Esta 4:1-17
4 Kwathi uMoridekayi+ nakezwa koke okwenzekileko,+ warathula izambatho zakhe, wambatha umgodla bewazithela ngomlotha. Waphuma waya ekabeni yedorobho, warhahlawula isililo esibuhlungu.
2 Wakhamba bewayokufika esangweni lekosi, kodwana azange angene ngombana akekho ebekavunyelwe ukungena esangweni lekosi ambethe umgodla.
3 Kizo zoke iimfunda+ ekwafika kizo ilizwi nomyalo wekosi, kwaba nesililo esikhulu emaJudeni, ukuzila ukudla,+ ukulila nokurhahlawula. Abanengi barabhalala emigodleni nemlotheni.+
4 Kwathi iinsebenzi ezisikazi zaka-Esta neensebenzi* zakhe nazimbikela okwenzekako, indlovukazi yagandeleleka khulu. Yeke yathumela izambatho kuMoridekayi bona azimbathe esikhundleni somgodla kodwana wabhala.
5 Yeke u-Esta wabiza uHataki, omunye wabaphakulwa bekosi, ebeyimbeke bona abe msizi ka-Esta, yamthuma bona ayokubuza uMoridekayi ukuthi into ayenzako itjho ukuthini begodu kwenzekani.
6 Nje-ke uHataki watjhinga kuMoridekayi etatawini ledorobho phambi kwesango lekosi.
7 UMoridekayi wamtjela koke okwenzeke kuye nokuthi uHamani uthembise ukubhadela malini+ ebulungelweni lamagugu wekosi bona kutjhatjalaliswe amaJuda.+
8 Wamnikela nekhophi yomyalo okhutjhwe eTjhutjhani*+ wokobana atjhatjalaliswe. Bekufuze awutjengise u-Esta, amhlathululele wona amtjele nokobana angene+ ngekosini ayokuncengela abantu bekhabo bona ikosi ibarhawukele.
9 UHataki wabuya watjela u-Esta ukuthi uMoridekayi utheni.
10 U-Esta waphendula uHataki ngokumyala ukuthi adlulisele umyalezo olandelako kuMoridekayi:+
11 “Zoke iinsebenzi zekosi nabantu beemfunda zekosi, bayazi ukuthi nakungaba nendoda namkha umfazi ongena ngesirhodlweni sekosi esingaphakathi+ angakabizwa, munye kwaphela umthetho ozokusetjenziswa: Kufuze abulawe; angaphila kwaphela nange ikosi ingalulela kuye intongayo yobukhosi yegolide.+ Sekumalanga ama-30 ngingakabizelwa ekosini.”
12 Kwathi uMoridekayi nakatjelwa ukuthi u-Esta utheni,
13 waphendula u-Esta ngokuthi: “Ungacabangi ukuthi ngombana wena ungendlini yekosi usemathubeni angcono wokuphunyurha ukudlula amanye amaJuda.
14 Ngombana nawungathula esikhathinesi, isizo nesindiso yamaJuda izakuvela komunye umthombo,+ kodwana wena nendlu kayihlo nizokutjhabalala. Ekhabolakhona, kwazi bani ukuthi wasifumanela iinkhathi ezinjengalezi isikhundla sebukhosini?”+
15 U-Esta waphendula uMoridekayi wathi:
16 “Khamba uyokubuthelela woke amaJuda afumaneka eTjhutjhani,* nizile ukudla+ ngebanga lami. Ningadli namkha nisele amalanga amathathu,+ ubusuku nemini. Nami neensebenzi zami ezisikazi sizokuzila ukudla. Ngizokungena ngekosini, okuyinto ephambene nomthetho, nange kufanele ngirhayilwe, ngizakurhayilwa.”
17 UMoridekayi wakhamba, wenza koke u-Esta athe akwenze.
