Modekhayi ucela lusito ku-Esta
1Watsi kube Modekhayi eve ngako konkhe loko lokwase kuhloswe kwentiwa nguHamani, wadzabula tingubo takhe, wembatsa emasaka, watitsela ngemlotsa, wahamba adzabula lidolobha ekhatsi, akhala kakhulu nakabuhlungu, 2waze wefika emphundvwini lengenela esigodlweni. Akazange angene ngekhatsi, ngobe phela bekulisiko nemsimeto kutsi umuntfu lowembetse inzilo akangeni esigodlweni. 3Kwesuka sililo lesikhulu semaJuda kuto tonkhe tifundza letatingaphansi kwalowo mbuso, yonkhe indzawo lapho kwafika khona lesimemetelo. EmaJuda azila, akhala, alila kwatsi linyenti lawo lembatsa emasaka latitsela ngemlotsa.
4Esta wakhatsateka kakhulu, nasatjelwa tisebenti kanye netindvuna takhe ngaloko lokwentiwa nguModekhayi. Watfumela timphahla kuModekhayi kutsi atewugcoka, khona atewukhumula lamasaka; kodvwa Modekhayi akazange avume kutemukela, watala. 5Esta wase ubita Hathaki, labengulomunye wetindvuna letatibekwe yinkhosi kutsi tibe takakhe, wamtfumela kuModekhayi kutsi ayewubuta kutsi kwente njani. 6Hathaki waya kuModekhayi enkhundleni yelidolobha leyayisembikwelisango lesigodlo senkhosi. 7Modekhayi wamtjela konkhe lokwase kumehlele, kanye nemali leyayetsenjiswe nguHamani kutsi utayifaka esikhwameni senkhosi, nangabe onkhe emaJuda abulewe. 8Wanika Hathaki ikhophi yalesimemetelo sasebukhosini lesasikhiswe lapha eSusa; sasichaza kutsi onkhe emaJuda kufanele abulawe. Modekhayi wamtjela kutsi ayinike Esta, achaze konkhe kuye, abese Esta uya enkhosini kuyekuyincenga kutsi ifane ibe nebubele kulesive sakubo. 9Hathaki wabuyela emuva, wafike walandzisa Esta konkhe labekutjelwe nguModekhayi. 10Esta waphendvula ngekutfumela kuModekhayi, watsi: 11“Wonkhe umuntfu, indvodza nome umfati, longena ngekhatsi endlunkhulu enkhosini ayibone ingakambiti, umtsetfo utsi lowo muntfu akabulawe. Lomtsetfo watiwa ngibo bonkhe bantfu lababeluleki bayo kanye nebantfu bonkhe emaveni onkhe embuso. Lowo muntfu usindza kuphela, nangabe inkhosi imphakamisela indvuku yayo yebukhosi yegolide. Sekuphela inyanga inkhosi solomane ingakangibiti kutsi ngite kuyo.”
12Watsi kube Modekhayi atjelwe yonkhe inkhulumo ya-Esta, 13waphindze watfumela livi kuye watsi: “Ungacabangi kutsi ngobe wena ulapho esigodlweni utawusindza nakubulawa onkhe emaJuda. 14Nawuthula manje kulesikhatsi, lusito nenkhululeko yemaJuda iyawuchamuka kulenye indzawo, wena nemndeni weyihlo utawubhujiswa. Empeleni, ngubani nje lowatiko kutsi mhlawumbe wena wentelwa sona lesikhatsi kutsi ube yinkhosikati lenkhulu?”
15Esta watfumela kuModekhayi imphendvulo letsi: 16“Hamba uhlanganise onkhe emaJuda laseSusa, nizile ningithandazele. Ningadli kudla, ninganatsi nemanti kuze kube ngemalanga lamatsatfu nebusuku bawo. Nami netincekukati tami sitawuzila njengani. Emvakwaloko ngitawuvele ngitidzikele, ngingene enkhosini, nome loko kuphambene nemtsetfo. Nangabe ngiyafa, ngife kube kanye.”
17Modekhayi wesuka lapho wayawukwenta konkhe loko, njengobe Esta abemtjelile.
