Icebo likaHamani ngoJuda
1Emva kwalezo zinto inkosi, u-Ahashiveroshi, yamenza mkhulu uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, yamphakamisa, yamisa isihlalo sakhe phezu kwazo zonke izikhulu ezazinayo. 2Zonke izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi zakhothama, zakhuleka kuHamani, ngokuba inkosi iyale kanjalo ngaye. Kepha uMoridekayi akakhothamanga, kakhulekanga kuye.
3Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi kuMoridekayi: “Weqelani isiyalezo senkosi na?” 4Kwathi zikhuluma kuye imihla ngemihla, engazilaleli, zamtshela uHamani ukuba zibone ukuthi amazwi kaMoridekayi ayakuma yini, ngokuba wayezitshelile ukuthi ungumJuda.
5Lapho uHamani ebona ukuthi uMoridekayi akakhothamanga, kakhulekanga kuye, uHamani wagcwala ulaka. 6Kwakudelelekile emehlweni akhe ukubeka izandla kuMoridekayi yedwa, ngokuba zase zimtshelile abantu bakaMoridekayi; ngalokho uHamani wafuna ukubulala bonke abaJuda ababe sembusweni wonke ka-Ahashiveroshi, isizwe sikaMoridekayi.
7Ngenyanga yokuqala eyinyanga kaNisani ngomnyaka weshumi nambili wenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi benza iPhure eliyinkatho phambi kukaHamani imihla ngemihla izinyanga ngezinyanga, kwaze kwaba ngeyeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari.
8UHamani wathi enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi: “Kukhona isizwe esithile esihlakazekile, sisakazekile phakathi kwabantu bezifunda zonke zombuso wakho; nemithetho yaso yahlukene neyezizwe zonke; futhi asigcini imithetho yenkosi; ngalokho akufanele ukuba inkosi isiyeke. 9Uma kukuhle enkosini, makulotshwe ukuba sichithwe; ngiyakukhokhela amatalenta* ayizinkulungwane eziyishumi esiliva ezandleni zabenza umsebenzi wenkosi, ayiswe esikhwameni senkosi.”
10Inkosi yakhumula indandatho yayo esandleni sayo, yayinika uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi isitha sabaJuda. 11Inkosi yathi kuHamani: “Isiliva liyanikwa wena, nesizwe futhi, ukuba wenze kuso okuhle emehlweni akho.”
12Kwase kubizwa abalobi benkosi ngenyanga yokuqala ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwayo, kwalotshwa njengakho konke uHamani ayala angakho othulasizwe benkosi, nababusi ababephethe izifunda ngezifunda, nezikhulu zezizwe ngezizwe, izifunda ngezifunda njengokubhala kwazo, nezizwe ngezizwe njengolimi lwazo; kwalotshwa egameni lenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, kwanamathiselwa ngendandatho yenkosi. 13Izincwadi zathunywa ngesandla sezigijimi ezifundeni zonke zenkosi ukuba kuchithwe, kubulawe, kubhujiswe abaJuda bonke, abasha nabadala, izingane nabesifazane, ngalusuku lunye, ngolweshumi nantathu lwenyanga yeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari, impahla yabo ibe yimpango. 14Impinda yokulotshiweyo yanikwa ukuba ibe yisimemezelo ezifundeni zonke, kumenyezelwe kubantu bonke ukuba bazilungiselele lolo suku.
15Izigijimi zashesha zahamba ngezwi lenkosi. Umthetho washaywa eShushani endlini yenkosi; inkosi noHamani bahlala phansi, baphuza, kepha umuzi waseShushani wakhungatheka.
