U-Esteri 9

₁Ngenyanga yeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwayo, lapho kusondela izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo ukuba kwenziwe, ngosuku izitha zabaJuda ezazethembile ngalo ukubusa phezu kwabo nokho kwaguqulwa ukuze abaJuda babuse phezu kwababazondayo. ₂AbaJuda babuthana emizini yabo ezifundeni zonke zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi ukuba babeke izandla kulabo ababefuna ukubalimaza; akubangakho ongamelana nabo, ngokuba abantu bonke babehlelwe yingebhe ngabo. ₃Zonke izikhulu zezifunda, nawothulasizwe, nababusi, nabenza umsebenzi wenkosi, babasiza abaJuda, ngokuba babehlelwe yingebhe ngoMoridekayi. ₄Ngokuba uMoridekayi wayemkhulu endlini yenkosi, nodumo lwakhe lwahamba ezifundeni zonke, ngokuba lowo muntu uMoridekayi wayelokhu ekhula njalo.

₅AbaJuda baceka zonke izitha zabo ngokuceka kwenkemba, nangokubulala, nangokuchitha, benza kwababazondayo njengokuthanda kwabo. ₆EShushani endlini yenkosi abaJuda babulala, bachitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu. ₇Babulala noParishanidatha, noDalifoni, no-Asiphatha, ₈noPhoratha, no-Adaliya, no-Aridatha, ₉noPharimashita, no-Arisayi, no-Aridayi, noVayizatha, ₁₀amadodana ayishumi kaHamani indodana kaHamedatha, isitha sabaJuda, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni.

₁₁Ngalolo suku inani lababuleweyo eShushani endlini yenkosi lalethwa phambi kwenkosi. ₁₂Inkosi yayisithi ku-Esteri inkosikazi: “AbaJuda babulele bachitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu eShushani endlini yenkosi namadodana ayishumi kaHamani; pho, benzeni kwezinye izifunda zenkosi? Isicelo sakho siyini? Uyakusenzelwa. Yini oyifunayo na? Kuyakwenziwa.”

₁₃U-Esteri wathi: “Uma kukuhle enkosini, abaJuda abaseShushani mabavunyelwe nakusasa ukwenza njengomthetho wanamuhla, aphanyekwe amadodana ayishumi kaHamani emthini.”

₁₄Inkosi yasho ukuba kwenziwe kanjalo; umthetho washaywa eShushani; bawaphanyeka amadodana ayishumi kaHamani. ₁₅AbaJuda ababe seShushani babuthana nangosuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari, babulala abantu abangamakhulu amathathu eShushani, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni.

₁₆Abanye abaJuda ababe sezifundeni zenkosi babuthana, bamela ukuphila kwabo, baphumula ezitheni zabo, babulala abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu ababazondayo, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni. ₁₇Lokho kwakungosuku lweshumi nantathu lwenyanga ka-Adari; ngosuku lweshumi nane lwayo baphumula, balwenza lwaba lusuku lwedili nolokuthokoza.

₁₈Kepha abaJuda ababe seShushani babuthana ngolweshumi nantathu lwayo nangolweshumi nane lwayo; ngolweshumi nanhlanu lwayo baphumula, balwenza lwaba lusuku lwedili nolokuthokoza.

₁₉Ngalokho abaJuda basemaphandleni ababehlezi emizaneni engabiyelwe benza usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari lube ngolokuthokoza nolwedili nosuku oluhle nolokuthumelana izipho omunye komunye.

₂₀UMoridekayi waziloba lezo zindaba, wathuma izincwadi kubo bonke abaJuda ababe sezifundeni zonke zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, abaseduze nabakude, ₂₁ukumisa ukuba bagcine usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari nosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwayo iminyaka yonke ₂₂njengezinsuku abaJuda abathola ngazo ukuphumula ezitheni zabo nenyanga eyaguqulwa kubo osizini yaba ngeyokuthokoza nasekulileni kwaba lusuku oluhle, bazenze zibe yizinsuku zedili nezokuthokoza nezokuthumelana izipho omunye komunye, kanye nezipho kwabampofu.

₂₃AbaJuda bakwamukela ukwenza lokho abakuqalileyo, nalokho ayekulobe kubo uMoridekayi, ₂₄ngokuba uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, isitha sabo bonke abaJuda, wayecebile ngabaJuda ukuba abachithe, waphonsa iPhure eliyinkatho ukuba abanqobe, abachithe; ₂₅kepha lapho lokho kwafika phambi kwenkosi, yasho ngencwadi ukuba lelo cebo elibi ayelicebe ngabaJuda libuyele ekhanda lakhe, yena namadodana akhe baphanyekwe emthini. ₂₆Ngalokho babiza lezo zinsuku ngokuthi iPhurimi ngegama lePhure. Ngalokho ngenxa yawo onke amazwi aleyo ncwadi, nangenxa yalokho abebekubonile ngale ndaba, nalokho okubehleleyo, ₂₇abaJuda banquma bamukela, bona nenzalo yabo, nabo bonke ababezihlanganisa nabo, ukuthi bayakugcina lezo zinsuku zombili njengokubhalwa kwazo nanjengesikhathi sazo esinqunyiweyo iminyaka yonke, bangaphuthi, ₂₈zikhunjulwe lezo zinsuku, zigcinwe ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane, emindenini ngemindeni, ezifundeni ngezifunda, emizini ngemizi, lezo zinsuku zePhurimi, zingaphuthi phakathi kwabaJuda, nesikhumbuzo sazo singapheli enzalweni yabo.

₂₉U-Esteri inkosikazi, indodakazi ka-Abihayili, noMoridekayi umJuda base beloba ngamandla onke ukuba baqinise le ncwadi yesibili yePhurimi. ₃₀Wathuma izincwadi kubo bonke abaJuda ezifundeni eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa zombuso ka-Ahashiveroshi, zinamazwi okuthula neqiniso, ₃₁ukuba aqinise lezo zinsuku zePhurimi ngezikhathi zazo ezinqunyiweyo njengokuzimisa kukaMoridekayi umJuda no-Esteri inkosikazi, nanjengalokho bezimisele bona nenzalo yabo ngendaba yokuzila ukudla nokukhala kwabo. ₃₂Izwi lika-Esteri laqinisa lezo zindaba zePhurimi, kwalotshwa encwadini.