U-Esta 2:1-23
2 Ngemva kwalezizinto, ulaka lweNkosi u-Ahasuweru+ selwehlile, yakhumbula okwakwenziwe nguVashithi+ kanye lesigwebo ayesiphiwe.+
2 Izinceku zenkosi zasezisithi: “Inkosi kayidingelwe intombi ezigcweleyo ezinhle
3 njalo kayibeke izinduna kuzo zonke izabelo zombuso wayo+ ukuze zilethe zonke intombi ezigcweleyo futhi ezinhle, endlini yabesifazana* esigodlweni seShushani.* Intombi lezo zizakhangelwa nguHegayi+ umthenwa wenkosi olinda abesifazana njalo kufanele ziphiwe izinto zokuzicomba lezokuzilungisa.*
4 Intombi ezathandwa kakhulu yinkosi yiyo ezathatha isikhundla sikaVashithi+ ibe yindlovukazi.” Icebo leli layithokozisa inkosi, yasikwenza lokho.
5 Esigodlweni seShushani*+ kwakulenye indoda engumJuda okwakuthiwa nguModekhayi.+ Wayeyindodana kaJayiri, indodana kaShimeyi, indodana kaKhishi, umBhenjamini,+
6 futhi wayephakathi kwalabo abasuswa eJerusalema kanye lenkosi yakoJuda uJekhoniya,*+ bethunjwe nguNebhukhadinezari inkosi yaseBhabhiloni.
7 UModekhayi wayesondla uHadasa* owayebizwa ngokuthi ngu-Esta. U-Esta wayeyintandane njalo eyindodakazi yomfowabo kayise+ kaModekhayi. Wayelitshatshazi futhi elomzimba omuhle. Wathi esefelwe nguyise lonina uModekhayi wamthatha wamgcina waba yindodakazi yakhe.
8 Kwathi ilizwi lenkosi lomthetho wayo sekumenyezelwe, lezintombi ezinengi sezilethwa esigodlweni seShushani* njalo zihanjiswa kuHegayi+ owayegcina abesifazana, u-Esta laye wahanjiswa endlini yenkosi* wasiwa kuHegayi.
9 UHegayi wamthanda u-Esta njalo waba lomusa kuye,* wahle wahlela ukuthi alungiselwe izinto zokuzicomba lezokuzilungisa+ kanye lalokho okwakumele akudle. Wamupha lamantombazana ayisikhombisa ayekhethwe endlini yenkosi. Waphinda wamthatha yena lamantombazana ayemncedisa wabahlalisa endaweni enhle kakhulu endlini yabesifazana.*
10 U-Esta kazange akhulume lutho ngabantu bakibo+ langezihlobo zakhe ngoba uModekhayi+ wayethe akugcine kuyimfihlo.+
11 Nsuku zonke uModekhayi wayedlula phambi kweguma lendlu yabesifazana* ukuze azwe ukuthi u-Esta unjani lokuthi uqhuba njani.
12 Intombi ngayinye yayithola ithuba lokuya enkosini u-Ahasuweru nxa isiqede izinyanga ezingu-12 ilungiswa ngezinto abesifazana okwakumele balungiswe ngazo. Nansi indlela ababelungiswa ngayo ukuze babe bahle: Babegcotshwa amafutha emure+ okwezinyanga eziyisithupha baphinde bagcotshwe amafutha ebhalisamu+ lamanye amagcobo okwezinye inyanga eziyisithupha.
13 Ngemva kwalokho intombi yayiyabe isikulungele ukuya enkosini njalo yayiphiwa loba yini eyicelayo nxa isisuka endlini yabesifazana* isiya endlini yenkosi.
14 Ntambama yayisiya enkosini, ekuseni ibisibuyela iye endlini yesibili yabesifazana eyayikhangelwa ngumthenwa wenkosi+ uShashigazi owayelinda abanye abafazi benkosi. Kodwa intombi yayingabuyeli enkosini ngaphandle nxa inkosi iyithandile njalo yayibiza ngebizo layo.+
15 Lafika-ke ithuba lokuthi u-Esta owayekhuliswe+ nguModekhayi aye enkosini. U-Esta wayeyindodakazi ka-Abhihayili umfowabo kayise kaModekhayi njalo kazange acele lutho ngaphandle kwalokho akutshelwa ngumthenwa wenkosi uHegayi owayegcina abesifazana. (Bonke abantu ababembona babethokoza ngaye.)
16 U-Esta wahanjiswa enkosini u-Ahasuweru endlini yesikhosini, ngenyanga yetshumi, inyanga kaThebhethi,* ngomnyaka wesikhombisa+ wokubusa kwayo.
17 Inkosi yamthanda u-Esta ukwedlula bonke abesifazana, yaba lomusa kuye* njalo yathokoza ngaye ukwedlula zonke izintombi. Yafaka umqhele wobukhosi ekhanda lakhe yasimnika isikhundla sokuba yindlovukazi+ esasingesikaVashithi.+
18 Ngemva kwalokhu inkosi yenzela zonke izikhulu zayo lezinceku zayo idili elikhulu, kwakulidili lika-Esta. Yasimemezela ukukhululwa kuzo zonke izabelo njalo yaqhubeka inika abantu izipho kusiya ngalokho okwakuphuma esandleni sayo.
19 UModekhayi wayehlezi* egedini lenkosi ngesikhathi intombi*+ zibuthaniswa okwesibili.
20 U-Esta kazange akhulume lutho ngezihlobo zakhe langabantu bakibo+ njengoba nje uModekhayi wayetshilo. Waqhubeka emlalela uModekhayi njengalokho ayekwenza ngesikhathi esahlala laye.+
21 Ngalezonsuku uModekhayi ehlezi egedini lenkosi, uBhigithani loThereshi abalindi bomnyango, ababeyiziphathamandla esigodlweni senkosi bazonda basebebumba icebo lokubulala iNkosi u-Ahasuweru.
22 Kodwa uModekhayi wakuzwa lokho wahle wayabikela iNdlovukazi u-Esta, yona yasihambisa umbiko lo ovela kuModekhayi enkosini.
23 Ngakho yahlolisiswa indaba kwasekutholakala ukuthi iliqiniso. Amadoda la alengiswa esigodweni futhi konke lokhu kwabhalwa phambi kwenkosi ebhukwini lezenzakalo zangalesosikhathi.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Le yindawo eyayihlala amakhosikazi enkosi kumbe abanye abafazi bayo.
^ Kumbe, “enqabeni yeSusa.”
^ Kumbe, “zimasajwe.”
^ Kumbe, “Enqabeni yeSusa.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Isihlahla sommethile.”
^ Kumbe, “enqabeni yeSusa.”
^ Kumbe, “esigodlweni senkosi.”
^ Le yindawo eyayihlala amakhosikazi enkosi kumbe abanye abafazi bayo.
^ Kumbe, “waba lothando oluqotho kuye.”
^ Le yindawo eyayihlala amakhosikazi enkosi kumbe abanye abafazi bayo.
^ Le yindawo eyayihlala amakhosikazi enkosi kumbe abanye abafazi bayo.
^ Khangela iSengezo ku-B15.
^ Kumbe, “yaba lothando oluqotho kuye.”
^ Kumbe, “wayesebenza.”
^ Kumbe, “intombi ezigcweleyo.”
