U-Esta 6:1-14
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UModekhayi uphiwa udumo yinkosi (1-14)
6 Ngalobobusuku inkosi kayizange ibuquthe ubuthongo.* Yikho yacela ukuthi kulethwe ibhuku elalibhalwe izenzakalo zangalesosikhathi,+ yasilibalelwa.
2 Ebhukwini lelo kwatholakala umbiko owawulethwe nguModekhayi mayelana loBhigithani loThereshi, abalindi bomnyango ababeyiziphathamandla esigodlweni senkosi, abasebebumbe icebo lokubulala iNkosi u-Ahasuweru.+
3 Inkosi yasibuza yathi: “UModekhayi waphiwa yini udumo lomvuzo ngalokho akwenzayo?” Izinceku zenkosi zaphendula zathi: “Kenzelwanga lutho.”
4 Ngemva kwalokho inkosi yathi: “Kanti lo osegumeni ngubani?” UHamani wayesanda kufika egumeni elingaphandle+ kwendlu yenkosi* ezokhuluma layo ngokuthi uModekhayi alengiswe esigodweni ayemlungisele sona.+
5 Izinceku zenkosi zathi kuyo: “NguHamani+ omi egumeni.” Inkosi yasisithi: “Mngeniseni.”
6 UHamani wathi esengenile inkosi yathi kuye: “Kuyini okumele kwenzelwe lowo inkosi efisa ukumupha udumo?” UHamani wasesithi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Kambe ngubani inkosi engamnika udumo ngaphandle kwami?”+
7 UHamani wasesithi enkosini: “Nanku okumele kwenzelwe lowo inkosi efisa ukumupha udumo:
8 Akulethwe isembatho sesikhosini+ esigqokwa yinkosi, lebhiza eligadwa yinkosi, letheswe umqhele wesikhosini ekhanda.
9 Isembatho leso kanye lebhiza akube sesandleni somunye weziphathamandla zenkosi ezihloniphekayo, izinceku besezigqokisa lowomuntu inkosi efisa ukumupha udumo, abesegadiswa ibhiza abhodiswe egcekeni ledolobho. Kumele zimemeze phambi kwakhe zithi: ‘Khangelani libone lokho okwenzelwa lowo inkosi efisa ukumupha udumo!’”+
10 Inkosi yahle yathi kuHamani: “Hamba khathesi, uyethatha isembatho lebhiza wenze lokho okukhulumileyo kuModekhayi umJuda ohlezi egedini lenkosi. Ungatshiyi lokukodwa kulokho okukhulumileyo.”
11 Ngakho uHamani wathatha isembatho sesikhosini lebhiza, wasegqokisa uModekhayi+ futhi wamgadisa ibhiza wabhoda laye egcekeni ledolobho ehamba ememeza phambi kwakhe esithi: “Khangelani libone lokho okwenzelwa lowo inkosi efisa ukumupha udumo!”
12 Ngemva kwalokho uModekhayi wabuyela egedini lenkosi, kodwa uHamani wasuka masinyane waya endlini yakhe ekhala, ezivale ikhanda ngelembu.
13 UHamani wafika walandisela umkakhe uZereshi+ labo bonke abangane bakhe okwakwenzakale kuye. Abeluleki bakhe* lomkakhe uZereshi basebesithi kuye: “Nxa kuyikuthi uModekhayi lo osuqale ukuwa phambi kwakhe ngowosendo lwakoJuda, awusoze umehlule, uzakuwa ubhazalale phambi kwakhe.”
14 Bathi belokhu besakhuluma laye, iziphathamandla zenkosi zafika zahle zamthatha zahamba laye edilini elalenziwe ngu-Esta.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “ubuthongo benkosi babaleka.”
^ Kumbe, “esigodlweni senkosi.”
^ Kumbe, “Amadoda akhe ahlakaniphileyo.”
