U-Esta
8 Ngalelolanga iNkosi u-Ahasuweru yanika iNdlovukazi u-Esta yonke indlu kaHamani+ owayeyisitha samaJuda;+ njalo uModekhayi wafika enkosini ngoba u-Esta wayeseyitshelile ukuthi bahlobana njani.+ 2 Inkosi yasithatha indandatho yayo+ elophawu eyayisiyithathele uHamani yayipha uModekhayi. U-Esta wasebeka konke okukaHamani ezandleni zikaModekhayi.+
3 U-Esta waphinda wayakhuluma lenkosi. Wafika wazilahla phansi enyaweni zayo wakhala, eyincenga ukuthi ilungise uhlupho olwalubangelwe nguHamani um-Agagi njalo idilize icebo ayelibumbile ngamaJuda.+ 4 Inkosi yasiselulela intonga yayo yegolide ku-Esta,+ wasesukuma wama phambi kwayo. 5 Wathi: “Nxa kulungile enkosini njalo ngithole umusa kuyo, nxa inkosi ikubona kufanele futhi ithokoza ngami, akubhalwe umlayo ozakwesula amazwi asezincwadini zendoda leyana elolunya, uHamani+ indodana kaHamedatha um-Agagi,+ ayezibhalele ukuthi kutshabalaliswe amaJuda kuzo zonke izabelo zenkosi. 6 Kambe ngingakumela yini ukubona umonakalo ozakwehlela abantu bakithi? Ngingakumela yini ukubona izihlobo zami zitshabalala?”
7 INkosi u-Ahasuweru yasitshela iNdlovukazi u-Esta loModekhayi umJuda yathi: “Senginike u-Esta+ yonke indlu kaHamani njalo ngithe uHamani ayelengiswa esigodweni+ ngenxa yecebo lakhe lokuhlasela amaJuda. 8 Ngakho bhalani ngebizo lenkosi lokho elikubona kufanele ukuze kuncedwe amaJuda beselikudinda ngendandatho elophawu lwenkosi ngoba wonke umlayo obhalwe ngebizo lenkosi wadindwa ngendandatho yayo elophawu ngeke utshintshwe.”+
9 Yikho omabhalani benkosi bahle babizwa. Kwakumhlaka 23 ngenyanga yesithathu, inyanga kaSivani,* basebebhala yonke imilayo kaModekhayi eyayisiya kumaJuda, lakubondunankulu,+ lababusi,* lezikhulu zezabelo,+ kusukela e-Indiya kusiyafika eTopiya ezabelweni ezingu-127. Isabelo ngasinye sabhalelwa ngendlela yaso yokuloba labantu bonke babhalelwa ngendimi zabo, amaJuda lawo abhalelwa ngendlela yawo yokuloba langolimi lwawo.
10 UModekhayi wabhala umlayo ngebizo leNkosi u-Ahasuweru wawudinda ngendandatho yayo elophawu,+ wasethuma izithunywa* ezazigade amabhiza alesiqubu ayesetshenziswa emisebenzini yesikhosini kuphela ukuthi zihambise izincwadi ezazibhalwe umlayo lo. 11 Ezincwadini lezi inkosi yapha amaJuda kuwo wonke amadolobho imvumo yokuthi abuthane, azivikele futhi abulale, atshaye abhuqe njalo atshabalalise lonke ibutho elizawahlasela kuloba yisiphi isizwe kumbe isabelo, abulale labesifazana bezitha zawo labantwana, athathe lempahla yazo.+ 12 Lokhu kwakumele kwenziwe ngelanga elilodwa kuzo zonke izabelo zeNkosi u-Ahasuweru, mhlaka 13 ngenyanga yesi-12, inyanga ka-Adari.*+ 13 Amazwi ayebhalwe ezincwadini lezo kwakumele abe ngumthetho kuzo zonke izabelo futhi kwakumele amenyezelwe kubo bonke abantu, ukuze ngalelolanga amaJuda alungele ukuphindisela ezitheni zawo.+ 14 Izithunywa* ezazigade amabhiza ayesetshenziswa emisebenzini yesikhosini zaphuma masinyane zigijima ngesiqubu ngenxa yelizwi lenkosi. Umthetho lo wamenyezelwa lasesigodlweni seShushani.*+
15 UModekhayi waphuma phambi kwenkosi egqoke isembatho sesikhosini esilombala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka kanye lomhlophe, egqoke lomqhele omkhulu wegolide, wafaka lejazi elihle elenziwe ngelembu elilombala oyibubende.*+ Kwaba lokuthokoza okukhulu edolobheni leShushani.* 16 LakumaJuda kwaba yisikhathi sokukhululeka,* lokuthokoza, lokuhlonitshwa njalo aba lethemba. 17 Kuzo zonke izabelo lasemadolobheni wonke okwafika khona umlayo wenkosi lomthetho wayo, amaJuda athaba, athokoza njalo enza amadili lemibuthano yokujabula. Abantu abanengi elizweni basebezithi bangamaJuda+ ngenxa yokwesaba amaJuda.