AbaJuda bavunyelwa ukuzilwela nokuphindisela
1Ngalolo suku inkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yanika u-Esteri, inkosikazi, indlu kaHamani isitha sabaJuda. UMoridekayi weza phambi kwenkosi, ngokuba u-Esteri wayeselandile ukuthi uyini naye. 2Inkosi yakhumula indandatho yayo ebiyisusile kuHamani, yayinika uMoridekayi. U-Esteri wambeka uMoridekayi phezu kwendlu kaHamani.
3U-Esteri waqhubeka wakhuluma phambi kwenkosi, wawa ngasezinyaweni zayo, wakhala, wayinxusa ukuba ibususe ububi bukaHamani umAgagi necebo lakhe ayelicebe ngabaJuda. 4Inkosi yamelulela u-Esteri intonga yegolide. Wayesesukuma u-Esteri, wema phambi kwenkosi.
5Wathi: “Uma kukuhle enkosini, noma ngifumene umusa phambi kwayo, noma le nto ilungile phambi kwenkosi, uma ngithandeka emehlweni ayo, makulotshwe ukuba zibuyiswe izincwadi zamacebo kaHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi azilobayo ukuba bachithwe abaJuda abasezifundeni zenkosi; 6ngokuba ngingakubuka kanjani okubi okuyakufica isizwe sakithi, noma ngingakubuka kanjani ukuchithwa kwezihlobo zami na?”
7Inkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yathi ku-Esteri, inkosikazi, nakuMoridekayi, umJuda: “Bhekani, nginike u-Esteri indlu kaHamani; yena bamphanyekile emthini, ngokuba wabeka isandla sakhe kubaJuda. 8Kepha lobani nani ngabaJuda njengokuhle emehlweni enu egameni lenkosi, nikunamathelise ngendandatho yenkosi, ngokuba umbhalo obhalwe egameni lenkosi wanamatheliswa ngendandatho yenkosi awunakubuyiswa muntu.”
9Abalobi benkosi babizwa ngaleso sikhathi ngenyanga yesithathu, eyinyanga kaSivani, ngolwamashumi amabili nantathu lwayo; kwalotshwa njengakho konke uMoridekayi ayala ngakho abaJuda, nawothulasizwe, nababusi, nezikhulu zezifunda, kusukela e-Indiya kuze kufike eKushe, izifunda eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa, izifunda ngezifunda njengokubhala kwazo, nezizwe ngezizwe njengolimi lwazo, nabaJuda njengokubhala kwabo nanjengolimi lwabo. 10Waloba egameni lenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, wakunamathelisa ngendandatho yenkosi, wazithuma izincwadi ngesandla sezigijimi zamahhashi, zigibela amahhashi anejubane, amahhashi enkosi akhethekileyo, 11inkosi eyavumela ngakho abaJuda ababesemizini ngemizi ukuba babuthane, bamele ukuphila kwabo, bachithe, babulale, babhubhise onke amabutho abantu nawesifunda abahlaselayo, izingane nabesifazane, impahla yabo ibe yimpango, 12ngosuku oluthile ezifundeni zonke zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, ngolweshumi nantathu lwenyanga yeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari. 13Impinda yokulotshiweyo yanikwa ukuba ibe yisimemezelo ezifundeni zonke, kumenyezelwe kubantu bonke ukuba abaJuda bazilungiselele lolo suku, baziphindisele ezitheni zabo.
14Zase ziphuma izigijimi zigibele amahhashi anejubane, amahhashi enkosi, zisheshiswa ziqhutshwa yizwi lenkosi; umthetho washaywa eShushani endlini yenkosi.
15Wayesephuma uMoridekayi ebusweni benkosi embethe isambatho sobukhosi esiluhlaza nesimhlophe, enomqhele omkhulu wegolide nengubo yelineni elicolekileyo nebubende; umuzi waseShushani wajabula, wathokoza. 16AbaJuda base benakho ukukhanya, nokuthokoza, nokujabula, nodumo. 17Ezifundeni zonke nasemizini yonke lapho kufika khona izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo, abaJuda babe nokuthokoza nokujabula, nedili, nosuku oluhle. Abezizwe abaningi baphenduka abaJuda, ngokuba babehlelwe yingebhe ngabaJuda.
