U-Esteri Usondela Esihlalweni Sobukhosi Senkosi
U-Esteri ugqoka izingubo zakhe zobukhosi, ame egcekeni langaphakathi engamenywanga; intonga yegolide iyeluleka, anikezwe ingxenye yombuso. Ucela idili kuphela, bese kuba elesibili. UHamani uhamba ejabule, uthukuthelisiwe nguMoridekayi, bese akha isigxobo.
5 1Ngosuku lwesithathu, u-Esteri wagqoka izingubo zobukhosi wema egcekeni elingaphakathi lesigodlo, ebhekene nendlu yenkosi. Inkosi yayihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi endlini, ibhekene nomnyango wesigodlo. 2Kwathi inkosi ibona indlovukazi u-Esteri imi egcekeni, wathola umusa kuyo, yase yelula intonga yegolide eyayisesandleni sayo. Wasondela wathinta isihloko sayo.
3Inkosi yabuza yathi: “Kwenzenjani, ndlovukazi Esteri? Ufunani? Kuze kube yingxenye yombuso, uyakunikwa yona.”
4U-Esteri wathi: “Uma inkosi ithanda, mayize inkosi noHamani namuhla edilini engililungisele lona.”
5Inkosi yathi: “Letha uHamani ngokushesha ukuze kwenziwe njengokusho kuka-Esteri.” Inkosi noHamani bafika edilini u-Esteri ayelilungisile.
6Besaphuza iwayini, inkosi yabuza yathi: “Sithini isicelo sakho, Esteri? Siyakweneliswa. Futhi sithini isifiso sakho? Ngisho noma kuyingxenye yombuso—ingeyakho.”
7U-Esteri waphendula wathi: “Isicelo sami nesifiso sami yilesi: 8Uma ngithole umusa enkosini, futhi uma kuyithokozisa inkosi ukunginika isicelo sami nokugcwalisa isifiso sami, mayize inkosi noHamani edilini engizobalungisela lona. Kusasa ngizokwenza njengokusho kwenkosi.”
Intukuthelo KaHamani Iphendukela KuMoridekayi
9UHamani waphuma ngalolo suku ethokoza enamile. Kodwa ebona uMoridekayi esangweni lenkosi engasukumi futhi engathuthumeli phambi kwakhe, uHamani wagcwala intukuthelo ngoMoridekayi. 10Noma kunjalo, uHamani wazibamba waya ekhaya. Wabiza abangani bakhe nomkakhe uZereshi, 11UHamani wabatshela ngobukhazikhazi bengcebo yakhe, nangobuningi bamadodana akhe, nangendlela inkosi eyayimhloniphe ngayo yamphakamisa ngaphezu kwezikhulu nezinceku zenkosi.
12UHamani wanezela wathi: “Akugcini lapho nje. Indlovukazi u-Esteri imeme mina ngedwa kanye nenkosi edilini layo, futhi ngiphinde ngamenywa kusasa kanye nenkosi. 13Kodwa konke lokhu akungisizi ngalutho njalo uma ngibona uMoridekayi umJuda ehlezi esangweni lenkosi.”
14Umkakhe uZereshi nabo bonke abangani bakhe bathi: “Yenza kwakhiwe insika ephakeme amafidi angamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu. Ekuseni, ucele inkosi ukuba ilengise uMoridekayi kuyo. Bese uhamba nenkosi edilini, uthokozile.” Lokhu kwamthokozisa uHamani, wase eyenza yakhiwa insika.
