Esta 5:1-14
5 Kuthe ngelanga lesithathu+ u-Esta wambatha izambatho zebukhosini, wajama esirhodlweni esingaphakathi sendlu yekosi, esiphambi kwendlu yekosi, ikosi yona ihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi ngendlini yekosi iqalene nomnyango.
2 Msinyana ikosi nayibona iNdlovukazi u-Esta ijame ngesirhodlweni, yathabela ukuyibona, nje-ke yalulela intonga yobukhosi yegolide+ esesandleni sayo ku-Esta. U-Esta watjhidela wathinta ihloko yentonga yobukhosi leyo.
3 Ikosi yambuza yathi: “Ulila ngani, Ndlovukazi Esta? Ufuna ngikwenzeleni? Ngitjho nanyana ungabawa ingcenye yombuswami, uzokunikelwa yona!”
4 U-Esta wathi: “Nangabe kuyayithabisa ikosi, ngibawa ikosi ize noHamani+ namhlanjesi esidlweni engiyilungiselele sona.”
5 Nje-ke ikosi yathi ebantwini bayo: “Tjelani uHamani eze msinyana, njengombana u-Esta abawile.” Yeke ikosi noHamani baya esidlweni esilungiselelwe ngu-Esta.
6 Ngemva kwesikhatjhana, nasebasela iwayini, ikosi yathi ku-Esta: “Ulila ngani? Uzokunikelwa okufunako! Ufuna ngikwenzeleni? Ngitjho nanyana ungabawa ingcenye yombuswami, uzokunikelwa yona!”+
7 U-Esta wathi: “Nakhu engikubawako,
8 Nangabe ngifumene umusa ekosini begodu kuthabisa ikosi ukunginikela engilila ngakho nokungenzela engikubawako, ikosi ayize noHamani esidlweni engizobenzela sona kusasa; kusasa ngizokwenza njengombana ikosi itjho.”
9 Ngelangelo uHamani waphuma athabile ihliziywakhe yeqayeqa. Kodwana kuthe uHamani nakabona uMoridekayi esangweni lekosi begodu alemuka ukuthi akhenge asikime, athuthumele phambi kwakhe, uHamani wasilingeka khulu ngebanga lakaMoridekayi.+
10 Nanyana kunjalo, uHamani wazibamba waya endlinakhe. Wathumela bona kuyokubizwa abangani bakhe noZeretjhi+ umkakhe.
11 UHamani wazikhakhazisa ngobukhulu bobunjinga bakhe, ngamadodanakhe amanengi,+ nangendlela ikosi emkhuphule beyamphakamisa ngayo ukudlula amakhosana neensebenzi zekosi.+
12 UHamani waraga wathi: “Ukungezelela kilokho, iNdlovukazi u-Esta beyimeme mina ngedwa bona ngiphekelele ikosi esidlweni asilungiseleleko.+ Nakusasa ngimenywe bona ngibe naye nekosi.+
13 Kodwana koke lokhu akunganelisi nangisabona umJuda onguMoridekayi ahlezi esangweni lekosi.”
14 Nje-ke uZeretjhi umkakhe nabo boke abangani bakhe bathi kuye: “Yala bona kuhlonywe isigodo, sibe makhubhithi ama-50* ubude. Kuthi ekuseni utjele ikosi ukuthi uMoridekayi kufuze aphanyekwe kiso.+ Ngemva kwalokho ungakhamba nekosi uyozithabisa esidlweni.” Isiphakamiswesi sabonakala sisihle kuHamani, wayala bona kuhlonywe isigodweso.
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ Angaba mamitha ayi-22.3. Qala Isith. B14.
