AbaJuda Bacoboshisa Izitha Zabo
1Ngenyanga ye-12 engu-Adari, ngosuku lwe-13, isimemezelo esasibhalwe yinkosi safinyelela kuzo zonke izindawo. 2Ngalolo lusuku izitha zabaJuda zachithwa; akubangakhona noyedwa ongamelana nabo ngoba zazibesaba kakhulu. 3Zonke izikhulu zezifunda, nawothulasizwe, nababusi, nabasebenza umsebenzi wenkosi, babahlonipha abaJuda, ngokuba babehlelwe yingebhe ngoMoridekhayi. 4Isimemezelo senkosi sakumisa ukuba igama likaMoridekhayi lihlonishwe kuwo wonke umbuso. 5AbaJuda baceka zonke izitha zabo ngokuceka kwenkemba, nangokubabulala, nangokuchitha, benza kwababazondayo njengokuthanda kwabo. 6Emzini waseShushani abaJuda babulala, bachitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu, 7babulala uFarishanistayisi, uDelfosi, uFasiga, 8uFaridatha, uBhariya, uSaribhakha 9uMarimasima, u-Arufayisu, u-Arisayosi, uZabothayithasi, 10namadodana ayishumi kaHamani, indodana kaHamedatha kaBhugayiyu, isitha sabaJuda, base bezithathela impango. 11Ngalolo lusuku inani lababuleweyo eShushani endlini yenkosi lalethwa phambi kwenkosi.
12Inkosi yayisithi ku-Esteri indlovukazi: “AbaJuda babulele bachitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu eShushani endlini yenkosi. Ucabanga ukuthi benzeni kwezinye izifunda zenkosi na? Nanoma yini oyicelayo, uyakuyenzelwa.”
13U-Esteri wathi enkosini: “Mabavunyelwe abaJuda ukwenza kusasa njengokuba benzile namuhla. Futhi nokuba baphanyeke izidumbu zamadodana kaHamani emthini.”
14Inkosi yavuma ukuba kwenziwe lokhu, yanikela kubaJuda ababesemzini, ngezidumbu zamadodana kaHamani ukuba ziphanyekwe emthini. 15AbaJuda ababeseShushani babuthana nangosuku lweshumi nane, babulala abantu abangamakhulu amathathu, kepha abathathanga mpango. 16Abanye abaJuda ababesezifundeni zenkosi, babuthana bavikela ukuphila kwabo, base baphumula ezitheni zabo. Babulala abantu abayizi-10 005, kepha abathathanga mpango.
17Ngosuku lwe-14 lwenyanga baphumula, balwenza lolo lusuku olokuphumula, belugubha ngenjabulo nangokuthokoza. 18AbaJuda ababeseShushani inhloko yombuso bahlangana ndawonye kodwa kabaphumulanga ngolwe-14. Ngolwe-15, bagubha umkhosi ngenjabulo nangentokozo. 19Ngalokho abaJuda basemaphandleni ababehlezi emizaneni engabiyelwe benza usuku lwe-14 lwenyanga u-Adari lube ngolokuthokoza, bathumelana izipho zokudla omunye nomunye, kwathi labo abahlala emizini emikhulu bagcina usuku lwe-15 lwenyanga u-Adari lwaba ngolokuthokoza bethumelana izipho omunye komunye. UMkhosi wePhurimi.
20UMoridekhayi waziloba lezo zindaba, wathuma izincwadi kubo bonke abaJuda ababesembusweni wenkosi u-Arithahishashithi abaseduze nabakude, 21ebazisa ukuba bagcine usuku lwe-14 lwenyanga u-Adari kanye nosuku lwe-15 lwayo, 22ngokuba ngalezi zinsuku abaJuda base bekutholile ukuphumula ezitheni zabo. Yonke inyanga ka-Adari olwaguqulwa ngayo usizi lwabo lwaba yinjabulo nesikhathi sokukhathazeka saba ngesokuphumula. Lesi kuyakuba yisikhathi sokugubha umkhosi ngamadili nenjabulo, isikhathi sokuthumelelana izipho zokudla kubangani nakwabampofu.
23AbaJuda bakwemukela lokho ayebabhalele khona uMoridekhayi 24ngokuba uHamani indodana kaHamedatha, waseMakhedoniya, walwa nabo, nokuthi wasenza kanjani isimemezelo ngokwenza unkatho lokuba babulawe, 25nokuthi wangena kanjani enkosini, eyitshela ukuba imphanyeke emthini uMoridekhayi, kodwa icebo lakhe lonya ayelwenzile ngabaJuda lamphendukela, kwathi yena namadodana akhe baphanyekwa emthini. 26Ngalokho babiza lezi zinsuku ngokuthi iPhurimi, ngenxa yonkatho, ngokuba ngolimi lwabo yilona gama elisho unkatho, ngakho-ke ngenxa yawo wonke amazwi ayebhalwe encwadini nangenxa yalokho ababekubonile ngale ndaba nalokho okubehleleyo, uMoridekhayi wamisa lo mkhosi.
27AbaJuda banquma ukuba bona nenzalo yabo, nabo bonke ababezozihlanganisa nabo, ukuthi bayakugcina lolu suku ngokwethembeka. Lezo zinsuku zePhurimi zifanele zibe yisikhumbuzo futhi zigcinwe, ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane, emizini ngemizi, emindenini nasemazweni ngamazwe. 28Lezi zinsuku zePhurimi ziyogcinwa sonke isikhathi, futhi ukugujwa kwazo kuyoba yinto engasayikuphela phakathi kwabo nenzalo yabo. 29U-Esteri indlovukazi, indodakazi ka-Aminadaba kanye noMoridekhayi umJuda babhala phansi konke abakwenzileyo, yanikeza igunya eliphelele encwadini eyayikhuluma ngePhurimi. 31UMoridekhayi kanye no-Esteri benza isinqumo ngokwabo, befunga impilo yabo ngaleli cebo. 32U-Esteri wakuqinisa lokhu ngesimemezelo, futhi kwalotshwa ukuze kube yisikhumbuzo saphakade.
