Icebo LikaHamani Lokubulala Bonke AbaJuda
1Emveni kwalezo zinto, inkosi u-Ahasheveroshi yaqokela esikhundleni esiphezulu uHamani, indodana kaHamedatha, umAgagi, yamenza umengameli wazo zonke izikhulu ezikanye naye. 2Zonke izikhulu zenkosi ezazisesangweni layo zaziguqa, zikhothamele uHamani njengokusho kwenkosi. UMoridekhayi nokho akazange amguqele noma amkhothamele uHamani. 3Izikhulu zenkosi ezazisesangweni zambuza uMoridekhayi, zathi: “Kungani weqa umyalo wenkosi na?”
4Nanxa zazikhuluma naye nsuku zonke zimbuza, uMoridekhayi akazange azilalele. Zase zihamba zayotshela uHamani ukuze zizwe ukuthi uMoridekhayi uzoma yini emazwini akhe okuthi ungumJuda.
5UHamani ebona ukuthi uMoridekhayi akamguqeli, futhi akamkhothameli, wacasuka kakhulu. 6Wakubona kungenele ukuthi enzakalise uMoridekhayi kuphela, ngoba wayesezwile ukuthi ungumJuda, wenza icebo lokubulala bonke abaJuda, abantu bakubo kaMoridekhayi ababehlala embusweni ka-Ahasheveroshi. 7Ngenyanga yokuqala, inyanga uNisani, ngonyaka we-12 wokubusa kuka-Ahasheveroshi, benza iPhure (unkatho) phambi kukaHamani, imihla ngemihla, nyanga zonke, ukuze abone ukuthi isu lakhe liyolunga, liphumelele ngayiphi inyanga nangaluphi usuku. Waqoka ukuba lokho kwenziwe ngenyanga ye-12, inyanga u-Adari.
8UHamani wayesethi enkosini u-Ahasheveroshi: “Kukhona isizwe esithile esihlakazakele kuzo zonke izifundazwe zombuso wakho, sinemithetho eyehlukile kweyezizwe zonke. Siyishaya indiva imithetho yombuso wakho. Akulungile ukuba inkosi isiyeke siqhubeke. 9Uma kukuhle enkosini, makulotshwe ukuba sibhujiswe, mina ngizokhokha amathalenta ayizi-10 000 esiliva kulabo abenza umsebenzi wenkosi, ukuze afakwe engcebeni yenkosi.”
10Inkosi yase ikhipha indandatho yokusicilela emunweni wayo, yayinika uHamani, indodana kaHamedatha, umAgagi, isitha sabaJuda. 11Yathi kuHamani: “Isiliva ngelakho nabantu, yenza ngakho njengoba ubona kufanele.”
12Kuthe ngosuku lwe-13 ngenyanga yokuqala, kwabizwa bonke onobhala benkosi. UHamani wabayala ukuba babhale konke ayebatshela khona, bakuhumushele kuzo zonke izilimi, ezincwadini eziya kuzo zonke izifundazwe, bese bekuthumelela iziphathimandla zenkosi, nababusi, nabaholi babantu, nakuzo zonke izifundazwe; kwabhalwa egameni lenkosi u-Ahasheveroshi, kwasicilelwa ngendandatho yayo. 13Lezo zincwadi zanikwa izigijimi, zathunyelwa kuzo zonke izifundazwe zenkosi. Umyalelo wawuthi kumele kubulawe bonke abaJuda, abancane nabadala, nezinsana nabesifazane, ngalusuku lunye okwakungolwe-13, ngenyanga ye-12, inyanga u-Adari, nempahla yabo ibe yimpango. 14Kwakukhona nomyalo othi kumele kwenziwe nezinye izincwadi zaleso sinqumo, zisiwe kuzo zonke izifundazwe kube ngumthetho, ukuze bonke abantu bazi ngawo, bame ngomumo ngalolo lusuku. 15Izigijimi zashesha njengoba zaziyalwe yinkosi; kwashaywa umthetho enhlokomuzi iShushani. Inkosi noHamani bahlala phansi baphuza, kodwa kwaba nokudideka okukhulu emzini iShushani.
