U-Esteri uyinkosikazi
1Emva kwalokho lapho ulaka lwenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi selubohlile, yamkhumbula uVashiti nalokho akwenzileyo, nalokho okumenyezelwe ngaye. 2Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezaziyikhonza: “Inkosi mayifunelwe izintombi ezibukekayo, 3inkosi imise ababonisi ezifundeni zonke zombuso wakho ukuba babuthele ndawonye zonke izintombi ezibukekayo eShushani endlini yenkosi endlini yabesifazane phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi induna yenkosi, umgcini wabesifazane, zinikwe izinto zazo zokuqhola. 4Intombi enhle emehlweni enkosi mayibe yinkosikazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.” Yaba nhle leyo nto emehlweni enkosi, yenze njalo.
5Kwakukhona umuntu womJuda eShushani endlini yenkosi ogama lakhe lalinguMoridekayi kaJayire kaShimeyi kaKishi wakwaBenjamini, 6owayethunjiwe eJerusalema kanye nabathunjwa ababethunjwe noJekoniya, inkosi yakwaJuda, owathunjwa nguNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele. 7Wayelokhu emondla uHadasa ongu-Esteri, indodakazi kayisekazi, ngokuba wayengenayise, engenanina; intombi yayiyinhle, yayibukeka; sebefile uyise nonina, uMoridekayi wayithatha yaba yindodakazi yakhe.
8Kwathi lapho izwi lenkosi nesimemezelo sayo sekuzwakele, nalapho izintombi eziningi zibuthene eShushani endlini yenkosi phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, u-Esteri wangeniswa endlini yenkosi phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, umgcini wabesifazane. 9Intombi yayiyinhle emehlweni akhe, yafumana umusa kuye; washesha wayinika izinto zokuqhola, nezabelo zayo, nezintombi eziyisikhombisa ezazikhethelwe yona zivela endlini yenkosi, wayiyisa yona nezintombi zayo endaweni enhle yendlu yabesifazane.
10Kepha u-Esteri wayengakhulumanga ngabantu bakubo nangezihlobo zakhe, ngokuba uMoridekayi wayeyiyalile ukuba ingakusho. 11UMoridekayi wayehamba zonke izinsuku phambi kwegceke lendlu yabesifazane ukuba azi impilo ka-Esteri nokuthi kwenziwe njani kuye.
12Lapho kufika isikhathi sezintombi ngezintombi sokuba zingene enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi emva kokuba kwenziwe kuzo njengomthetho wabesifazane izinyanga eziyishumi nambili ngokuba zagcwaliswa kanjalo izinsuku zokuqholwa kwazo, izinyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure* nezinyanga eziyisithupha ngamakha nangezinto zokuqhola abesifazane 13intombi yangena ngaleyo ndlela enkosini, nakho konke eyakushoyo yakunikwa ukuba iphume nakho endlini yabesifazane, iye endlini yenkosi. 14Yangena khona kusihlwa; ekuseni yabuyela endlini yesibili yabesifazane phansi kwesandla sikaShahashigazi, induna yenkosi, umgcini wezancinza, ingaphindi ingene enkosini, uma inkosi ingathokozanga ngayo, ibizwe ngegama.
15Lapho sesifikile isikhathi sika-Esteri, indodakazi ka-Abihayili, uyisekazi kaMoridekayi omthathe ukuba abe yindodakazi yakhe sokuba angene enkosini, akafunanga lutho, kuphela lokho akushoyo uHegayi induna yenkosi, umgcini wabesifazane. U-Esteri wafumana umusa emehlweni abo bonke abambonayo. 16U-Esteri wayeseyiswa enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi endlini yakhe yobukhosi ngenyanga yeshumi, eyinyanga kaThebeti, ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo.
17Inkosi yamthanda u-Esteri phezu kwabo bonke abesifazane, wafumana umusa nesihe emehlweni ayo kunazo zonke izintombi, wamfaka umqhele wobukhosi, wamenza inkosikazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti. 18Inkosi yayisizenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili elikhulu, idili lika-Esteri, wanika izifunda ukuphumula, waphana ngezipho njengokupha kwenkosi.
19Lapho izintombi sezibuthwa ngokwesibili, uMoridekayi wahlala esangweni lenkosi. 20U-Esteri wayengakalandi lutho ngezihlobo zakhe nangabantu bakhe, njengalokho uMoridekayi amyala ngakho, ngokuba u-Esteri wenza okushiwo nguMoridekayi njengalapho esondliwa nguye.
21Ngalezo zinsuku uMoridekayi esahlezi esangweni lenkosi, izinduna ezimbili zenkosi oBigithani noThereshi kubalindisango zazithukuthele, zafuna ukubeka izandla enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi. 22Leyo ndaba yaziwa nguMoridekayi, wayitshela u-Esteri inkosikazi; u-Esteri wayisho enkosini egameni likaMoridekayi. 23Lapho indaba iphenywa, kufunyanwa ukuthi injalo, zaphanyekwa zombili emthini; kwalotshwa encwadini yezindaba zemihla ngemihla phambi kwenkosi.
