Estere
4 Xa uMordekayi+ wevayo ngayo yonke into eyayenzekile,+ wazikrazula iimpahla zakhe, wanxiba amalaphu okwenza ingxowa waza wazigalela ngothuthu. Emva koko waphuma waya phakathi esixekweni, esitsho ngesikhalo esikrakra. 2 Wahamba waphelela egeyithini kakumkani, kuba kwakungekho mntu wayevumelekile ukuba angene egeyithini kakumkani enxibe amalaphu okwenza ingxowa. 3 Kwiphondo ngalinye+ elafikelela kulo* ilizwi likakumkani nomyalelo wakhe, amaYuda axheleka yile nto, azila nokutya,+ elila yaye esenza isijwili. Amaninzi ayelele kumalaphu okwenza ingxowa naseluthuthwini.+ 4 Xa izicakazana namathenwa kaEstere angenayo aza amxelela, ukumkanikazi waba buhlungu kakhulu. Emva koko wathumela iimpahla kuMordekayi ukuze anxibe zona endaweni yamalaphu okwenza ingxowa, kodwa akazange azifune. 5 Kwathi kwakuba njalo, uEstere wabiza uHataki, omnye wamathenwa kakumkani, owayemiselwe ngukumkani ukuba amhoye, waza wamyalela ukuba ayokubuza uMordekayi ukuba ithetha ukuthini le nto, nokuba kwenzeka ntoni.
6 UHataki waphuma waya kuMordekayi kwindawo kawonke-wonke yesixeko eyayiphambi kwegeyithi kakumkani. 7 UMordekayi wamxelela yonke into eyayenzekile, nangemali+ uHaman awayethembise ukuyifaka kuvimba wobutyebi bukakumkani ukuze kutshatyalaliswe amaYuda.+ 8 Wanika uHataki nekopi yomyalelo obhaliweyo owawuwiswe eShushan*+ wokuba kubulawe amaYuda. Wayemele ayibonise uEstere, amcacisele aze amyalele+ ukuba aye kukumkani, acele inceba, acengele abantu bakowabo.
9 UHataki wabuya waza waxelela uEstere into ethethwe nguMordekayi. 10 UEstere waxelela uHataki ukuba makathi kuMordekayi:+ 11 “Zonke izicaka zikakumkani nabantu abakumaphondo kakumkani* bayazi ukuba, ukuba nayiphi na indoda okanye umfazi uye wangena kwibala elingaphakathi+ likakumkani engabizwanga, mnye kuphela umthetho osebenzayo: Umele abulawe; uya kusinda kuphela ukuba ukumkani umolulele intonga yobukhosi yegolide.+ Mna ndineentsuku eziyi-30 ngoku ndingabizwa ngukumkani.”
12 Xa uMordekayi waxelelwa into eyayithethwe nguEstere, 13 wathi kuEstere: “Ungacingi ukuba ekubeni usendlini kakumkani maninzi amathuba okuba wena usinde kunawo onke amanye amaYuda. 14 Kuba ukuba awuthethi ngoku, ukukhululeka nokusindiswa kwamaYuda kuza kuvela kwenye indawo,+ kodwa wena nendlu katata wakho niza kutshabalala. Ibe ngubani owaziyo ukuba awuzange usifumanele amaxesha anje na esi sikhundla sasebukhosini?”+
15 UEstere wathi kuMordekayi: 16 “Hamba, uyokuwaqokelela onke amaYuda aseShushan* uze uzile ukutya+ ngenxa yam. Ungatyi yaye ungaseli iintsuku ezintathu,+ ubusuku nemini. Nam kunye nezicakakazi zam siza kuzila ukutya. Ndiza kuya kukumkani, nto leyo engavunywayo ngumthetho, yaye ukuba ndimele ndife, mandife ke.” 17 Ngoko wemka uMordekayi waya kwenza yonke into awayethe uEstere makayenze.