U-ESTA 5

₁Kwathi elangeni lesithathu u-Esta wembatha zobukhosi wayokujama esirhodlweni esingaphakathi sesigodlo, malungana nelawu lesihlalo sekosi. Ikosi gade ingesigodlweni ihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi ngelawinelo ilungene nomnyango. ₂Kuthe lokha ikosi nayibona indlovukazi u-Esta ijame ngesirhodlweni, yakareka ngaye. Yeke yelulela ngaku-Esta intongayo yegolide egade iyiphethe. Nje-ke u-Esta watjhidela wafese wathinta ihloko yentonga leyo. ₃Ikosi yathi kuye: “Ndlovukazi Esta, ulila ngani? Siyini isibawo sakho? Ngitjho nanyana kungaba siquntu sombuso, uzakunikelwa sona.”

₄U-Esta waphendula wathi: “Nangabe kuyamukeleka ekosini, ngibawa ikosi noHamani bonyana beze namhlanje emnyanyeni engiwulungiselele ikosi.”

₅Nje-ke ikosi yathi: “Akubizwe uHamani khona nje ukuze senze njengombana u-Esta afisa.”

Mbala ikosi noHamani beza emnyanyeni egade ulungiswe ngu-Esta. ₆Kwathi basasela iwayini njalo, ikosi yathi ku-Esta: “Siyini isililo sakho? Uzakwenzelwa sona. Yitjho isibawo sakho! Ngitjho nanyana kungaba siquntu sombuswami, uzakuphiwa sona.”

₇U-Esta waphendula wathi: “Isililo nesibawo sami ngilesi: ₈Nakube ngizuze umusa emehlweni wekosi begodu kuthandeka ekosini bonyana ingenzele engikulilelako beyizalise isibawo sami, khona-ke akuthi kusasa ikosi ize godu noHamani emnyanyeni engizabe ngibalungiselele wona. Nje-ke kusasokho ngizakwenza njengombana ikosi ithe angenze.”

₉Mhlokho uHamani waphuma asasile nehliziywakhe yenamile. Kodwana lokha nakabona uMoridekayi ebandla lesigodlweni, angakasikimi namkha athuthumele phambi kwakhe, wanyenya wagcwala ilaka ngaye. ₁₀Nanyana kunjalo wazibamba wakhamba waya ekhaya. Wathumela bonyana kuyokubizwa abangani bakhe kanye nomkakhe uZeretjhi. ₁₁Nje-ke uHamani wabalandisa ngokuzikhakhazisa ngomnothokazakhe, ngesibalo samadodanakhe nangakho koke ikosi emhloniphe ngakho ngokumphakamisa ngaphezu kweenkhulu neenduna zayo zoke. ₁₂Nje-ke wabe wangezelela wathi: “Ngitjho nendlovukazi u-Esta ayikavumeli bonyana emnyanyeni ewulungisileko, ikosi ize nomunye umuntu ngaphandle kwami mina Hamani! Godu nakusasa umeme mina lo bona ngize nekosi kuye. ₁₃Nokho, koke lokho akungiphathi kuhle, ije nangisabona iJudanyana elinguMoridekayela liququbele ebandla lesigodlweni.”

₁₄Nje-ke uZeretjhi umkakhe kanye nabangani bakaHamani boke bathi kuye: “Akwenziwe isigodo esimamitha amatjhumi amabili nantathu ukuphakama bese kuthi kusasa utjele ikosi bonyana uMoridekayi loyo ahlonyelwe kiso. Kuzakuthi emva kwalokho uzikhambele nekosi unamile uziyele emnyanyeni.”

Iselulekweso saba sihle kuHamani, yeke wajamisa isigodweso.