Ukuphakanyiswa kukaMoridekayi
1Ngalobo busuku ubuthongo babaleka enkosini, yayala ukuba kulethwe incwadi yezikhumbuzo zezindaba zemihla ngemihla, zafundwa phambi kwenkosi. 2Kwafumaniseka kulotshiwe ukuthi uMoridekayi wayelandile ngoBigithani noThereshi izinduna ezimbili zenkosi, abalindisango, ukuthi babefunile ukubeka isandla enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi.
3Inkosi yathi: “Ludumo luni nobukhulu buni okwenzelwe uMoridekayi ngalokho na?”
Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezaziyikhonza: “Akenzelwanga lutho.”
4Yayisithi inkosi: “Ngubani osegcekeni na?” UHamani wayesand'ukungena nje egcekeni elingaphandle lendlu yenkosi ukuba akhulume enkosini ngokuphanyekwa kukaMoridekayi emthini abemlungisele wona.
5Zathi-ke izinceku zenkosi kuyo: “Bheka, uHamani umi egcekeni.”
Yathi inkosi: “Makangene.”
6Yayisithi inkosi kuye: “Umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa wenzelwani na?”
UHamani wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Ngubani inkosi ebiyakuthanda ukumenzela udumo ngaphandle kwami na?” 7Wayesethi enkosini: “Umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumenzela udumo 8makalethelwe isambatho sobukhosi ekade isembethe inkosi, kanye nehhashi inkosi ekade ikhwela kulo nelifakwe enhloko yalo umqhele wobukhosi; 9isambatho nehhashi makunikezwe esandleni sesinye sezikhulu ezidumileyo ukuba zimembathise lowo muntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa, zimkhwelise ehhashini esigcawini somuzi, zimemeze phambi kwakhe ngokuthi: ‘Uyakwenzelwa kanjalo umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa.’ ”
10Yayisithi inkosi kuHamani: “Shesha, uthathe isambatho nehhashi njengokusho kwakho, wenze njalo kuMoridekayi, umJuda, ohlezi esangweni lenkosi. Makungaphuthi lutho lwakho konke okukhulumileyo.”
11UHamani wathatha-ke isambatho nehhashi, wamembathisa uMoridekayi, wamkhwelisa esigcawini somuzi, wamemeza phambi kwakhe ngokuthi: “Uyakwenzelwa kanjalo umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa.”
12UMoridekayi wabuyela esangweni, kepha uHamani waphuthuma ekhaya ekhala, embozile ikhanda. 13UHamani walandisa uZereshi umkakhe nabo bonke abangane bakhe konke okumehleleyo. Zase zithi kuye izihlakaniphi zakhe noZereshi umkakhe: “Uma uMoridekayi oqale ukuwa phambi kwakhe engowenzalo yabaJuda, awuyikumahlula, kepha uyakuwa nokuwa phambi kwakhe.” 14Besakhuluma naye, zafika izinduna zenkosi, zashesha ukumyisa uHamani edilini u-Esteri alilungisileyo.
