U-Esteri 5

₁Kwathi ngosuku lwesithathu u-Esteri wembatha ingubo yobukhosi, wema egcekeni elingaphakathi lendlu yenkosi malungana nendlu yenkosi; inkosi yayihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi endlini yobukhosi malungana nomnyango wendlu. ₂Kwathi lapho inkosi ibona u-Esteri inkosikazi emi egcekeni, wafumana umusa emehlweni ayo; inkosi yamelulela u-Esteri intonga yegolide esesandleni sayo. Wayesesondela u-Esteri, wasithinta isihloko sentonga.

₃Yayisithi inkosi kuye: “Ukhala ngani, nkosikazi Esteri, na? Yini oyifunayo na? Uyakunikwa kuze kube nenxenye yombuso.”

₄Wathi u-Esteri: “Uma kukuhle enkosini, inkosi noHamani mabeze namuhla edilini engiyilungisele lona.”

₅Yathi inkosi: “Msheshiseni uHamani ukuba kwenziwe njengezwi lika-Esteri.” Base beya inkosi noHamani edilini alilungisileyo u-Esteri. ₆Inkosi yathi ku-Esteri ngasedilini lewayini: “Isicelo sakho siyini na? Uyakusenzelwa. Yini oyifunayo na? Kuyakwenziwa kuze kube nenxenye yombuso.”

₇Wayesephendula u-Esteri, ethi: “Isicelo sami nengikufunayo nakhu: ₈Uma ngifumene umusa emehlweni enkosi noma kukuhle enkosini ukunginika lokho engikucelayo nokwenza lokho engikufunayo, makuze inkosi noHamani edilini engiyakubalungisela lona; ngiyakwenza kusasa njengezwi lenkosi.”

₉UHamani waphuma khona ngalolo suku, ethokoza enenhliziyo enhle; kepha lapho uHamani embona uMoridekayi esangweni lenkosi ukuthi akasukumanga, kanyakazanga ngaye, uHamani wagcwala ulaka ngoMoridekayi. ₁₀Kepha uHamani wazibamba, waya ekhaya; wayesethuma, walanda abangane bakhe noZereshi umkakhe. ₁₁UHamani wabalandisa udumo lwengcebo yakhe, nobuningi babantwana bakhe, nakho konke inkosi emkhulisile kukho, nalokho emphakamisile kukho phezu kwezikhulu nezinceku zenkosi. ₁₂UHamani wathi futhi: “U-Esteri, inkosikazi, akangenisanga muntu kanye nenkosi edilini alilungisileyo ngaphandle kwami; nakusasa mina ngimenyiwe nguye kanye nenkosi. ₁₃Kepha konke lokho akunganelisi ngalutho kuso sonke isikhathi engilokhu ngibona ngaso uMoridekayi, umJuda, ehlezi esangweni lenkosi.”

₁₄Wayesethi uZereshi umkakhe nabo bonke abangane bakhe kuye: “Yenza umuthi, ukuphakama kwawo kube yizingalo ezingamashumi ayisihlanu, ukhulume ekuseni enkosini ukuba uMoridekayi aphanyekwe kuwo, besewungena ngokuthokoza kanye nenkosi edilini.” Laba lihle lelo zwi kuHamani, wenza umuthi.