1 Ke kaloku uMordekayi wakwazi konke oko kwenziweyo. Wazikrazula uMordekayi iingubo zakhe, wambatha ezirhwexayo nothuthu, waphuma waya phakathi komzi, wakhala ngesikhalo esikhulu, esikrakra.
2 Wafika phambi kwesango lokumkani; kuba bekungangeni mntu esangweni lokumkani ambethe ezirhwexayo.
3 Kuwo onke amazwe ngamazwe, kwindawo elithe lafika kuyo ilizwi lokumkani nomthetho wakhe, yaba sisijwili esikhulu kumaYuda, nokuzila ukudla, nokulila, nokumbambazela. Abaninzi bandlala iingubo ezirhwexayo nothuthu.
4 Zeza ke iimpelesi zikaEstere namathenwa akwakhe, amxelela. Wamana ezibhijabhija ukumkanikazi, ebuhlungu, wathumela iingubo zokumambesa uMordekayi, zisuswe kuye ezirhwexayo; akazamkela.
5 UEstere wabiza uHataki wakumathenwa okumkani, obemiswe ukuba amlungisele, wamwisela umthetho kuMordekayi, ukuba azi ukuba kutheni na, kungani na.
6 Waphuma uHataki, waya kuMordekayi endaweni yembutho yomzi, ebiphambi kwesango lokumkani.
7 UMordekayi wamxelela konke okumhleleyo, wamcacisela inani lemali, abethe uHaman, uya kulilinganisela ebutyebini bokumkani ngenxa yamaYuda, ukuba atshatyalaliswe.
8 Wamnika nencwadi leyo yomthetho obuwiswe eShushan wokuwatshabalalisa, ukuze ayibonise uEstere, amxelele, amwisele umthetho wokuba aye kukumkani, atarhuzise kuye, athandazele abantu bakowabo ebusweni bakhe.
9 Weza uHataki, wamxelela uEstere amazwi kaMordekayi.
10 Wathetha uEstere kuHataki, wamwisela umthetho kuMordekayi, esithi,
11 Bonke abakhonzi bokumkani, nabantu bamazwe okumkani, bayazi ukuba umntu, noyindoda noyinkazana, othe waya kukumkani entendelezweni engaphakathi, engabizwanga, mnye umthetho wakhe, ngowokuba abulawe; ngulowo yedwa, athe ukumkani wamolulela intonga yakhe yegolide, owothi aphile; ke mna andibizwanga ukuba ndiye kukumkani le mihla imashumi mathathu.
12 Bamxelela ke uMordekayi amazwi kaEstere.
13 Wathi uMordekayi ukumphendula uEstere, Musa ukuthi emphefumlweni wakho, uya kusinda wena endlwini yokumkani ngaphezu kwamaYuda onke.
14 Ngokuba xa uthe wahlala wathi tu ngeli xesha, ukuphefumla nokuhlangulwa kowavelela amaYuda kwenye indawo; ke wena nendlu yoyihlo nitshatyalaliswe. Ngubani na owaziyo, hi kanti ungene ebukumkanini ngenxa yexesha elinje?
15 Wathi uEstere ukumphendula uMordekayi,
16 Yiya uwahlanganise onke amaYuda anokufumaneka eShushan, nizile ukudla ngenxa yam. Musani ukudla, musani ukusela, imihla ibe mithathu, ubusuku nemini. Mna kananjalo neempelesi zam siya kwenjenjalo ukuzila ukudla; ndenjenjalo ukuya kukumkani ngokungesesikweni, nditshabalale ukuba ndiyatshabalala.
17 UMordekayi wegqitha, wenza ngako konke uEstere abemwisele umthetho ngako. |
