Esta
8 Mhlokho iKosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi yanikela iNdlovukazi u-Esta indlu kaHamani,+ inaba lamaJuda;+ begodu uMoridekayi weza phambi kwekosi ngombana u-Esta wayitjela ukuthi bahlobana njani.+ 2 Nje-ke ikosi yakhupha idzilamnwana enetshwayo+ eyathathwa kuHamani, yayinikela uMoridekayi. U-Esta wabeka uMoridekayi bona alawule indlu kaHamani.+
3 Ukungezelela kilokho, u-Esta wakhuluma nekosi godu. Wawa phambi kwayo, walila begodu wayincenga bona isuse ubumbi obenziwe nguHamani umAgagi neqhinga lakhe malungana namaJuda.+ 4 Ikosi yalulela intonga yobukhosi yegolide ku-Esta,+ yeke u-Esta wasikima wajama phambi kwekosi. 5 Wathi: “Nangabe kuyayithabisa ikosi begodu ngifumene umusa kiyo begodu nangabe kubonakala kukuhle ekosini nokuthi ngiyathandeka emehlwenayo, ngibawa kutlolwe umyalo wokobana kusulwe iincwadi zesikhohlakali esinguHamani+ indodana kaHamedata umAgagi,+ azitlola bona atjhabalalise amaJuda kizo zoke iimfunda zekosi. 6 Ngombana ngingakukghodlhelela njani ukubona ihlekelele ezokwehlela abantu bekhethu, ngingakukghodlhelela njani ukubona iinhlobo zami zitjhatjalaliswa?”
7 Nje-ke iKosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi yathi eNdlovukazini u-Esta nakuMoridekayi umJuda: “Qalani-ke! Nginikele u-Esta+ indlu kaHamani begodu ngimphanyeke esigodweni+ ngebanga lokuluka amano wokusahlela amaJuda. 8 Tlolani incwadi egameni lekosi, nitlole nanyana yini eniyibona ilungele amaJuda, niyivale ngokuyitshwaya ngedzilamnwana yekosi, ngombana umyalo otlolwe egameni lekosi, wavalwa ngokutshwaya ngedzilamnwana yekosi angekhe wasulwa.”+
9 Nje-ke abonobhala babizwa ngesikhatheso enyangeni yesithathu, okuyinyanga kaSivana,* ngelanga lama-23, batlola koke uMoridekayi akulayela amaJuda kunye neenduna zekosi,+ ababusi namakhosana weemfunda+ kusukela eNdiya ukuya eTopiya, iimfunda ezili-127, kwesinye nesinye isifunda ngokwendlelaso yokutlola nakwesinye nesinye isitjhaba ngelimi laso begodu emaJudeni ngokwendlelawo yokutlola nangelimi lawo.
10 Wazitlola egameni leKosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi wazivala ngokuzitshwaya ngedzilamnwana+ yekosi, wathumela iincwadezo ngesandla seenthunywa ezikhwele iinjomani; iinjomani ezinebelo ezisetjenziswa ebukhosini. 11 Eencwadinezi ikosi yavumela amaJuda emadorobheni ahlukahlukeneko bona abuthane ndawonye, avikele ukuphila kwawo, abulale, arhayile bewatjhabalalise nanyana ngiliphi ibutho labantu namkha isifunda esingawasahlela, kuhlanganise abafazi nabantwana begodu bathathe ipahlabo.+ 12 Lokhu bekufuze kwenzeke ngelanga elibekelwe amaJuda kizo zoke iimfunda zeKosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi, ngelanga le-13 lenyanga ye-12, okuyinyanga ka-Adari.*+ 13 Ikhophi yencwadi le bekufuze ibe mthetho kizo zoke iimfunda. Bekufuze kumenyezelwe ngayo kizo zoke iintjhaba, ukwenzela bona amaJuda azilungiselele ukuzibuyiselela emanabenawo ngelangelo.+ 14 Nje-ke iinthunywa ezikhwele iinjomani ezinebelo ezisetjenziswa ebukhosini zaphuma ngokurhabako, zigijima ngokulalela umyalo wekosi. Umthetho lo wakhutjhwa nesigodlweni iTjhutjhani.*+
15 Nje-ke uMoridekayi wasuka phambi kwekosi ambethe izambatho zebukhosini ezihlaza komkayi nokumhlophe, athwele isihlohlo esikhulu segolide, ambethe nesambatho sezinga eliphezulu sewulu esipiridzana.+ Idorobho leTjhutjhani* larhuwelela ngebanga lethabo. 16 Ngombana amaJuda bekatjhaphulukile, athabile, ajekezela begodu ahlonitjhwa. 17 Kizo zoke iimfunda nawo woke amadorobho, koke lapho umyalo nomthetho wekosi wafika khona, amaJuda bekathaba ajekezela begodu aba neminyanya. Yeke abantu abanengi esitjhabeneso bebazibiza ngokuthi bamaJuda,+ ngombana bebawasaba.