UESTERI 9

₁Ngenyanga yeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwayo, lapho kusondela izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo ukuba kwenziwe, ngosuku izitha zabaJuda ezazethembile ngalo ukubusa phezu kwabo — nokho kwaguqulwa ukuze abaJuda babuse phezu kwababazondayo —

₂abaJuda babuthana emizini yabo ezifundeni zonke zenkosi uAhashiveroshi ukuba babeke izandla kulabo ababefuna ukubalimaza; akubangakho ongamelana nabo, ngokuba abantu bonke babehlelwe yingebhe ngabo.

₃Zonke izikhulu zezifunda, nawothulasizwe, nababusi, nabenza umsebenzi wenkosi, babasiza abaJuda, ngokuba babehlelwe yingebhe ngoMoridekayi.

₄Ngokuba uMoridekayi wayemkhulu endlini yenkosi, nodumo lwakhe lwahamba ezifundeni zonke, ngokuba lowomuntu uMoridekayi wayelokhu ekhula njalo.

₅AbaJuda baceka zonke izitha zabo ngokuceka kwenkemba, nangokubulala, nangokuchitha, benza kwababazondayo njengokuthanda kwabo.

₆EShushani endlini yenkosi abaJuda babulala, bachitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu.

₇Babulala noParishanidatha, noDalifoni, noAsiphatha,

₈noPhoratha, noAdaliya, noAridatha,

₉noPharimashita, noArisayi, noAridayi, noVayizatha,

₁₀amadodana ayishumi kaHamani indodana kaHamedatha, isitha sabaJuda, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni.

₁₁Ngalolosuku inani lababuleweyo eShushani endlini yenkosi lalethwa phambi kwenkosi.

₁₂Inkosi yayisithi kuEsteri inkosikazi: AbaJuda babulele bachitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu eShushani endlini yenkosi namadodana ayishumi kaHamani; pho, benzeni kwezinye izifunda zenkosi? Isicelo sakho siyini? Uyakusenzelwa. Yini oyifunayo na? Kuyakwenziwa.

₁₃UEsteri wathi: Uma kukuhle enkosini, abaJuda abaseShushani mabavunyelwe nakusasa ukwenza njengomthetho wanamuhla, aphanyekwe amadodana ayishumi kaHamani emthini.

₁₄Inkosi yasho ukuba kwenziwe kanjalo; umthetho washaywa eShushani; bawaphanyeka amadodana ayishumi kaHamani.

₁₅AbaJuda ababeseShushani babuthana nangosuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari, babulala abantu abangamakhulu amathathu eShushani, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni.

₁₆Abanye abaJuda ababesezifundeni zenkosi babuthana, bamela ukuphila kwabo, baphumula ezitheni zabo, babulala abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu ababazondayo, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni.

₁₇Lokho kwakungosuku lweshumi nantathu lwenyanga ka-Adari; ngosuku lweshumi nane lwayo baphumula, balwenza lwaba-lusuku lwedili nolokuthokoza.

₁₈Kepha abaJuda ababeseShushani babuthana ngolweshumi nantathu lwayo nangolweshumi nane lwayo; ngolweshumi nanhlanu lwayo baphumula, balwenza lwaba-lusuku lwedili nolokuthokoza.

₁₉Ngalokho abaJuda basemaphandleni ababehlezi emizaneni engabiyelwe benza usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari lube-ngolokuthokoza nolwedili nosuku oluhle nolokuthumelana izipho omunye komunye.

₂₀UMoridekayi waziloba lezozindaba, wathuma izincwadi kubo bonke abaJuda ababesezifundeni zonke zenkosi uAhashiveroshi, abaseduze nabakude,

₂₁ukumisa ukuba bagcine usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari nosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwayo iminyaka yonke

₂₂njengezinsuku abaJuda abathola ngazo ukuphumula ezitheni zabo nenyanga eyaguqulwa kubo osizini yaba-ngeyokuthokoza nasekulileni kwaba-lusuku oluhle, bazenze zibe-yizinsuku zedili nezokuthokoza nezokuthumelana izipho omunye komunye, kanye nezipho kwabampofu.

₂₃AbaJuda bakwamukela ukwenza lokho abakuqalileyo, nalokho ayekulobé kubo uMoridekayi,

₂₄ngokuba uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, isitha sabo bonke abaJuda, wayecebile ngabaJuda ukuba abachithe, waphonsa iPhure eliyinkatho ukuba abanqobe, abachithe;

₂₅kepha lapho lokho kwafika phambi kwenkosi, yasho ngencwadi ukuba lelocebo elibi ayelicebé ngabaJuda libuyele ekhanda lakhe, yena namadodana akhe baphanyekwe emthini.

₂₆Ngalokho babiza lezozinsuku ngokuthi iPhurimi ngegama lePhure. Ngalokho ngenxa yawo onke amazwi aleyoncwadi, nangenxa yalokho ababekubonile ngalendaba, nalokho okubehleleyo,

₂₇abaJuda banquma bamukela, bona nenzalo yabo, nabo bonke ababezihlanganisa nabo, ukuthi bayakugcina lezozinsuku zombili njengokubhalwa kwazo nanjengesikhathi sazo esinqunyiweyo iminyaka yonke, bangaphuthi,

₂₈zikhunjulwe lezozinsuku, zigcinwe ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane, emindenini ngemindeni, ezifundeni ngezifunda, emizini ngemizi, lezozinsuku zePhurimi, zingaphuthi phakathi kwabaJuda, nesikhumbuzo sazo singapheli enzalweni yabo.

₂₉UEsteri inkosikazi, indodakazi kaAbihayili, noMoridekayi umJuda base beloba ngamandla onke ukuba baqinise lencwadi yesibili yePhurimi.

₃₀Wathuma izincwadi kubo bonke abaJuda ezifundeni eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa zombuso ka-Ahashiveroshi, zinamazwi okuthula neqiniso,

₃₁ukuba aqinise lezozinsuku zePhurimi ngezikhathi zazo ezinqunyiweyo njengokuzimisa kukaMoridekayi umJuda noEsteri inkosikazi, nanjengalokho bezimisele bona nenzalo yabo ngendaba yokuzila ukudla nokukhala kwabo.

₃₂Izwi likaEsteri laqinisa lezozindaba zePhurimi, kwalotshwa encwadini.