kaHamani, + isitha samaJuda; + futhi uMoridekayi wangena phambi kwenkosi, ngoba u-Esteri wayeseyitshelile ukuthi uhlobene kanjani naye. + 2 Inkosi yabe isikhipha indandatho yayo enophawu + eyayiyiphuce uHamani yayinika uMoridekayi. U-Esteri wabeka uMoridekayi ukuba engamele indlu kaHamani. +
3 Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Esteri waphinde wakhuluma nenkosi. Wawela phansi ezinyaweni zayo wakhala, wayincenga ukuba ilungise umonakalo owawenziwe uHamani umAgagi necebo lakhe ayelakhele amaJuda. + 4 Inkosi yelulela intonga yayo yegolide ku-Esteri, + u-Esteri wasukuma wama phambi kwenkosi. 5 Wathi: “Uma kukuhle enkosini, uma ngithole umusa wayo futhi kubonakala kufaneleka enkosini nami ngimuhle emehlweni ayo, makubhalwe umyalo ochitha izincwadi zeqili elinguHamani + indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, + azibhala ukuze kubhujiswe amaJuda akuzo zonke izifundazwe* zenkosi. 6 Ngoba ngingakubekezelela kanjani ukubukela inhlekelele ezofikela abantu bakithi, ngingakubekezelela kanjani ukubukela ukubhujiswa kwezihlobo zami?”
7 Ngakho iNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yathi ku-Esteri indlovukazi nakuMoridekayi umJuda: “Lalelani! Indlu kaHamani ngiyinike u-Esteri + futhi ngithe uHamani makalengiswe esigxotsheni + ngenxa yecebo lakhe lokuhlasela amaJuda. 8 Manje seningabhala egameni lenkosi noma yini eniyibona ifaneleka ngokuphathelene namaJuda, nikubeke uphawu ngendandatho yenkosi enophawu, ngoba umyalo obhalwe egameni lenkosi wabekwa uphawu ngendandatho yenkosi awusoze wachithwa.” +
9 Ngakho ngaso leso sikhathi kwabizwa onobhala benkosi ngenyanga yesithathu, okungukuthi, inyanga kaSivani,* ngosuku luka-23, babhala konke uMoridekayi ayekuyale amaJuda nababusi bezifundazwe, + abaphathi nezikhulu zezifundazwe *+ kusukela eNdiya kuze kube seTopiya, izifundazwe* ezingu-127, esifundazweni* ngasinye incwadi ebhalwe ngokwendlela yaso yokubhala, esizweni ngasinye incwadi ebhalwe ngolimi lwaso, nakumaJuda incwadi ebhalwe ngokwendlela yawo yokubhala nangolimi lwawo.
10 Wakubhala egameni leNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, wakuphawula ngendandatho yenkosi enophawu + wayesethumela izincwadi ezibhaliwe ngezithunywa zeposi ezigibela amahhashi; zagibela amahhashi eposi anejubane, afuyelwe inkonzo yasebukhosini. 11 Kulezi zincwadi inkosi yagunyaza amaJuda ayekuwo wonke amadolobha ahlukahlukene ukuba abuthane ndawonye alwele ukuphila* kwawo, abhuqe, abulale futhi abhubhise noma imaphi amabutho anoma ibaphi abantu noma ezifundazwe* angase awahlasele, kuhlanganise abesifazane nezingane nokuba aphange impahla yabo. + 12 Lokhu kwakuzokwenzeka ngosuku olulodwa kuzo zonke izifundazwe* zeNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, ngosuku luka-13 lwenyanga ka-12, okungukuthi, inyanga ka-Adari. *+ 13 Okwakubhalwe* kule ncwadi kwakuzokhishwa kube umthetho kuzo zonke izifundazwe.* Kwakumele kumenyezelwe kuzo zonke izizwe ukuze ngalolo suku amaJuda alungele ukuziphindiselela ezitheni zawo. + 14 Izithunywa zeposi, ezigibela amahhashi eposi asetshenziswa enkonzweni yasebukhosini, zaphuthuma zaphuma ngejubane njengoba inkosi yayiyalile. Lo mthetho wakhishwa nasesigodlweni* iShushani. *+
15 Ngakho uMoridekayi waphuma phambi kwenkosi egqoke ingubo yasebukhosini enombala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka nomhlophe, efake umqhele omkhulu wegolide nengubo yendwangu esezingeni eliphezulu yoboya obuphephuli. + Idolobha laseShushani* lamemeza ngenjabulo. 16 Kwaba khona ukukhululeka* nokujabula nokuthokoza kumaJuda futhi athola udumo. 17 Kuzo zonke izifundazwe* nakuwo wonke amadolobha, nomaphi lapho umyalo wenkosi nomthetho wayo wawufinyelela khona, amaJuda ayejabula, ethokoza, enza amadili nemigubho. Abantu abaningi bezwe babethi bangamaJuda, + ngoba babesaba amaJuda.