U-Esta 3:1-15
3 Ngemva kwalokho iNkosi u-Ahasuweru yaphakamisa uHamani+ indodana kaHamedatha um-Agagi+ yamnika udumo ngokumfaka esikhundleni esiphezulu ukwedlula zonke ezinye iziphathamandla ezazilaye.+
2 Zonke izinceku zenkosi ezazisegedini lenkosi zazizilahla phansi zikhothamela uHamani ngoba inkosi yayithe yikho okumele kwenziwe kuye. Kodwa uModekhayi wala ukumkhothamela kumbe ukuthi mbo phansi phambi kwakhe.
3 Ngakho izinceku zenkosi ezazisegedini lenkosi zathi kuModekhayi: “Kungani ungawulaleli umlayo wenkosi?”
4 Zazikhuluma laye nsuku zonke kodwa yena wayengalaleli. Yikho zacina zitshela uHamani zifuna ukubona ukuthi uModekhayi wayezayekelwa enjalo yini;+ phela wayetshele izinceku lezo ukuthi ungumJuda.+
5 UHamani wathi ebona ukuthi uModekhayi kafuni ukumkhothamela lokuthi mbo phansi phambi kwakhe, wazonda wadla amalahle.+
6 Bathi sebemtshele ukuthi uModekhayi ungumhlobo bani wahle wazitshela ukuthi nxa engabulala uModekhayi kuphela uyabe engenzanga lutho. Ngakho uHamani wadinga icebo lokutshaya abhuqe wonke amaJuda kuzo zonke izindawo embusweni ka-Ahasuweru, bonke nje abakibo kaModekhayi.
7 Ngenyanga yokuqala, inyanga kaNisani,* ngomnyaka wesi-12+ wokubusa kweNkosi u-Ahasuweru, baphosa iPhuri,+ okutsho inkatho, phambi kukaHamani ukuze bathole ilanga kanye lenyanga yokwenza lokho njalo inkatho yadla inyanga yesi-12, inyanga ka-Adari.*+
8 UHamani wasetshela iNkosi u-Ahasuweru wathi: “Kulabantu abagcwele yonke indawo kuzo zonke izabelo zombuso wakho+ njalo basabalele phakathi kwabantu.+ Imithetho yabo itshiyene leyabanye abantu futhi abayilaleli imithetho yenkosi. Nxa inkosi ingabayekela benjalo, izinto zingonakala.
9 Nxa kulungile enkosini, akubhalwe umlayo wokuthi babhujiswe. Mina ngizanika iziphathamandla amathalenta* esiliva angu-10 000, abesefakwa enothweni yesikhosini.”*
10 Inkosi yathi ikuzwa lokhu yahle yakhipha indandatho yayo elophawu+ esandleni, yayiqhubela uHamani+ indodana kaHamedatha, um-Agagi,+ owayeyisitha samaJuda.
11 Inkosi yathi kuHamani: “Isiliva labantu kusesandleni sakho, yenza okubona kufanele.”
12 Ngakho bonke omabhalani+ benkosi babizwa mhlaka 13 ngenyanga yokuqala. Basebebhala+ phansi yonke imilayo kaHamani eyayisiya kubondunankulu benkosi, lakubabusi* ababekhangela izabelo, lezikhulu zabantu abatshiyeneyo. Isabelo ngasinye sabhalelwa ngendlela yaso yokuloba labantu bonke babhalelwa ngezindimi zabo. Umbhalo lo wawubhalwe ngebizo leNkosi u-Ahasuweru wadindwa ngophawu lwendandatho yayo.+
13 Izincwadi zathunyelwa kuzo zonke izabelo zenkosi kusetshenziswa izithunywa.* Zazilomlayo wokuthi wonke amaJuda kumele atshaywe abhuqwe, abulawe, atshabalaliswe aphele nya kungelani lokuthi ngomncane kumbe ngomkhulu, ngumntwana kumbe ngowesifazana. Kwakumele abulawe ngelanga elilodwa nje, mhlaka 13 ngenyanga yesi-12, inyanga ka-Adari+ futhi athathelwe impahla zawo.+
14 Amazwi encwadi le kwakumele abe ngumthetho ozalandelwa kuzo zonke izabelo njalo amenyezelwe kubo bonke abantu ukuze balungiselele lelolanga.
15 Masinyane nje izithunywa* zaphuma,+ zilandela umlayo wenkosi; umthetho lo wamenyezelwa lasesigodlweni seShushani.*+ Inkosi loHamani basebehlala phansi banatha kodwa abantu bedolobho leShushani* babephithene amakhanda.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Khangela iSengezo ku-B15.
^ Khangela iSengezo ku-B15.
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “Ngizafaka amathalenta angu-10 000 enothweni yesigodlo ukuze kubhadalwe abazakwenza umsebenzi lo.”
^ Ithalenta lalingamakhilogremu angu-34,2. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
^ Kumbe, “lakubogavena.”
^ Kumbe, “izigijimi.”
^ Kumbe, “izigijimi.”
^ Kumbe, “enqabeni yeSusa.”
^ Kumbe, “leSusa.”
